A Rem 700, aftermarket trigger, pounder stock, stainless #3 barrel in 300 PRC, a pair of Leupold fixed power scopes (4x & 6x) in steel rings with a steel one piece base. I used to think industrial hard chrome was the ultimate weatherproof finish, and it is good, but just letting a blued rifle be itself isn't the end of the world - once the original finish is crap, then do something.
For an off the shelf rifle the Christensen Mesa in 300 PRC is awfully nice, although the stock isn’t super light weight. I really like the thin grip.
I still like the small fixed scopes at any price - both are sighted in, but if it’s more open the 6x stays on, and in thicker areas the 4x is ideal. I haven’t swapped scopes with a lot of aluminum rings/bases, but it seems reasonable that a steel base and steel rings return much closer to zero, so it seems worth the weight penalty.
Even 5 miles in, a quick trip to the trailhead and back to swap out scopes is only 4 hours if you’re moving light and quick. In the past, a second rifle was kept at the trailhead, but nowadays everyone thinks it’s cool to be a thug and take things that aren’t theirs, so a second scope is the next best thing. The lock picking lawyer sells everything a thug needs to open your truck door.