The sound of our tires spinning against the soft snow is interrupted by the loud cursing coming from my mouth as I realize the hard truth: We are stuck. Unprepared and overly enthusiastic, my wife (then girlfriend) and I were trying to push my old 1995 Ford Ranger named Gloria a little farther down a long dirt road in the Central Cascades to access some spring backcountry skiing. Despite the many rugged forest service roads we had taken my trusty truck on, she was not built for off-roading or challenging elements. Lucky for us, a savior arrived in the form of a Toyota 4Runner, complete with traction boards, portable tire inflator, shovels, and a winch.

Our new best friends had something we did not — the ability to be self-reliant, to push safely into the backcountry, and to get out of tough situations on challenging roads. This, in essence, defines what “overlanding” is. According to J.D. Power, a well-known consumer insights company, “overlanding is a form of self-reliant, long-distance travel from Point A to Point B through mostly remote areas on unpaved or unimproved road surfaces.” At its most hardcore, overlanding is Land Rovers crossing deep water, Jeeps crawling over giant boulders, and Tacomas inching through sand. Yet, overlanding is more accessible to the novice than it may seem.

Critics of overlanding will call it glorified car camping or glamping, and while it can be full of creature comforts, overlanding is more about the journey than the destination, meaning you must get there to use the swanky gadgets along for the ride. “There” can be anywhere, as long as it’s off the beaten path, away from smooth roads, four-lane highways, and well-traveled tracks. Forest service roads, old logging zones, or long dirt roads are popular with the overlanding crowd. The harder it is to reach, the better. You can find well known routes on popular overlanding websites like Overland Trail Guides, which feature explorations in the Cascades and Olympic mountains.

Overlanding can be a way to test yourself mentally and physically, a way to experience true self-sufficiency, and to go to places few have ever seen.

The beauty of overlanding is in getting away from the crowds and doing so in comfort and style. Style has become a big selling point of this quickly grow- ing activity, partially because a big wallet can buy you street cred. It’s not un- common to see a well shined, $100,000 vehicle roaming the streets of Seattle, covered in oil jerry cans, a ladder, shade awning, and rooftop tent striking envy in many. While it is indeed possible to have this type of adventure on a shoestring budget, there’s no denying that the more toys you have the more fun it can be.

To be a self-sufficient vehicle in the backcountry, you’ll need a few basics. Spare tires, car jack, tire inflator (for airing up or down), traction boards (for getting unstuck), winch (for pulling yourself or other vehicles out of a tough situation), satellite beacon, and first aid supplies. Beyond “recovery” gear, over- landing is exciting for how customizable it can be.

Mule Expedition Outfitters provides all the essentials for overlanding adventures.

Andrew Jones / Mule Expedition Outfitter

How you sleep is all about preference. Many use a rooftop tent like the iKamper Skycamp with a ladder or sleeping platform built inside the vehicle (think Sprinter van), while some prefer a tent and a sleeping pad. Cooking can be done like cavemen over the fire, or more sophisticated, like using the inside of a vehicle with custom milled cabinets, sink, and gas-powered stove. Shelter from rain and sun at base camp can be under a pull-out awning or a lightweight tarp. Designated overlanding shops are popping up around Seattle, such as Mule Expedition Outfitters in Issaquah and Next Jump Outfitters in Tacoma.

You can experience an overlanding adventure by renting a vehicle fully equipped and ready for off-roading through Seattle Overland, which rents Jeeps, or Cascade Adventure Vans, which specializes in Sprinter vans.

Many Seattleites dread the end of summer, when the long days and endless sunshine start giving way to rain and darkness, and many hardy campers put away their gear for the season, letting it sit until the next summer. Overlanding can be a way to camp all year round, without sacrificing comfort (a vehicle can carry a lot) and adding a new element of adventure and exploration that can keep you outside discovering new places.

I took my truck many places she shouldn’t have gone, from long forest service roads in Canada, to rocky, rutted-out roads in the Cascades, narrowly escaping getting stuck, breaking down, or both. These adventures left me wishing I could go farther, explore more remote places, and get around that next bend. When you have a vehicle that is fully capable, kitted out with the right equipment and the necessary safety gear, overlanding opens so many possibilities to explore beyond where a “normal” car can take you.

To some the wilderness is quiet solitude where only your feet can take you. To others, overlanding is just as special. Overlanding can be a way to test yourself mentally and physically, a way to experience true self-sufficiency, and to go to places few have ever seen.

Overlanding Guide

Overland Trail Guides

Outfitting

iKamper Skycamp

Mule Expedition Outfitters

Next Jump Outfitters

Rentals

Seattle Overland