If You Were Backcountry Skiing and Wanted to Conduct a Rutschblock

Multiple Choice

If you were backcountry skiing and wanted to conduct a rutschblock test to assess the avalanche risk,what would you do?

A) dig a hole one metre deep and examine the character of the snow layers
B) pull back the upper part of a column of snow with your shovel and observe the fractures produced
C) push on the snow with the back of your shovel and observe fractures on the exposed vertical face
D) push on the snow with your skis, then jump on it and assess the force necessary to set the snow in motion
E) throw a fist-sized rock or larger snowball at the slope you're testing and observe the resulting pattern