[CFECO]

Where I live, we have our summer "Monsoons" which cause normally dry wash crossings to rapidly flood. Crossing these are tricky at best, but larger, 4x4 vehicles do much better than small and light. The big problem is not the water but the sand you cannot see, which covers the pavement, sometimes a foot or more deep. The low cars get stuck in this moving sand, and get washed downstream. 2wd does good in dry sand, if it's rear engined like the VW sand-rails. These days the extreme of the sand buggy, is the "Sand Car". Some of these have well over 500HP and 24" of wheel travel, at a cost of over $100k. It must be nice having that kind of money to spend on...toys?
If I had that to spend, I'd have my car on the road...
4x4's with proper tires do well in the sand, snow, and rough terrain, but it will also get you farther "out-there" before you get stuck.
Sorry the photo's are so small, most people here probably don't want to see them anyway!