Even at 'mile high', you should be using a pressure cooker to get proper extraction. A few minutes in the pc (not long, will get bitter - depends on the pressure in the pc), then dump it into the French press and push the grounds down (or just use a strainer). Enjoy! Without the pc, the water won't get hot enough to extract properly.
BTW, those photos are great - some great biking country. I've sold both of my road bikes, but have kept my newish mountain bike. Mountain bike requires learning some new skills - telling roots from sticks at a glance, and most important - going 'between' the trees. I'm still learning...