Glacier Point vs Clouds Rest in Yosemite split my hiking group in half

Last October I planned a 3 day loop that hit both, but half the crew wanted to skip Clouds Rest because of the exposed ridgeline. We argued about it for an hour at the trailhead. The others said Glacier Point is just a tourist overlook with a paved path, not a real backpacking payoff. We ended up splitting into two groups and meeting at the car. My group did Clouds Rest and honestly the views of Half Dome from the east side were better than anything Glacier Point showed us. But the other group said they had zero wind exposure and a much easier descent. Now I'm planning another trip and people are still taking sides. Is one of these routes objectively better, or does it come down to what you want out of a day hike? Has anyone else faced this kind of split decision on a well known route?

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gibson.sarah6d agoMost Upvoted

I saw a trip report once that said Clouds Rest wins if you want real isolation, but Glacier Point wins for sunset views.