Given digital cameras' voracious power needs I don't see how taking them on a multi day hiking trip could be a good option as opposed to a 35mm point & shoot with a good digital photo delivery service when they're developed. Either the camera will have a proprietary rechargable battery, necessitating AC power or it'll take AA's in which case you'll have to carry & dispose of them. Take film & have the photo developer scan them to a Kodak picture CD (or the like). Resolution will beat any digital camera priced less than $2,000 (at least with Kodak PhotoCD's) and there won't be any need to worry. Film is not heavy. I have a Canon S30, two Canon P&S cameras and a Cannon A2e. I'd take the P&S cameras for multiday trips & the digital for 1-2 day trips or at most a long weekend. With a decent P&S (weatherproof) and several speeds of film you'd have a pretty good setup for a lot less coin & a lot less hassle.

-Zeke