I've gotten much valuable advice, like, pack your recovery gear on top of the vehicle, easily accessible, before attempting a deep water crossing. LOL, most of this shit makes sense, but sometimes we have to learn it the wrong way.
I spend a fair amount of time out in the eastern California/Western Nevada desert, places where you may go several days without seeing anyone, and the nearest gas may be over 100 miles away.
So here's my bullet points.
Safety:
• Pull over to allow slower traffic to pass as soon as possible. If there's a car in your rear view mirror that wasn't there before, well, they're going faster than you.
• Carry a variety of maps, paper and digital. Don't trust GPS software completely; people have died that way.
• Expect changing conditions, plan for the road to be washed out at the worst possible place, and carry enough gas accordingly.
• Pack gas on the rear of the vehicle, so that if you roll your truck you may not squish the can and end up with gas inside the vehicle compartment. It is possible to drive out a rolled vehicle.
• Secure all your gear inside your vehicle, so (for example) your ice chest doesn't join you in the front seat as you're part way down some death hill 40 miles from Lone Pine.
• If manual transmission, always park facing downhill so you can jumpstart in case of battery issues. A battery starter is nice if you have the room.
• Wire an extra key under your car, and make sure your friends know about it; if you get lost, they can still use that key to get help. Wire it; I've found three of the magnetic variety on the trails.
• Watch tow companies carefully during a recovery operation; they don't always know what they're doing.
• Careful about sticking your head out the window to spot your tires; beware of getting your head pinched from trees or boulders.
• Beware of tight turns on loose surfaces like sand dunes or even thick forest duff. The downhill wheels will sometimes sink in deeper, suddenly increasing your off camber angle, and over you go.
• Don't rely on electronics or rescue personnel to save you. Be prepared and in decent shape.
• Six ply tires will save you a lot of trouble. Don't skimp on tires. Bring a can of fix-a-flat, too.
• Unsure if you can clear that rock in the road? Position your tire over it, instead of your differential. Bumpier, but ?
• Watch your dog's paws. Snow is probably worse than most desert terrain. Don't bring your dog to terrain with Cholla or recent wildfires.
• Bring tools, every kind imaginable, plus extra wire, duct tape, cable ties....
• Get a small-scale air gauge from the Internetz or 4x4 shop; most gauges don't accurately show when you air down to 12psi.
• Stuck? First thing you should do, in pretty much all conditions, is air down.
• Watch for large plywood signs, often found at the base of steep grades, with a single or double-digit number spray painted upon it. These indicate the CB channel used by local logging trucks, to announce their location on narrow, dangerous roads.
• Don't park in tall grass. Fires really do start that way.
• Be aware that big snow drifts which are solid enough to support your truck in the morning may become slushy vehicle-traps in the afternoon.
• Keep your guns locked up in camp. Same laws apply there as at home.
• Don't crawl into dusty holes or ruined cabins full of mouse crap. People really have died from Hantavirus in eastern California.
Etiquette - this isn't country like in the movie Deliverance, but still consider:
• Give people their privacy; don't enter others' camps unless necessary. Some of us are reclusive jerks who go to the hills to get away from people and walk around naked or in our wives' sundresses.
• Camp near the hot spring at your own risk. Even though it is empty now, located 50 miles from the nearest paved road, a party may show up later....
• Avoid driving when the roads are muddy. I know it's fun, but that's also when most of the damage is done.
• Don't park in the middle of the trail, assuming there's nobody else out there, and certainly don't park in front of the gate!
Other Practical Stuff:
• Don't be so intent on the destination that you miss cool places along the way. Take your breaks at different spots each trip.
• Driving every day will quickly melt your ice, as it is agitated by the bumps.
• Don't mix dry ice and regular. Dry ice must be kept dry and air-tight.
• Marine-type ice chests work best, if you can afford one.
• Don't floor the gas as soon as you pass someone. Be aware of kicking up rocks at them, as well as dust. Drive nice.
• Wash your truck, especially under the hood, before you take it to the shop.
• The car heading uphill has the right of way in California. But use common sense. Sometimes it is easier for the car heading uphill to backup to a good turnout.
• Getting stuck doesn't have to be a bummer. Send the kids to gather rocks, hand out beverages to the adults, and make a plan.
• Tire chains also work in mud.
• Keep bystanders clear of chains and straps, in case of catastrophic breakage.
• Don't trust online traffic reports. Sometimes the information is old, sometimes you can find your way around the problem.
• Some Counties in eastern California post "road closed" signs on routes that aren't closed, simply for liability reasons (you can't sue if you drive into a new washout). Obey the Forest Service signs, but be skeptical of County.
Oh, and finally, pull over to allow slower traffic to pass as soon as possible.
