Some tips to consider before driving into the wilderness

Every summer, we take to the roads — and often back roads — of our expansive land to decompress, enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation, and of course, make some great memories. But the last thing we want is some major vehicle damage or breakdown that can quickly turn any getaway into a disaster.

Keep these tips in mind to ensure a happy ending.

Know your ground clearance. Familiar cottage and camp roads can become unknown risks when heading out in a vehicle that’s never taken that trail before. Modern undercarriages carry a lot of components and parts that don’t like to be scrubbed by rocks and ruts. If you’re towing anything, the hitch point will usually be the lowest part of the ensemble and most prone to scraping over uneven roads and surfaces.

If you’re worried about tree branch scrapes, maybe you should leave the car at home. If you have to make a choice between a hard undercarriage scrape and a few gentle forest-growth brushes, take the branch contact. A little wax or polish can make small marks disappear, but a punctured fuel tank is a lot more serious.

Critter-proof your wheels. Vehicles are a wonderful attraction to animals, which find them a great place for shelter, heat and food.

If you’re venturing into an area known to experience animal intrusions into vehicles, you might want to invest in a few ounces of aromatic peppermint oil. Diluted eight-to-one with warm water and put into a spray bottle, it makes for a great repellent when spritzed under the hood and in discreet parts of the interior — but test for fabric staining first.