LGB - some of the most fun i had with my bikes in the past was actually building them up. that's another thing to think about. you get to pick exactly what parts you want on it and you don't need to spend all at once. a great place for reviews and a marketplace is mtbr.com .

and i still recommend a nice titanium hardtail frame for all those hill climbs. nice and rigid when you go up and it absorbs just enough to keep your *ss in the saddle on those rocky descents.