What did you do after you stopped? I always found riding back down kept my legs very loose and did wonders for recovery. No, I never climbed Mt Evans nor anything bigger than Mt Ashland in Oregon (7000'). I did used to ride up Juaquim Miller Road from Oakland to Skyline on a 42-17, turn around at the top and ride down. After spinning that gear at about 45 mph I never had soreness later.

Yours is a ride crying for at least a flip-flop hub and really, that plus a double chainring setup. (Put 2mm dish in the hub, bring the crankset really close in and have two chainlines and radically different gearing. Say 52-14 and 42-24.

I've ridden two of the tougher week long Cycle Oregons on a fix gear I had made with a dropout long enough to run any of the 1/8" cogs on the market. (12 to 24) Being an older wimp, I brought a chain whip and a third cog. 42 x 17, 24 and 12 for the big days. Yes, I "cheated". But I didn't coast one inch.