The parent and other people commenting about trashing 4WD systems are from Europe. I'm not sure if there are as many remote places in Europe anymore especially compared to Utah.
I go trout fishing a lot in North Georgia and many places I go would be accessible in a small fwd car. In fact if people saw you driving an incapable vehicle they would stop and warm you about proceeding further.
Try Norway for size. I live in a rural area and the everyday car is a Land Cruiser - in summer, just about anything goes - but come winter, and big, studded tyres, low range and diff locks all over (well, center and rear in my case) are what gets you from A to B and back.
Anecdotal evidence makes me claim that electronic traction control systems are excellent, but still no match for good ol' manual systems - probably in part because the automagic systems are easily taken for granted, making drivers forget what icy conditions are like - and using the electronic systems to drive faster, not safer.
I go trout fishing a lot in North Georgia and many places I go would be accessible in a small fwd car. In fact if people saw you driving an incapable vehicle they would stop and warm you about proceeding further.