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3. Sensor technology really slowed down in advancing around 2013. That means cameras like the Nikon D7100 (24 MP APS-C sensor) and D800E (36 MP FF sensor) are still very relevant today. That said, the previous generation of 16 MP APS-C sensors are also STILL relevant and produce just as good photos today as they did back then. That means you can get a lot of value in your first camera purchase by looking at a lightly used camera that's a few yeas old.
4. If you plan to carry the camera slung on your body while hiking, then pay attention to the weight and balance of the lens. A physically long lens will bounce around while you're hiking, but a compact lens will not. It can be handy to have the camera out at the ready. Canon has a couple nice pancake lens options and a few more lenses that are relatively compact. Nikon has a few shortish lenses, but no real pancakes. Pentax has quite a few pancake and compact lenses. Mirrorless camera systems are great for this as well: take a serious look at Fujifilm, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic's offerings.
5. A super-zoom lens can be very useful in the outdoors. ANY lens change will tend to result in some dust getting on the sensor. There are optical downsides like optical distortion at the wide end, softness at the long end, some purple fringing throughout -- things that gearfags care a lot about, but for utility of taking snapshots, it's hard to complain. The biggest issue with zooms is the size, which means it's harder to carry the camera while hiking.
