Unless you are prepared...

Another 4X4 with you
Shovels, straps, high lift jacks, ect.
4WD just gets you deeper in trouble

My stock 4WD, no lift or tires
I have 12" to the bottom of the pumkin, have never had a problem
I'm also not in the desert

Always let someone know where you are generally and when you "should" be back

Bill

If you look for a Enterprise truck rental, they dont care where you take the trucks. I rent in Reno Nevada and they have a fleet that the miners take out to the claims/prospects and sometimes have them for months at a time. Nice thing....they are always new trucks. Last year I picked up my weekly rental F250 Super Duty Turbo Diesel 4x4 which is already higher than stock, and with 10 ply Kevlar tires......so new it only had 8 miles on it! I thinking, whooo hoooo gonna get to be the first to break it in. So...they know the trucks get taken off road and also they come hitched up to so you can tow as well. When I rented in May this year, they told me of an extraction they had to do, and how they were thinking..."man I wouldnt ever taken my own vehicle into that area."

I did the vehicle searchs of different jeeps, trucks, suvs you name it I got prices and the whole bit. Alot of the claims at least in Arizona are 2x4, 4x4 recommended. Like I said I have been down some washes before and stopped because they actually had a softer sand base than I was about to risk getting stuck. I didn't put on 1k miles in the week I was there last november. I don't think I'll put on a 1k miles this time either. For the most part the opinions of the people that go to these claims listed are invaluable to the new prospector. I was hoping more people would give an honest opinion of the washes that some claims have on the route there.

Not in AZ, but generally around here a 2wd pickup is more than good enough, especially if Bill's advise is taken.  The only thing I'll add is not to park in a dry wash, and keep and eye and ear out.  Sudden t-storm miles away can result in a wall of water in a wash as a flash flood can bear down on you.

I'd also carry a tire plug kit and a sourch of air, like a cig lighter plug in air pump.  You can also air down the drive wheels to around 10-15 lbs to get a bigger footprint and get out of a soft spot if need be, then pump them back up.

In Arizona most claims in Pima county can be acessed by regular pick up. I have 4wd just in case, however I have rarely used it but its nice to know its there, Ive seen many passenger cars out there as well but I wouldnt do it.

Much depends on your experience in the type of terrain you are in. I was first 4 wheeling in the southern Cal desert when I was 10. Be prepared for breakdowns, always bring plenty of water, be familiar with the weather condition and how far you are from help. Many experienced people can maneuver with a 2 wheel drive where others have problems with 4 wheel drive. Best practice is to park uphill, back uphill to turn around even if it is only a very slight incline and if you do not want to cut your tires, Kevlar or not, watch for pointed or sharp rocks and try to never spin your wheels to prevent tire cuts and punctures. Bring dig out tools and bases for jacks so they do not sink into soft sand. But actually to avoid problems just be sure of your trail before you enter into it.