Here's how I'd plan your week if I were you: Spend the first day toproping. Focus on crack routes around the 5.7-5.10 range, and really force yourself to learn how to jam (and move off your jams) as efficiently as possible. After that, start leading shorter easier routes, like The Grack, which have good jams, easy routefinding, and excellent gear. Work your way up from there.

Another possibility: spend your first day with a guide if you can afford it. The guide will be able to give you tips on jamming and on gear placement that will allow you to get a whole hell of a lot more out of the rest of your week. I spent my first day ever at Yosemite in a class on crack technique, and it turned me on to crack for the whole rest of my climbing career!

I fully believe that Yosemite is the best place I've ever been to learn how to climb crack.

Last thought - if you have time to play on granite before your trip, whether it's Adk or North Conway, I'd highly recommend it. Of course they're not the same as Yose, but close enough to pay some dividends when you get to the Valley.

Have fun!

GO

So I just got back from a week in Colorado where I did some routes in Lumpy and RMNP. I felt comfy leading White Whale (5.7) apart from the fact that I was running out of gear at the top of pitches due to my wimpy little Gunks rack . Also TR'ed a 5.9 crack (George's Tree) with a bit of dogging.

Are Yosemite climbs comparable to Lumpy?

There are some fairly good cracks at Lumpy. But Yosemite has much more pure crack climbs; nothing to climb but the crack. Your "wimpy little Gunks rack" will be sorely tried in Yosemite. Many Yosemite cracks (even for a 1st timer) are actually fun if you have plenty of gear that fits. Then you can sew it up with gear (just like a sport climb) and its easy to be brave.
My advice: practice at Lumpy, etc. will not help you as much as increasing you firepower (amount of gear available). Also, some of the classic Yosemite cracks have gotten very slippery (polished) from use. If you don't use tape they are harder than their original rating.
A 1st time Yosemite trip is always fun!!

So I just got back from a work visit to CA and got to spend last weekend in the valley. Spent Saturday toproping at Swan Slab near Camp 4, including Grant's Crack (5.9). On Sunday I led After Seven (5.8).

I've been leading 5.7 in the Gunks in the latter part of the season, and I usually start falling on 5.8 (got my ass handed to me on Arrow just 2 weeks ago). In Yosemite I managed to TR 5.9 without too much trouble although I still didn't feel too secure. On After Seven I was grovelling a little on the 5.7 crack, not from the moves but from the lack of rests, and I ended up plugging almost every cam on my 1+1/2 rack. The 5.8 face crux, on the other hand, felt easier than a Gunks 5.5 face move .

Thanks for the prior advice, and by the way November is a great time to visit Yosemite. It was freezing at night but was 50+ degrees during the day, and we had the entire Manure Pile Buttress to ourselves all day.

Great to hear you had such a good trip. Having Manure Pile to yourselves is nearly a miracle.