The 18-200 is a great general purpose lens and as an added plus it doesn't add much weight if you are hiking.

I believe it is a Mountain Blue Bird.

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The ND filter allows you to achieve the shutter speed and aperture you need to achieve the effect you want when the lowest ISO available isn't low enough. In short, the range of available ISO settings isn't always adequate if you want a long exposure.

6. They're too old to fight...they'll just kill you.

I've made a large series of photos of mountain streams and cascades with long exposures. The way I handle the dynamic range is to shoot on cloudy days or when the entire area is in the shade. Neutral density filters reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor to give the needed long exposures. If you can't focus through the neutral density filter, mount your camera on your (sturdy) tripod, compose, and focus before you put the ND filter on your lens. Ditto on the previous comments about avoiding vibration when using long shutter speeds.

Actually I find that it does have an impact on the tonal balance. If I take three exposures one with Active D Lighting Off, one normal, and one Extra High, the upper mid-range tones gradually become darker as the the amount of Active D Lighting is increased.

Consider visiting Rocky Mountain National Park when you are on your way to the Aspen area. I'd suggest going though Estes Park and then over Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake. From Grand Lake take RT 34 South to RT 40 West to Rt 9 South which will take you to I-70 in Silverthorn. RMNP is not to be missed and Trail Ridge Road will take you well above timberline and has some great vistas. If it is early or late in the day you are likely to see Elk. Moose tend to hang out at lower elevations on the West side of the park.

It isn't just a question of damage to a camera, but damage to near by people and property. Not all Lithium-Ion battery cells are created equal and not all batteries have protective circuitry to prevent over charging. A battery charger that switches to a trickle charge when the battery is fully charged is fine for a NiCad or a NiMH battery, but that type of charger can overcharge a Li-ion battery if it is left on the charger when full charged and an overcharged Li-ion battery is dangerous. If it is a quality aftermarket battery there should be no problem, but we need to be careful in what we purchase.

http://www.9news.com/news/health/colorado-teen-severely-burned-in-e-cig-explosion/39581822
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/watch_flashlight_battery_cause.html
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?262234-TK-Monster-Explosion
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?178411-My-flashlight-exploded

Shoot raw, set Active D Lighting (with a Nikon), and expose to put you highlights at +1 stop.

If you get the OEM batteries you know they will have top quality cells and top quality protective circuitry in them. If you don't have the equipment to check performance, you are gambling with other makes. There have been a number of videos showing what's inside some of the non name brand lithium ion flashlight batteries and they range from humorous to dangerous.

I have spent 10 days hiking, camping, and photographing in Zion NP alone and didn't get to the Narrows. There is a lot of scenery and a lot of country to cover, but if you aren't comfortable in heat, avoid the summer. When I got back to the developed area in Zion the temperature was 117 degrees and felt cool after what we had been experiencing in the back country and on canyon rim. Carry extra water, you may need it.

If you leave your lithium ion battery plugged in and 'charging' after it is full charged, you are relying on the protective circuits to cut off the charge before you have an explosion. Quality batteries and chargers 'should' do this, but I'd rather not rely on the 'safety' functioning as expected to keep me safe.

Your batteries have a safety circuit that prevents them from fully discharging and probably also has a circuit that prevents them from overcharging...as long as circuits work as intended.

Here is an excellent article on lithium ion batteries and variables that effect their life span. http://www.batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries