First time: Glacier or Yellowstone?

Happy Friday guys.

The lady and I have some vacation time late July/Early August, and want to check a national park off the list. We're considering Glacier or Yellowstone, we haven't been to either. Our priorities will mostly be camping/hiking/exploring/looking at critters, but it would be great if we could get some climbing in too. We climb sport up to mid 5.10s.

First of all, Glacier or Yellowstone?
Which would have best temps/smallest crowds around end of July?
What should we make sure to see?
Any classic sport moderates we should check out?

Any and all advice will be appreciated! Cheers!
Jeremy

For end of July/Early August, Yellowstone is just a traffic jam.   But being that I am a wyoming native, my perspective is obviously different than yours when it comes to crowds.  To see Yellowstone without the crowds,  go in September or even better October.

Yellowstone will be more crowded. There isn’t much Climbing if any in Yellowstone but you are really close to Jackson Hole and the Tetons.  
Glacier is higher so cooler temps.  There is climbing in and around glacier. 

Tetons.

Ģnöfudør Ðrænk wrote: For end of July/Early August, Yellowstone is just a traffic jam.   But being that I am a wyoming native, my perspective is obviously different than yours when it comes to crowds.  To see Yellowstone without the crowds,  go in September or even better October.

We're from Southern California, we know a thing or two about traffic jams :)

Unfortunately July/August is our only chance at a getaway this year. Thanks for the reply!

Sunny-D wrote: Yellowstone will be more crowded. There isn’t much Climbing if any in Yellowstone but you are really close to Jackson Hole and the Tetons.  
Glacier is higher so cooler temps.  There is climbing in and around glacier. 

Thanks, we do know some folks in Jackson Hole area, and it's a definite plus that the Tetons are also close by, we could check that off the list as well. 

Starting to consider whether we could pull off both...

Hobo Greg wrote:

True as well. But there is more to life than just climbing. Stuff like the only major intact ecosystem in the lower 48. Or the highest concentration of geothermal features on the entire planet. 

Yeah I'd love to see the geysers and all them bison, climbing is one of many things on the list. 

Just saw some video of the traffic on the two lane roads in Yellowstone, I see what you guys mean... Has anyone been to both NP's? is Glacier significantly less crowded?

My partner and I are just leaving the Yellowstone area, we drove up from San Diego and did the Tetons for 2 days then Yellowstone for 4 days. We are now heading up to glacier. The Tetons and Yellowstone connect through a national Forrest and both are beautiful. We’ve done a lot of hiking and have seen a lot of wildlife. We climbed paradise valley and on going over to Bozeman pass to now. It’s beautiful and the weather is great (may 8). If I had to choose one or the other I’d go for Glacier because it supposed to have more wildlife and less crowds.

Glacier has  less visitor numbers but the ifastructure is much less capable than jellystone and  tetons.  never had a problem finding a parking spot in yellostone or tetons but it took us over an hour to find a place to park in Glacier.  you guys being spurt climbers tetons are the ticket.  spurt climbing @ Black tail Butte, rock springs buttress etc. great hikeing in the tetons and jellystone is amazeing critter gawking. Peak bagging in Glacier is easier with shorter approaches and lower altitude but good luck finding a legal place to park your rig. 

 2016 was in both parks. lower visitor numbers on paper in Glacier but far less roads and parking etc.  Yellowstone much easier to deal with INMOP. tetons and ellowstone border each other but are big enough that travel between the major attractions does take several hours.  never bothered me as the places in between the tourist stops are often just as interesting.

Sport only? Or trad and/or bouldering too?
On the NON climbing front:
Glacier is much more beautiful. (To me). The 2 parks are quite different. The geysers (to me) are strange and fascinating but kinda creepy. Glacier seems to be just bursting in rich color with rocks of red to green and everything between, to milky irradescent blue lakes from glacial silt, to a more humid and lush environment (seemingly so anyhow!). Wanna see bison? Yellowstone. Bears? Glacier.
Plus, you know, they say the glaciers might be gone from there in 5-10 years...

Depending on how you go to Yellowstone, there is plenty of sport climbing to be found.  South of Livingston has allenspur, which has okay to good limestone with stunning views of paradise valley and the Yellowstone river. Cody has plenty of great climbin as well and is a great entrance to the park.

Yellowstone has incredible wildlife and open views, and to me felt more solitude off the beaten path. Glacier is beautiful, but is a zoo, and the road will open late this year I bet.