Steer excrement getting too deep? This lightweight shovel with a six foot probe that stores inside the handle will get you out. The handle has an oval cross-section so it’s pretty strong, and the aluminum blade is better than plastic for the hard snow that sets up so quickly after an avalanche.
I brought this up Denali and though it stood up well to the abuse it was too small and too short to be comfortable for building snow walls and digging out tent platforms. That’s not its intended use, however, and it’s a great piece of just-in-case gear for backcountry travel. For expedition use get something bigger with a D-handle and extendable shaft.