Mt. Whitney from Horseshoe Meadow with Kids?

[Hobbes]

Ah yes, good old Trail camp, with the ongoing saga of the WAG bags.

I've been up Cottonwood (as well as New/Old Army) pass enough times to witness people asking out loud "where are the lakes?"

Glad it all worked out for you & your family. All of those backdoor hikes to Whitney are some of the best 3-5 day loops in the Sierra. If you ever come back, there's also Army to Miter/Crabtree, or Kearsarge over Forester heading south.