Thanks for all the responses.
I do hikes to Mount San Gorgonio a number of times a year because I live close to it (I was up there today); so if I lived close to Mount Whitney I'd probably do it a few times a year. Seeing as it's a 3+ hour drive to the Eastern Sierra for me, I tend to like to check out different areas and try to get up other mountains to check out the view. Also, the crowd on the Whitney trail is difficult for me to deal with - If I'm going to drive to the Sierra, I like to go where the trails are not so crowded.
I agree there are some wonderful mountains in the area surrounding Whitney - the few that I've been up were well worth the time and effort to scramble up. I've had McAdie on the list for a while; so maybe I'll get a chance to try that one this summer. I think I might try it from Crabtree Pass instead of Arc Pass.
