What's the ideal week in Yosemite?

• What are the must-climb routes in Yosemite for 3 first  timers?
• All of us are sufficient in 5.10 climbs. 
• Anything in-between and up to a 5.12 would be pushing it, but if its a must do then we could aid the harder parts. 
• We don't want to spend more than a day on any climb so no huge big walls and we will have a car so we can really go anywhere in the park. 
• We have 1 week to get the most climbing in.
• What are some breezy non-crowded climbs? classic historical climbs? etc.

Thanks!

When?

Daily temps are very, very different in different elevations in the Park.

May, only the Valley and lower Merced will be open. June begins to push it for Valley Heat but in early June the Meadows might not be open yet.

July, August, Sept really the Meadows is ideal. October, probably back to the Valley.

non-crowded? Hahahahahah!

What Tut said...

The 1994/98 Reid Yosemite Free Climbs (Valley) rates routes from no stars to three stars.  Just climb all the routes in your range from 1-3 stars and the quality will likely blow you away.  It's unlikely any of these will be "uncrowded".

"Must-do" also probably depends on what you like to climb.  Waverly Wafer 10.c*** and Catchy 10.d*** (both at the Cookie) climb quite differently.  One is quite physical, the other more technical.  And then also characteristic of the Valley are slab Apron routes like Angel's Approach 5.9*** or Green Dragon 11.b R/X***.  Don't think you can "aid the harder parts" on these ;-)

... and are you going to be a party of three on everything?

If you're not used to granite cracks, the grades might not mean what you think they should

We will be going in July and we wont be climbing everything together; two at a time.

Charlie Bondurant wrote:

We will be going in July and we wont be climbing everything together; two at a time.

July = baking hot in the Valley and time to go to the Meadows.

July, Valley is usually too hot. Everyone tries, once, and then bails for the Meadows. Snake Dike (hike) maybe.

Don't miss Oz, Lucky Streaks, Blues Riff, Phobos and Deimos. Maybe reggae route on Fairview.

Cryin' Time Again, East Cottage Domes, West Crack with Blown Away finish. Crescent Arch.

Shipoopi, Yawn, Hobbit Book.

Third Pillar of Dana.

Cathedral Peak and Eichorn Pinnacle.

South Crack.

Crest Jewel.

In no particular order.

You'll remember all of those the rest of your life.

Don't expect to be alone. Often best to do the easier ones in the afternoon/evening to avoid the early birds.

King Tut wrote:

July, Valley is usually too hot. Everyone tries, once, and then bails for the Meadows. 

BITD, we spent 4 days in the Valley at the beginning of July, then went to the Meadows for a month. When we got there we asked "Why didn't we come up here 4 days ago?"

Marc801 C wrote:

BITD, we spent 4 days in the Valley at the beginning of July, then went to the Meadows for a month. When we got there we asked "Why didn't we come up here 4 days ago?"

Pretty much sums it up. You think that you've come all that way and it can't be that bad...then, the Valley is 103 in the shade and its 78 in the Meadows....Especially for a week, waste no time in the Valley in July unless its stormin' in the Meadows...they are about an hour's drive apart.