Hi aastro,
This topic is for questions about the Non-Trail Mountaineers Route (aka MR), that goes up the North Fork Lone Pine creek, past Lower Boy Scout Lake (LBSL), near Upper Boy Scout Lake, and near Iceberg Lake. Water crossings on the MR are minimal, the trickiest is at LBSL, but it is usually accomplished by hopping on rocks. You cross the NF twice below LBSL, too, but those usually aren't a problem.
Water crossings on the Main Trail, by this time of the summer, should be easy. Nothing more than ankle-deep, but maybe no trouble at all -- we need to get some current reports on that. If you're doing the Main Trail, I would take an extra pair of socks in case you get wet feet.
Not sure where you saw any thigh/waist-deep reports. Those aren't anywhere on the Mt Whitney access trails.
