Good luck in 61! You will have to let me know how it goes. I am planning on hunting 76 with a buddy from Pagosa in a year or two.........when we get enough points LOL.
I have yet to use a guide for anything other than pack in & out. Always to a place of my chosing. The only reason I do that is because we fly out & end up going from 1100' one day to 10,500' in our base camp the next. That is enough ofa shock to the system without having to worry about backpacking in 11 miles LOL. I spend several months in advance of each trip running & hiking with weight. I have never gotten anything short of a mild headache as far as altitude sickness goes. And that is gone when I take 2 asprin. So I've been luck so far.
Maybe some day we will share a camp fire together. I am sure it would be fun. Good luck again. You had batter post some pics for us so we can see what unit 61 is like