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Just had a rare fatal cougar attack in the forest East of Seattle a few days ago. . Two mountain bike riders were attacked. They fought it off for a while using their bikes as weapons but eventually the cougar killed one of the riders and hurt the other. First known cougar kill of a human in 100 years in Washington. I bet some others have happened but the victims were dragged off and not found. The cougar population in Washington is increasing and likely out of control. That puts pressure on existing cougars for food and may be behind the attack since the cougar was very underweight. It was tracked down and killed. Be careful out there.

Great advice. I’ll add that a winch, spare tire and a chain saw in the backcountry are essential. Along with some hand tools (shovel and axe), and basic wrench set.

I agree with Norse, and from personal experience a Suburban would be my first choice in your situation. If you can find an older one that has been well cared for, all the better. The old '68 we had, with the 292 straight six was so simple I could sit on the fender with the hood up and my feet inside the engine compartment to work on it. The less bells and whistles, the less there is to break. That said, it would pay to learn a few basics of vehicle maintenance. You're not going to have to change the oil in the backwoods, but knowing that corrosion on a battery terminal, even if you can't see it, may prevent the starter from cranking and having the basic tools to fix it might save your life. A roll of Duck Wrap Fix silicone repair tape, about $5 a roll at Wal-Mart, can seal a split radiator hose or any other leaking item. A self tapping screw and piece of innertube can seal a small puncture in the oil pan or gas tank. I'm no mechanic, but all three of these things are from personal experience. And if you don't know how to change a flat, learn (a can of flat repair spray might work sometimes as well). One of those units that combine an emergency jump start battery, power inflator, work light, etc., wouldn't be amiss. One more from my history, know where your fuel filter is located, carry a spare and any special tool needed to change it. Any rig built in the last quarter century or so uses some type of fuel injection and the system is pressurized, so loosen the gas cap first. I replaced the fuel filter on a '97 Suburban in Glacier Park. And one more on fuel; all newer vehicles have the fuel pump in the gas tank and the fuel cools the pump, so don't run too low as it can shorten pump life.

Holy kamoly, Norse. Amazing stuff. Brutal. Fascinating. The type of hunting humans have conducted for hundreds of thousands of years.

Technically, GM calls it "Auto 4WD", "4 HI", and "4 LO". 4 HI definitely locks in the front wheels and turning radius is reduced. "Auto 4WD" has taken me though some very muddy and difficult terrain. I have forgotten and left it in auto 4wd and couldn't tell on the highway. I've owned a Dodge Durango that had full time 4WD (and a Jeep Grand Cherokee actually). The Durango was great on mud, snow, and ice but would never have been as effective off road as my Suburban is, not that I gave it much of a chance.