It's said that creating controlled avalanches with the blasts is the best way of preventing unwanted ones cutting off vital transport routes.
So, over the past couple of weeks the army have been targeting the snow on the only route between Russia and Ossetia, in the only way they know how, with some pretty big guns.
As this this video shows after several shots the military are able to 'force' an avalanche… but maybe they should do it from a bit further back next time.