Heavy duty avalanche shovel

Yep. If you are serious about saving someone this is the only way to go.

Just try some serious digging with a 12" wide T-handle and you learn real fast that while it is pretty and light, it is nearly worthless for digging fast and deep in avalanche compacted snow.

A grain scoop like that is good for moving a lot of snow in a hurry. It does not work, however, if you are trying to sculpt the inside of a snow cave. For a snow cave, you really want a spoon-shaped shovel.

–B.G.–

:-)

It is a material transfer shovel. Some of my friends carry grain scoops. They are twice as big. They drill large holes in them to
save weight.

"They drill large holes in them to save weight."

That was the conventional wisdom about thirty years ago. Then users discovered that the metal would be weakened to the point where it would crack between holes. Worse yet, if you flexed it a lot at the point where the shaft meets the scoop, you could ruin the whole thing. That is from the school of "been there, done that."

–B.G.–

I have used grain scoops a lot with scouts digging snow caves and making igloos.
They are great for moving a lot of snow out of the door or a trench, but not inside.
Combined with a regular avalanche shovel, they make a good pair. I would not hike with one.
Inside a snow cave I have Snow Claw that works great for shaping and smoothing.

Grain shovel is the best shovel as a sled :)