In the early 70s, I directed an archaeological project in Canyon de Chelly National Monument. We drove in the canyon daily, during the "good" part of the year when the canyon floor was deemed drivable, in a vehicle well suited and well maintained for the task. The best advice I ever got was, "You will get stuck. It is inevitable. Don't worry about it."

Sure enough, I got stuck, and more than once. We always stopped and assisted others, since we had a front-mounted winch that was invaluable in such conditions (your tax dollars at work). Likely as not, they would return the favor, sometimes the next day. I was amazed at the skill of the local Navajo inhabitants, who could get standard sedans places where I needed a FWD. Skill and experience count as much, or more, as equipment, gadgets, and doodads.

The beds of quicksand shifted unpredictably, so that staying in the established vehicle track wouldn't always work.

Thought #2. Wow, WWII era tanks completely buried in known locations? Sounds like a job for historical archaeologists and ground penetrating radar.....