For the most part all of K7ATN's blog post here(http://www.pnwsota.org/blog/k7atn/2019-september-06/eagle-cap-or-septemb...) is current and probably some of the best info you're going to get. One thing to note earlier in the summer is the possibility of snow. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the more direct approach, which I labelled 1 in the map, but much of the trail was under steep snow field. The choices up route 1 were either try to go up a couple hundred yards of steep snow field where you thought the trail went, or go off route and stay on big granite boulder fields for all but about ten yards of front pointing. We chose the second option and it was quite comfortable to the ridgeline. After that there were a few more sections of trail under snow, but none anywhere near as spicy. The picture of my wife decending the snow field is of the line I labelled 2, which had us cross a bit more snow, but at a shallower grade. In either case the ridgeline was totally clean.
Where we stopped for snacks a grouse came out twenty yards from us and wandered around for a bit, which was fun. After that we pushed to the summit and had good service for sending texts, pictures, and spots, all on Verizon. The activation went well and we bombed down and crossed the divide to Minam lake for the second night of the trip. Not much snow on that section.
Another point to note is that earlier in the summer it's way buggier. I was actually out there in September 2019 before I was a ham, and mosquitos were maybe an afterthought. This July trip our permethrin soaked clothes couldn't quite keep them off us. DEET was the only true defense. That said, it's absolutely breathtaking country and a very approachable summit as long as you don't mind a long steep walk. And if you like the taste of brook trout, I recommend a blue and silver 1/4 ounce kastmaster.
