I always know general bearing from the road to take me out, and
either backtrack the way I got in, or take the side roads in the direction (bearing) of the road that will get me out. I'm
honestly in a 4x4'ing situation likely to just backtrack - since even with a magic map and GPS, I don't necessarily know
if the type of bush trails where I am will actually be passable - my "shortest" route back might end up being stopped up by 10 feet of water behind a beaverdam over the road - floating muskeg, or just giant crudhole that will require winching and other such fun


The flip side of course being.. I don't go into such places with a gallon of gas left in the 4x4 - I make sure I have enough to get back the way I came in. Up here I'm usually going into such places with a couple of cans in the back.. or the buddy tank of diesel... or it's on propane and I'm running with a 350 litre propane tank in the bed!

Y'all can get a *long* way from a gas station 4x4'ing in northern alberta

Yes, a GPS and good roads would afford me the "luxury" of being able to run the car down to very little juice, and still be confident of a good way out.