O2, are you using active sourdough or discards to make the crackers?

Discard for the crackers. last fed 24 hrs ago.

>Just can't get rise and color out of the loaves that I would like since we moved from Texas.

Rise looks good, but color looks like over-proofing. What is your formula and workflow for that loaf?

Proofed overnight at RT (60f - 68f) about 13 hours.
I think I didn't compensate enough for the altitude.
Since I still have the starter out, I am going to make 2 more on Friday.
This time will raise oven  temp from 380 to 385 (recipe called for 375) and IT from 195 to 200.
That should give it a little more color.
Still have starter out, so I will try again if that doesn't improve color.

Yeah, I wouldn't be afraid to go higher than 200F for IT if needed.  I typically go to 208 minimum. However, I'm making rustic loafs, not pan loafs, so don't know if that is a factor.

O2, are you using active sourdough or discards to make the crackers?

Discard for the crackers. last fed 24 hrs ago.

>Just can't get rise and color out of the loaves that I would like since we moved from Texas.

Rise looks good, but color looks like over-proofing. What is your formula and workflow for that loaf?

Proofed overnight at RT (60f - 68f) about 13 hours.
I think I didn't compensate enough for the altitude.
Since I still have the starter out, I am going to make 2 more on Friday.
This time will raise oven  temp from 380 to 385 (recipe called for 375) and IT from 195 to 200.
That should give it a little more color.
Still have starter out, so I will try again if that doesn't improve color.

Most of the recipes I've seen and/or use are way hotter than that. Usually 450-500. Many are preheat to 500, then reduce to 450 or 425. The color is a mystery. Otherwise nice looking bread. Did you get the color you wanted at the same temp at your previous residence?

 Did you get the color you wanted at the same temp at your previous residence?

Yes, that was at near sea level in Texas. I'm at about 5600ft here.
Haven't made as much bread here as I did when I was in TX.
Need make more of an adjustment than I have for the altitude difference.
We'll see what tomorrows loaves look like.

Starting to get a bit better and shaping and scoring. Still not great, but steps in the right direction.

Looks good to me!!!.

Tried that sourdough bread again with no luck. Have no idea what happened.
Raised oven temp to 390f (from 375) and set thermometer to 200f (from 190).
Strangest thing, thermometer never alarmed.
Temp was stalled at 198.
Don't know if it was oven, probe, thermometer, or one of the mysteries of science.
Needless to say, was cooked to long and we ended up with 2 bricks.
Did have nice color though. 

24" cuban loaves. Sandwich will be posted in sandwich thread.

Looks good to me!!!.

Tried that sourdough bread again with no luck. Have no idea what happened.
Raised oven temp to 390f (from 375) and set thermometer to 200f (from 190).
Strangest thing, thermometer never alarmed.
Temp was stalled at 198.
Don't know if it was oven, probe, thermometer, or one of the mysteries of science.
Needless to say, was cooked to long and we ended up with 2 bricks.
Did have nice color though. 

I've never cooked at high altitude. If you got the results you wanted before and that is essentially the only change, I guess I'd start researching or asking around for cooking advice from locals. That is crazy if that changes things to that degree.

>Strangest thing, thermometer never alarmed.
>Temp was stalled at 198.

Not surprising since you are at 5600 ft and water boils around 201F at that elevation. I didn't realize you were that high. 
You've may have seen this already, but here are some high alt baking tips:  https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking

>Strangest thing, thermometer never alarmed.
>Temp was stalled at 198.

Not surprising since you are at 5600 ft and water boils around 201F at that elevation. I didn't realize you were that high. 
You've may have seen this already, but here are some high alt baking tips:  https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking

I understand changes are necessary for high altitude, but that doesn't account for IT staying at 198 for a long time.
Should have climbed past the 200 at some point.

I did see a UFO just shortly before that. Hmmm

Have you by any chance tried the bulk fermentation method, as in KA's Extra Sour Sourdough? Working with cold sponge may be helpful.

>Should have climbed past the 200 at some point.

I'm at sea level and my breads never get above 209, so I don't thing anything strange is going on. As long as there is moisture, evaporative cooling will keep the bread at less than boiling point (201 at your elevation). I think the moisture in the outer layers of the loaf will evaporate sooner, so the center will be lower than boiling point. Salt and other dissolved solids will raise the BP, but not my much.

So tell me about the sourdough mother dough.  I know from many visits to the wharf & Boudin Bakery that they have had one for 160 years.  What I am not informed on is the entire concept.  So Boudin made a starter 160 years ago.  That was used in their 1st batch.  Some of that 1st batch of dough was held out and put into the 2nd batch, etc, etc...?   Is that correct, or was some of that 1st batch of dough put into a new starter and that is done over and over?  If you do not make sourdough everyday, how do you preserve your mother dough?

Big bakeries do things differently than the average home baker. I know they use various methods for maintaining their mother, but I've never worked in a bakery so I'll just tell you how I do it.

I use a maintenance method that requires no regular feeding, no discarding, and is always ready to bake in 12 hours.

I maintain a stiff 66% hydration starter - made my mixing of 8 grams starter, 56 grams flour, and 37 grams water, for a total of 101 grams.  This stiff starter will say healthy in the fridge for up to 4 months with no feeding, stirring, etc.  It's really hands off.

When I am going to bake, I take about 8 grams of the starter and mix with 50 grams flour, 50 grams water. This is a levain. I put it in my proofing box (a cooler with a heating pad and temp controller) running at 80F and it is fully active within 12 hours, often less. I will typically make the levain at 9PM and then use it to make dough at 9am the next day.

Since I am only using 8 grams at a time, the 100g starter in the fridge will make about 10 loaves. When I get down to about 15 grams, I build the starter back up as in the first step.

The 100 grams of starter fits nicely into a 8oz ball jar. I use the same size for the levain as well. If you bake frequently, you can maintain a larger starter, or just rebuild more often.  I've been using this method for over 2 years with starter that I've had for about 5.

Here's the levain after 10 hours.

Here's a rye semolina loaf based on a recipe from King Arthur. I followed their recipe, but used sourdough instead of yeast. Came out really nice.