Who would stand up and cheer a weather report that read: “Waves and waves of moisture will sweep across B.C.”? Snow-sports lovers, of course. After all, it’s crucial that nature lay down as much fluffy white stuff as possible in the next few weeks in advance of spring break.

Planning to pack up and head out on a “big mountain” ski safari then? Before making any decisions, consider some suggestions based on a road-trip survey carried out by the Georgia Straight.

For starters, make it a daily ritual to check snow depths at destinations around B.C. From the looks of things, just about everywhere—including Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Vancouver Island, which has struggled with an uncharacteristically meagre base this season—has finally been blessed with abundant fresh powder. Fittingly, Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this season, has led the pack on the snow-depth score since opening day in November.

By definition, mountains are challenging places upon which to venture. What constitutes a “big” mountain, anyway? Size matters in more ways than one, not just as measured in vertical height but also in terms of the range of outdoor options on offer. When gauging which big mountain to favour, choose one where the terrain caters to individual ability levels from beginner on up.

When it comes to big mountains, Revelstoke Mountain Resort—a six-hour road trip east of Vancouver on the Trans-Canada Highway—styles itself as the champ, with some of the lengthiest and steepest downhill runs in North America. Since its expansion from a modest, locally operated ski hill in 2006, RMR has positioned itself as a global magnet for those keen to test their legs.

Although a plummet down RMR's 2,466-metre Mount Mackenzie will indelibly define a family vacation, less experienced snow sliders should look elsewhere for more welcoming terrain, such as Sun Peaks Resort north of Kamloops or Kimberley Alpine Resort in the Columbia Valley. (Often overlooked, Kimberley not only receives more sunshine than any other B.C. resort but after dark its slopes offer one of North America’s longest illuminated runs, making it a favourite with energized kids who just can’t get enough slopeside action.)

As a general rule, the farther east one travels in B.C. the taller the mountains ranges. Exhibits A and B: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in the Purcell Mountains above Golden and Fernie Alpine Resort on the western slopes of the Rockies. Each is a full day’s drive from the coast; winter tires are a must.

Kicking Horse reinvented itself in 2000 when it mushroomed from a small community ski hill—Whitetooth Ski Area—into its current 2,450-metre, peak-cresting persona. If that sounds intimidating, it is. Take it from ski instructor and freeskier Brenna Donaldson, who epitomizes big-mountain attitude. The 25-year-old chatted with the Georgia Straight while pointing out some of the more extreme features of KHMR’s four alpine bowls to a group of backcountry-touring skiers from Virginia. The first-timers were in total awe. “I like to work real hard in the chutes above the bowls,” she said, “then, when I hit the ski-out, undo my zip pits and raise my hands over my head in a big ‘Woo-hoo!’ as I cool down.”

Surprisingly, some of Donaldson’s favourite places to chill are the easily accessed slopes beside the main plaza, which features a gentle carpet and chairlift. “The learner’s area is the perfect place to start without sacrificing any of the awesome views of the Rockies.”

This winter, KHMR, with funding from its new owners, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies—whose sister properties include Fernie and Kimberley—expanded the family-skiing zone on its lower slopes, where the Whitetooth runs have been smoothed out. Once confidence levels rise, Donaldson said, she recommends everyone try the 10-kilometre Easy Out run from top to bottom. “Take your time and allow at least an hour. Then you’ll appreciate how big this mountain really is.”

Nestled in the Elk Valley, Fernie Alpine Resort is so massive that it can be all things to all people. One look at Fernie’s expansive terrain, spread across five snow-packed bowls with a peak elevation of 2,134 metres, is enough to realize it will take more than a few runs to get oriented.

Best approach: join a complimentary mountain tour led by knowledgeable locals, many of whom have been season’s-pass holders since the resort’s humble beginnings in 1961. That’s how the Straight met up with sisters France and Paule Giguère on their spring break. “We never knew what ‘rock the powder’ meant until we came here,” said France, a cookbook translator whose family cabin sits at the base of 800-metre-high Mont-Sainte-Anne, a ski resort near Quebec City.

“We’re moving,” Paule added, only half in jest. Of the three big mountains surveyed, Fernie features the most options for family fun during spring break, with a variety of on-hill activities and horse-drawn-sleigh rides that augment a slate of arts-and-culture activities in historic downtown Fernie.

Go ahead. Break big this spring.