The application of the electric cone penetrometer test in snow has been investigated and compared with results from the ram penetrometer test, which is normally used for snow profiling and slope stability analysis. A special cone penetrometer system was built consisting of a sensitive 1 cm2 electric cone, depth transducer, and battery-operated chart recorder. The instruments were tested in April 1985 at three different locations in the Swiss Alps and the test results were compared with those of the ram penetrometer tests.The tests yielded repeatable results up to a depth of 4 m with a high resolution of different snow layers. The electric cone tests show more layers than found in the ram profile and snow pit analyses. In soft snow the ram resistances appear to be, on average, about 30% lower than cone resistance values. Recommendations are given for the future use of electric cone penetration testing in snow. Key words: snow, snowpack analysis, cone penetration test, ram penetrometer, cone resistance, ram resistance, ram number.