Training for a few days just prior to what you are training for has so little benefit that, depending on how you trained, it could be as likely to hurt you as to help you. If your training is going to help at all, you need to get serious about it.

The advice to hike every day or as close to every day as you can manage is very good advice. It seems clear from your experience that your knees require strengthening and walking is very low impact, so your knees won't be overworked by hiking, as they seem to be when you are mountain climbing.