Not sure where you're getting the idea that "Subarus have excessive maintenance" especially compared to a Chevy Astro. It seems like you know enough about cars to scare yourself about the Subaru head gaskets or something. I'd do some hard googling before I concluded that Subarus were worse than any other option. Pretty much all modern cars are reliable, even Chevys. I would avoid something stupid like an Audi or luxury brand because mechanics and parts are more expensive.
I agree that you can get pretty far with snow tires. I live in a mountain town in Wyoming and have a front wheel drive vehicle with snow tires most of the time. However, there are 10-15 days a winter when I hate it and borrow my GF's Subaru. Think driving over a mountain pass in a snow storm with jacked up pickups passing you on blind corners, or watching the car in front of you spin 360 on black ice, or spinning yourself on black ice. If you need to make an appointment, or can't control when you drive, then you want a AWD vehicle.
What people don't realize is that yes you can drive fine with snow tires in most conditions, but if another car is driving like a dumbass and loses control, you need to have the maximum ability to take evasive action. So you need awd AND snow tires is you regularly drive in the Rockies during snow storms, if for no other reason than to avoid other cars. It is terrifying to lock up and see yourself sliding into the car that is spinning in front of you. I would guess that you see 30+ cars in a ditch in a season. Maybe more. There was a storm when 80-90 cars went off I-80 last year.
So I would recommend a newish outback with snow tires. I'd also recommend buying your outback in CA or AZ or somewhere where there is no need for it. The resale value on those is definitely higher in mountain towns. You live in a beautiful part of the world; the tradeoff is that your car costs are higher. If you're ER and can be choosy about when you're driving, then the cheapest FWD hatchback is a great idea. If you have to drive in storms (or you're chasing pow), then get a Subaru with snow tires and call it good.