Thank you for that additional comments and guidance!
Wow, some beautiful photos.

The D850 is attractive to me for two main reasons.
First, the best dynamic range possible and low ISO (yes shooting RAW).
Second, 45 MP might sound like a lot now, but who knows what technology will bring in another 10 years. I think it's better to error on the larger side so photos look great on a 4k TV and beyond.
Thanks for the info on the battery. I do a lot of hiking so a big battery or bulky lens aren’t attractive to me. My current camera is slower than molasses in January, I’m looking forward to the speed of a Nikon more than anything.

I hate to give up the wide angle ability of the full frame sensor by exclusively using a zoom lens, but from my limited experience, and reading on this forum, (great info: [ngdiscussion.net]) it seems telephoto is more valuable on a photo charter than wide angle. But that’s probably more of a personal preference than a fact.

It’s my understanding the less expensive FX lenses or super zoom lenses may not perform as well at their limits, but are certainly acceptable within the heart of their range?
There is an overall list of lenses on the Nikon website, I narrowed the list to Nikkor FX lenses only and picked out what I thought was the most versatile just based on the numbers – the 28-300mm. I absolutely agree about not changing lenses on a photo charter or chasing, that’s exactly why I was asking about the best overall recommendation, even if it is a compromise.

I really appreciate the feedback and opinions.
Unfortunately for me the decision might just come down to my budget.