Ice axe shovel attachment

A shovel blade attachment for an ice axe having a handle shaft elongated upon a center axis and a head affixed thereto, said head having an adze extremity and opposed pick extremity curved toward said shaft and having a flat configuration coplanar with the shaft axis, said attachment comprising:

• a) a shovel blade of monolithic construction having upper and lower surfaces, opposed side edges, a rear edge, and a front edge, a straight trough-like groove downwardly recessed from said upper surface and extending between said front and rear edges in parallel disposition to said side edges and midway therebetween, said groove being centered upon a plane of symmetry of said blade and configured to receive said pick extremity, a shaft-receiving hole centered upon said groove adjacent said rear edge,
• and at least, one pair of mounting apertures in equidistant opposition about said groove upon a locus orthogonal to said groove, said blade being downwardly bent between said front and rear edges, and
• b) securement means adapted to be positioned above said upper surface in straddling relationship with said groove while penetrating said blade and adapted to exert upward force upon said lower surface in a manner to force said groove into secure engagement with the head of said axe.