Rickey,
It's about a 5 hour drive from here, and it takes a few hours to blaze through LA. In the early am it's not too bad, but after 8am it's the usual first gear blues. I catch the 395 off the 14 (Antelope Valley FWY) which isn't too bad of a climb, real gradual.
I think you have the right idea to plan it a year in advance. Without doing that, there are too many things and other trips that can come up. I'd like to take a week off and fish the lakes and streams and just be a trout bum and throw the Double Haul into the mix. If it's a blow out on Crowley, Rock Creek and the other loops you could stream it for a day or so and still have an awesome trip. TC&TL,
Perry