We completed the El Capitan hike with my wife, covering about 16 miles total, including the detour to Eagle Peak. I highly recommend adding Eagle Peak to your route. To be honest, I actually found the views from Eagle Peak overlooking Half Dome more impressive than the views from the top of El Capitan itself.  
The entire hike took us about 12 hours at a relaxed pace. We hiked it on Monday, June 30, and the trail was almost empty. We had no trouble finding parking right near the trailhead.  
I’d rate the trail conditions 3–4 out of 5. There are a lot of stairs at the beginning, and many of them are pretty smooth and can get slippery. I highly recommend bringing trekking poles and wearing good hiking boots.  
There are no reliable drinking water sources along the trail. There are a few flowing streams, but you’d definitely want a water filter if you plan to use them. We didn’t want to risk it, so we each carried about 2 liters of water, which was more than enough for us. We also packed the usual snacks—energy bars, some fruit, and mixed nuts.  
The hike itself is absolutely beautiful. My favorite part was how few people were on the trail. We only ran into a handful of small backpacking groups camping along the route. It really feels like a remote wilderness trail, and after hiking Half Dome, I appreciated that even more. Being able to spend hours surrounded by nature without crowds made the experience much more enjoyable.  
One thing that surprised me was the descent. I actually found it much harder than the climb. By that point our legs were already tired, and much of the last part of the trail consists of uneven rocky sections where you have to carefully choose every step to avoid twisting an ankle or getting injured.  
We also passed a search and rescue team heading up the trail carrying rescue equipment, so it looked like someone may have gotten hurt. Honestly, after seeing the descent, that wasn’t too surprising.  
Overall, I’d rate this hike 9/10. The only reason it isn’t a perfect 10 is because, in my opinion, the view from Eagle Peak steals the show and makes the summit of El Capitan feel a little less impressive by comparison. That said, it’s still an absolutely stunning hike and one I’d definitely recommend.

El Capitan hike (Yosemite, California, USA)