Yoseman, as for your question about climbing to Discovery Pinnacle: Somewhere on this forum (here it is:
Miter Basin, Discovery Pinnacle to Mt Whitney), there is an old description of a route from Crabtree Pass, generally following the contours from CP, and then climbing directly to DP. Kent Ashcraft (aka Kashcraft) and his sons did that and posted the description. If you really do want to hit DP, and THEN climb Hitchcock, I'd definitely try that.
It appears, from the topo contours and satellite views that you could reasonably (but slowly in some places), walk the ridge all the way from DP to Hitchcock. 3-4 years back, I climbed from the middle Crabtree Lk up to the overlook half way between Hitchcock and DP. (That was without gps, and I was aiming for DP, but stupidly followed all the use tracks and trails on the slope, and got too high waaay too soon. I followed contours from there on around and up to DP on that hike. Went on to Whitney and camped on top overnight.
