My permit is for Fri Jul 24 and i'm going up Thu Jul 23 so yes, I prob will not be able to camp at Outpost on Jul 23...just realized that.
Where does Whitney zone begin? Is it at Lone Pine lake? How is camping at Lone Pine lake?
The issue with Horseshoe meadows is that it's an hour from Whitney portal trailhead, I have to pickup my permit then retrace back to Horseshoe meadows then on 24th head back probably 1.5 hrs to Whitney portal. I would like to avoid all that driving before I start hiking.
Trident, you can pick up your permit any time in the 2 days before you start your hike. If you call the Wilderness Permit Office, you can even arrange to pick it up at night in their drop box.
As for camping at Lone Pine Lake, you still need the same overnight Whitney Wilderness permit to camp overnight there. It is outside the w-zone, so day hikers can visit, but overnighters still need a permit.
When you pick up your permit, it is quite possible that there might still be an unused permit or two available for the day before your start date. You could exchange yours for one, and then start early and camp at either Lone Pine Lake or Outpost.
Acclimatization is gained by spending time at altitude, regardless of whether you are active. In fact, being active, as in hiking hard, seems to bring on more AMS symptoms for me. The higher you are during the time, the better -- up to a point.
