4 wheel drive, and 4 good snow tires. A set of chains if I think things are going to get rough. I usually bring my gators along in case I have to walk the last half mile or so to my house. Sometimes skis.
I don’t usually carry a shovel, If the snow is so deep to make it impassable, It’s time to walk home and get the plow truck.
I’ve found that a good front wheel drive car is more than adequate for every snow condition I’ve ever faced.
And a four wheel drive on ice will get you no further than a front weel drive. If anything, people in their four wheel drives are even worse drivers in bad conditions because somehow they seem to think having four wheel drive makes them immune to snow and ice.
I must disagree. A 4 wheel drive is immensely better to get you where you’re going. Ice/snow, whatever. I’ve been in lots of conditions where a 2 wheel drive won’t cut it. As a matter of fact I face those conditions every day for about 6 months out of the year. Namely, my drive to work and home again. Specifically, the road to my house and my driveway. Often the 25 miles of mountain road between home and work. 4x4 all the way.
Possibly but where I live most of us have 4x4, and we know how to drive them. With the random idiot driver thrown in of course.
175 60R14 IIRC - I haven’t been able to get them in the right size since I bought four my first winter in Georgia…probably January of 2000. I’ve got tires on now that are newer, but aren’t the absolutely correct size.
Today…I wimped and took the bus. 
I knew I had to be at work a little earlier, they still hadn’t done anything to my complex parking lot (they did during the day today, so I’ll likely drive tomorrow), and it just seemed like the less stressful way for me to go today.
My car, btw, is a front wheel drive stick shift - a '94 Suzuki Swift. It does what it needs to do and gets me where I need to go.
Thanks for the tips - I’ve been planning the empty parking lot trick, eventually, but I haven’t had the opportunity yet.
catsix gave excellent advice about parking lot time and becoming comfortable about skid recovery. That was the exact training ground I used for ambulance and fire apparatus operators.
Add-on benefit of going sideways in a 20 ton truck is FUN! 
I took my driver’s test after an ice storm. Nearly had a head-on collision, but avoided it by not panicking and steering calmly.
Passed with the lowest score you could get and still pass.
I’ve driven in the snow some, but not very much. All I’ve ever encountered is slipping a little bit when making turns. The only time I’ve ever totally spun out was on a sunny spring day (don’t ask :o).
So, not being terribly experienced, what I’d like to know is how the hell to get up or down a hill without crashing into something (with a manual transmission, if anyone cares to get specific).
Uphill is easyier and safer to go faster if you have the traction to do so. You can stop quicker.
Downhill is dicier. You are much more likely to lose control going downhill in any configuration (obviously). Front wheel drive, downhill may put you in a position where the front wheels want to go slower than the rear wheels (especially in a maual). This can cause understeer, basicaly, the front wheels lose traction and go straight reguardless of how you turn the wheel. If that happens, push in the clutch an try to get the front wheels to again control the car. The thing to remember is that a sliding tire will not help you get back into your lane. It will contine to slide in the direction you are going. Tires MUST roll to get any control of the car. Use your brakes and try to get the car back under control. Do this very lightly. Pump them and try to recontrol the car as the tire stops and then starts to roll again.
Uphill is better with front wheel drive, you are less likely to over-steer, and it’s easier to recover if you’re pulling the car. Downhill, better with rear wheel drive, less likely to understeer.
Uphill in a rear wheel drive is also more more likely to cause oversteer. Which could put you in either ditch in the end.
Oversteer (typical of rear wheel drive), your turning to the right, the rear wheels lose traction and move to the left, putting you in a spin into oncoming traffic.
Understeer (typical of front wheel drive). You turn to the right, and the car keeps going straight into oncomming traffic.
4x4- Lots of different kinds. Basic trucks, SUVs and all wheel traction control. I have found that w/4x4 I can point my SUV or truck and get out of a slide before it happens. Not with the brakes, but with a controled 4 wheel drift. In such a situation, I may aim for the ditch (counter steer) and apply a little power, straighten, and then let off a little power to give all tires grip. Get the tires rolling and then apply power.
You are probably SOL when it comes to snow tires, but for future reference for regular tires, Maxxis makes a P175/60R14: http://www.maxxis.com/products/automotive/product_detail.asp?id=183&product_id=2708
Suzuki sure has some odd sizes. I’m having to wait several days for my snow tires to arrive for my Vitara (I want snows for a somewhat odd size (215/65R16), and I want to bump up to a slightly larger size (215/70R16) for better clearance, so wait I must.) No big deal, for these sizes are still made by many manufacturers, but they are not stocked locally where I live.