I forgot to add this link too- Fire AirNow, fire and smoke map. Also a good resource.
https://fire.airnow.govWe are also considering the Wallowas, maybe in a week or two.
The mountain will be there next year for you, but I really understand the disappointment after all the planning. If you want to do more than a one or two day Whitney trip and have the time, you can go in via Cottonwood Lakes ( or Cottonwood Pass but it has more traffic, including horses), go over New Army Pass down Rock Creek to Soldier Lakes, then on to Crabtree Meadow, up to Guitar Lake and approach from the west side. Camp at the tarns or at the water source at 12,000 ft for summit day. Less traffic and you don't need a special Whitney entry permit, just the overnight Inyo entry permit for Cottonwood unless you decide to exit to Whitney Portal, then a Trail Crest exit (so juggling two permits) and a car shuttle. If you go back to Cottonwood ( Lakes or Pass) TH to exit then you don't need a car shuttle or Trail Crest exit.
Onion Valley to Whitney Portal is also a very nice trip.
We have never approached Mt Whitney from the east side, always the west so we can acclimate to the altitude for several days. And we enjoy backpacking. In the past I have obtained one of the daily walk up permits for both the entry TH and Trail Crest Exit. Entry is on the following day, but the exit is what day you specify that you will go over Trail Crest. Of course this year is very different with the online "walk up" process and permits for a whole week released one week ahead. Hopefully it will change back to the old process post COVID.
This website has a lot of resources for trip planning. It was because of information here that our first summit of Mt Whitney in 2011 was successful, even with the overnight snow/hail storm at 12 K in mid September. I paid particular attention to acclimating to the altitude in the Orientation notes for first timers. You never know how you will respond. It is different for everyone and fitness is not a predictor of who will and will not get AMS or worse. I now know I can ascend to 10 K or 11 K without issues, but need time there before proceeding, hence the multi day backpacking approach. I really admire the folks who can blast up the main trail and do a one day ascent/descent, but I know it is not for me.
