since it appears I won't be able to see all of it in a couple of months, I need to determine which areas will be easier to see and which areas not to miss. If I went year after year, then I would probably be looking for the hard-to-access anchorages. But for the first time through (and probably the only time) I want to make sure I catch the highlight reel and not spend a lot of time trying to get to too many things which are difficult.

I have found that if you are "breezing through" an area, there is some logic to following the beaten path, to some extent. It is beaten for reasons: easy to go there, most beautiful, etc. Also crowded and worn, perhaps. But if you visit say, Yosemite National Park and never go into the Valley you would have missed both the crowds and the most spectacular scenery. First time through you need to see the Valley, if you have time or a second visit, then explore deeper. Of course on the first visit you would have liked to have seen some of the more secret spots as well as the Valley to the extent that time permits.