CAPT OF AN LTT FAILED TO CLB TO ASSIGNED ALT OR FOLLOW THE CLRNC TRACK AFTER DEP DUE TO WX IN THE CLRNC PATH.

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WHILE OPERATING AS ACR X ON OCT/THU/95 THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED. A TSTM HAD RECENTLY PASSED OVER THE LARAMIE STATION AND WAS PROCEEDING SEBOUND TOWARDS OUR IFR FILED DEP DIRECTION. WE TOOK OFF VFR ON RWY 21 AND DEPARTED THE AREA TO THE SE. AS PNF IT WAS MY DUTY TO WORK THE RADIOS. APPROX 5 MI E-SE OF LARAMIE I RECEIVED OUR IFR CLRNC TO PROCEED ON COURSE (V-575; RAMMS INTXN FOR THE RAMMS 1 STAR) AND TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190. I ACCEPTED AND READ BACK THE CLRNC. THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT DUE TO A TSTM ABOVE AND DIRECTLY IN OUR ACCEPTED CLRNC FLT PATH THAT HE WOULD REMAIN LOW. I AGREED TO THIS BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY ATC OF OUR INTENTIONS. 10 MI LATER ATC QUERIED US AS TO OUR POS. I TOLD THEM WE WERE AT 10000 FT AND DIVERTING DUE TO WX. ZDV RESPONDED EXCITEDLY THAT HE HAD A-6 TFC S OF US; AND TO EXPEDITE THROUGH 13000 FT. THE CAPT TOLD ME HE HAD THE CALL AND RESPONDED. HE TOLD ATC WE WERE NOT DIVERTING; RATHER TURNING ON COURSE. WE THEN EXPEDITED OUR CLB AND NO FURTHER SITS OCCURRED. WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THIS SIT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. FAILURE OF THE CREW TO IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY ATC OF OUR INTENTIONS TO REMAIN 'LOW' AND NOT CLB ON COURSE. FAILURE OF THE CREW TO DISCUSS IN DETAIL WHY AN ALTERNATE ALT HAD BEEN CHOSEN IN LIGHT OF ACCEPTING A CLRNC FOR HIGHER. DIFFERING OPINIONS AMONG THE CREW AS TO WHY WE WERE AT A LOWER ALT. THE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY AVOIDED HAD WE NOTIFIED ATC IMMEDIATELY OF OUR INTENTIONS TO DIVERT FROM A CLRNC.