Congratulations on making the summit, and thanks for the report!

Acclimatization is the biggest issue for most day hikers. It wouldn't have made much difference if you had tried to acclimate for one night. It is far better to sleep at 8k or even 10k elevation for TWO nights before going up.

Sorry you missed on the water required. You guys are among the fortunate if you made it in spite of not enough water and the altitude. That's enough to shut down a good percentage of day hikers.

People who go to the expense of flying this way to see Mt Whitney would do well to take a week. There is so much more than just Mt Whitney to see!