An Amazon search of "Mt Whitney" will turn up a number of books. Tom Harrison Maps has a trail map. Don't overlook the other forum
http://www.mountwhitneyforum.com/. Water is readily available all the way to Trail Camp. Don't carry a ton of water. Go light and refill as needed. The Trail Camp pond is the last reliable water source before the summit. There is a spring about 1/3 the way up the switchbacks, but it will be frozen early in the morning. Leave for the summit with 3 liters of water.
I have not seen an elevation profile, but the hike gains about 6300 feet to the summit in a steady, uphill grind (average grade 10%). The one exception is the section from Trail Crest to the John Muir trail junction. That is some 150 feet of downhill that must be regained on the way back. Watch that junction carefully. People make the mistake of forgetting about the uphill on the way back. They keep going downhill on the John Muir trail which leads deep into the backcountry in the opposite direction of the Whitney Portal.
Good luck and please post a trip report.
