Favorite point-and-shoot camera for the mountains?

CHDK works with really cheap Canons, going back a long time. Ebay/craigslist, and you're set.  Just check the compatibility list before you buy.

I'm a couple hours into it with my wife's S5IS.  It's motion detect that I'm interested in and it looks like I'm going to have to write my own script.  We'll see.  Not sure if I'm that smart.

By the way, I have been using a Casio Exilim ZR100.  I'm happy with it and I love the slow motion ability.  Good pocket camera in my opinion.  recent slowmo with the point & shoot: 

All of my recent ski video has been with this little camera.  I'm quite satisfied.

Shot with a Canon G11 for a couple of winters, awesome camera with no issues. I replaced it with a Sony RX 100 smaller and lighter, but am having issues with it. Sent it back to Sony they were great about repairing it, but am still having problems with it freezing up. I think my next camera will be another Canon.

I vote for a Sony dsc tx20 - was kind of reluctant to go with a touch screen, but just enough of the controls are on the outside to balance out - one handed to open or shut cover to start - and the pano feature is the best by far of any camera out there, which would seem an important feature in the cascades - because they have a newer model now it is easy to find these on ebay for around 200$ that is a lot of camera for $ and carl zeiss lens. Pics do not disappoint.

My pick is a Canon Power Shot A710is it is an older camera, but still available.  The old one I had started having problems with the lenses hanging up, and I was able to find an almost new one on ebay,  some of the things I like; AA battery's, optical view finder,  image stabilization, good movies, and it is fairly user friendly to manipulate the aperture, and shutter speed.  It would not probably be great for someone who does not want to baby a camera, as it has some inherent weaknesses.

I had a chance to use the Canon G15, and I really liked the motor drive like shooting it was capable of, but have not really used it enough to give a full report, but it is currently on my lust list.

My main camera is a Canon G11. If it's going to get really western I have a Canon SD800IS as a sacrifice camera. GoPro Hero 2 also takes pretty decent stills. Would love to have a DSLR but the weight and cost factor has prevented me from taking this step.
Back in the day I shot with a Canon A1. The digital format has changed everything including how I shoot stills.
If you have the skills and equipment RAW is the only way to go.

I shoot RAW but would modify to "if you have the equipment, skills, and desire..." as there are some folks who just want the camera to do its best job of processing the picture so they can dump straight from camera to the web (or mail, or whatever).