Tranny Slipping or the Snow?

[Amazonparrot]

Hello all, before I start may I issue the disclaimer: I have done as much searching for this topic as time may allow, and have found nothing useful at all.

Ok then, now to the problemo. So we just got about an inch of snow on the ground, and as usual I have been out and about trodging around in it (gotta love AWD). So as i go up hills, the rpms flare up, as though the wheels were spinning and not getting any grip in the snow, which is a perfect possibility. So finally I get very close to home, where there is a small hill, that i am forced to stop in the middle of. I open the door and hang my head out to watch the tires. When I give the car gas and look at them, there is nothing happening with the wheels. Plenty of gas, and engine activity, no wheel movement, slipping, nothing! So i turn the car off, let it 'chill' for a few minutes and then manage to limp the last mile home at like 5 mph in the snow. I tested it again this morning, to the same result. I also checked the tranny fluid, and it looks completely nice and red, although it smells funky, but not burnt. I get this lack of movement in 1st, second (force it into manual mode) and reverse. Does anyone have any idea what this could be?? I really need to find out quickly what kind of problem im looking at. Thanks so much for your help in advance! -Andrew Robb