u/Mysterious_Clock_119

Wanted to get input on hikes. We almost always stay in the valley but am debating whether to stay there or on Tuolomne next weekend. and wanted to get input from this group. The objective is to do one hike that is about 6ish hours long. Ideally one with Mountain View’s and alpine lakes.

Here is what I see pros and cons of each place
Valley - Pros - more food options, lodging can be more comfortable - Cons - hotter than at 8k feet, hikes can have waterfall but not lanes. I’m not sure which hike I should do as well.

Tuolomne - Pros- cooler weather, quieter, likely to find a hike that meets my description Cons - no lodging with bathrooms, vegeterian food options very limited, bugs? Also looking for hike recos here. Cathedral lake? Is there a hike where I could get couple of awesome lakes? I did do guided hi sierra couple years back.

Looking for inputs on what will be a better destination for next weekend (July 10) and which specific hikes would you recommend.

TIA.

Hi. I’m trying to decide between Explora and Tierra. I love the location and views from Explora. The costs are approximately same for the two locations. I’m concerned that the rooms and the property might be too dated. They are supposed to be renovating it before our October trip but not sure how much. The food too seems a few notches higher at Tierra. But would love to hear about your experience. While the location is a big draw to Explora, for that price, I’d like to get a great experience as well. I’ve noticed that the trailhead for the base of towers is infact longer from Explora vs Tierra but the other 2 W segment hikes it’s far less or none from Explora. So I’m thinking the pro for Tierra are updated/luxury lodge and better food and drinks and that for Explora are views and shorter commute to trail head one day.

Is the food and lodging at Explora worth the price ?