#1 turn off your DSC when stopped or not cruising down a fairly clear highway(or road). You will be stuck in 3" of snow if you stop and try to pull forward with DSC on. The X will just sit there and burn the brakes as the DSC tries to stop the wheels from spinning. If you leave the DSC on until you make a run up a step incline you will be stuck halfway up and lose the momentum you needed from the spinning tires. Next, the hill decent control(HDC) is your best friend if you are going down a step incline that is snow or ice covered. If you use the brakes the tail end will come around. The HDC will walk you down with individual wheel braking. I have used HDC on a roller coaster like snow and ice covered road in Co. Leave it on, drive to the crest of one hill, let off at the crest and have the HDC walk you down the backside (It will kick back in when you let off the gas). My worst experiences with this was on the Michelin MXV4's. Great for everything but snow. For the last six years we have had a set of winters, Pirelli scorps ice/snows. Incredible, my wife thanks me every year, the things barely wear. Turn of the DSC go about anywhere, depths to a foot. Read about DSC and HDC in your manual.