Conditioning will be important especially since you are coming from near sea level. Second rifle season still has some bugling but not like in September. I carry a bugle and a couple of cow calls. I always hunt south central Colorado during the second rifle season and am headed out there in less than 2 weeks. The cows often have a bull or two hanging around so the cow calls can either attract a satellite bull or pull the cows to you and the herd bull will follow. I use the bugle mainly for a locator but use it sparingly. If I can get one to answer I work my way in that direction in the hope of either an ambush or a spot and stalk. Elk are large and travel in groups so find the fresh sign and hunt them by still hunting with an emphasis on scent control. If you get winded these things will blow out of the county in an instant. There are always a lot of eyes, ears and noses looking for a hunter so it is easy to get busted. Slow and steady looking at everything with a good set of binos. I have found that if they see you move a quick cow call will often settle them down but if you get winded it is all over. Good leather boots are needed because of the steep and often rocky terrain. I carry a hunting pack with all my gear for field dressing and some game bags. We leave the pack frames in the truck and one of the gang will usuaally go out to bring them in while a couple of us start the field duties. We do the gutless method and pack out either whole quarters or boned meat. Planning on how you get the animal out is important. Having a few in your party is always good. It took 5 of us about 4 hours to get mine out last year and that was an easy one. My buddy took one the day before and the same team worked on his in about the same time frame. A few years before we had one on the ground and killed another on the way into that canyon the next day. It took us 2 full dark to dark days to get them both out. So plan on success and plan on how you will get them out. Cover the meat with game bags to keep the dirt and flies off the meat. I carry a Wyoming saw to cut off the scull cap and antlers. Good luck and don't forget to carry a lot of water. You go through a lot of it due to the altitude.