What are conditions like on the Panorama trail in Yosemite National Park during late May and early June?

I'm planning to hike the Panorama trail during this time frame and was wondering what kind of trail conditions to expect. How much snow will I have to deal with if any? What about conditions on the switchback that descends alongside Nevada Fall?

What are conditions like on the Panorama trail in Yosemite National Park during late May and early June?
Late May and you can still have some compacted snow on the trail near Illilouette Falls - that stretch is the most north-facing on the route. Depends on the snowpack that year and how quickly May gets warm. But in June, it's all gone. If there's still some snow, and I was starting really early, I would add a warm hat to my outfit. But mostly, I'd still be in shorts and a shirt for high-altitude sun protection.





The trail alongside Nevada can be a little rough on the feet if you're in running shoes. I'd recommend stepping up to a trail shoe that has a little stiffer sole (and breaking them in beforehand - duh). Nike's Lava Dome was the prototype of the low-cut trail shoe 25 years ago. Now I like the Salomon XA. That part of the trail is sort of like a rough cobble-stone road. Whereas the stretch along and below Vernal Falls is paved mixed with smoother sand/gravel stretches.





Round trip or one way? I love it as a round trip, but I'm pretty hard-core (I believe, at 45, I should be able to hike 45 miles in a day) so sometimes I've done Happy Isles - Half Dome - Glacier Point - Happy Isles as a 10-hour hike.





If a round trip, START early! 7 am at the latest, but 5 am if you can get to bed early. You'll have the trail to yourself and hike up above the heat of the day as it develops sooner at lower elevations.





If one-way or you fret the effort involved, consider getting dropped at Glacier Point and hiking down. There is a shuttle up there, but it doesn't leave super early. But since you're going only downhill, you don't need to start early.





Be prepared for summer thunderstorms in the afternoon. That can be as light and cheap as a Hefty trash bad, but on a hot and humid day, the Sierra WILL get those.





There is no treated water once you leave Glacier Point or the restrooms at the bridge below Vernal, so bring Iodine.





Hope that helps. It is a great hike. Much less crowded than many of the trails out of the Valley.





Editted to add: Look at some of your A's and clearly you get around, so sorry if any of that was too simple. I'd add that if you want the most current conditions that week, go to Happy Isles or the base of the Four-mile Trail in the early afternoon. Look for the serious hiker (travels light, good gear choices, lots of dust around the ankles) and ask if they've come off the Paroramic Trail. But even if they reported snow on the trail, I wouldn't bother with 4-points and anything like that. Just a boot/shoe with some decently deep lugs in the sole.





In my experience, the ranger info is 1-2 weeks old and way too conservative. If they say rope, ice screws and helmet, you really only need an ice axe. If they say ice axe, you need 4-points, etc.