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The first generation Forester is a lifted Impreza (both tires and suspension) and you can lift it even more in both tires and suspension. With my pure stock 2002 Forester we have been using it for hunting trips on Western Montana the last two years, never close to being stuck. You would have to be being pretty stupid to get one stuck anywhere in a city, like trying to be the first person to drive over a 3' tall plowed bank of snow, and even then I think it would go through no problem with a little momentum or back and forth action (you know you would enjoy that). every winter morning at work I always have a place to park where the plow piled 2' of wet compacted snow by the curb. I always drive it in and then go back and forth a few times and cut an exit path to before actually parking. That way when it all freezes to rock hard ice later, it won't be trapped in there.
Mine is the 5 speed manual version with 165,000 and never had the headgasket problem. They found it really was more of an electrolysis issue. Keep good coolant, good ground straps and a good battery ground and the problem is much less likely.
I can get 25 mpg around town all day and up to 35 on the highway (although it's only rated originally 21/27 then adjusted to 19/25 on the new standard) My clutch does seem like it might be starting to slip sometimes and it did have a timing belt and water pump done around 100,000 miles just to be safe. It has gone through a couple wheel bearings and needed a new front CV joint. Lots of oil changes and it's on it's 3 battery but basically has been bulletproof. The 2.5 has good power with what must be really steep gearing, I shift into 5th gear all the time around town but on the interstate I usually keep it under 65 because otherwise aerodynamics aren't great and it starts turning a lot of RPM. I wouldn't doubt at 75 it would drop mpgs into the 20's.
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