ppine, I think the answer is "it depends." If the forecast is for a significant snowstorm, we are not going. If the forecast is for flurries, we might go, while keeping an ear on the NOAA shortwave broadcast. We generally do not camp way back in the boonies if snow is on the way -- we try to stay within a few miles of pavement.
But yes -- there is risk. The goal is to keep the risk within acceptable limits. That is why, for example, I wanted to figure out a way to plow myself out of trouble. (I no longer think that I can do that, by the way -- but this thread still addresses the key question of how to deal with the risks of snow camping.)
If I wanted to avoid risk, I would stay home, go to the gym, and watch TV. Instead, we travel to remote and beautiful places, hike, and monitor the forecasts. Life is a series of compromises and choices -- play it totally safe? Behave recklessly? Or something in-between?
You mention cell reception -- we are usually in places that have no reception. That is why we always carry a personal locator beacon, to alert Search and Rescue via satellite. Even in the absence of snow, we are always at risk of a broken ankle -- we hike off-trail, in places where we do not see anyone for days at a time.
