Mt Whitney Zone Forums Thread Like Summary - Cottonwood Lakes arrival time

Hi All,
We have a permit for a day use climb on 8/31 (hopefully conditions have cleared by then) and are planning on trying to get a spot at Cottonwood Lakes on 8/29 to spend a night at altitude and do some acclimatizing hikes. I am concerned with availability since these are first come, first serve sites. Has anyone stayed here recently during the week that can share what time we should arrive by to increase our chances of getting a spot? Thanks!

I'm going to add extra info on getting to Horse Shoe Meadows since I was just there yesterday and today, but don't want to start another thread.

The stretch of road to the Mt Whitney portal between Tuttle Creek Rd and Horse Shoe Meadow Rd is under construction and closed. Doesn't look like they will be done anytime soon.

Visitors are being told to take Lubken Canyon Rd (which in some places is single lane with both directions to share) or Tuttle Creek Rd to Horse Shoe Meadow Rd, (which looks to be recently paved, but is also narrow and in some places steep and in others with limited visibility -- so drive slow and be careful).