A little over a month ago I went backpacking with the intention to summit Mt Hooper. We figured that if we hiked up to Hooper Lake and Neil Lake that we'd find a way to scramble to the summit. It turned out that sheer faces and cliff bands shunted this plan. I was a little disappointed not to summit, but the area was still great to be in. Fast forward to a week ago when I hear from my brother that he, Charlie Rose, and Kenny Rose are going to Hooper. I had figured out the way not to go and had a suspicion of how to bag it.
Kenny and Charlie where backpacking in, but Jeremy wanted to day hike it due to plans on Sunday. I agreed to do it in a day as well.
Friday, we left work around three getting us up there by five after some photos on the way.

Then time for more beer and some fishing
Shortly after the Roses (Team Thorn) showed up, we set up camp just below the trail head parking lot. More beers, a fire, a blue moon, great friends, and a horrid taste of ol number seven.
Early start was key, we left the Hooper Diversion Dam at seven and the first mile and a half is steep and slow, much harder for team Thorn with their hiking packs. The crux of the first leg of the hike for sure.
When you reach the view of Infant Buttes it's pretty mellow to Gordon Lakes which was base camp for team Thorn.
We reached Gordon Lake at 9:45. Having gained about 2500' we relaxed, ate lunch, fished, and pumped water for the push to Hooper. At 11:00 we started our trek. Jeremy and I had 3:30 as the time we needed to be off the summit and heading down, but we were hoping for earlier. So it began, as Kenny always says "walking slowly feeling poorly" and we did just this.
The view of Harvey Lake and a cool little summit that watches over it. For us it was the end of the first uphill and a place to take a short rest and loath the next hill.
Some pics from atop the next hill. Hooper looking way far away still.
Notice the green color of Hooper Lake, not the usual blue. Maybe a geologist knows why, but we were thinking some kind of mineral is the cause.
At this point we were on the third hill, which was the longest, steepest, and hardest. Sand, small trees or bushwacking, talus, and elevation made for slow progress and thoughts of doubt.
This is a good shot of the hiking up the third slope. Feeling my heartbeat pound in my head with each step is a good feeling.
Top of the last major slope was a relief, even if Hooper was still a little farther. At 12000' now.
Reaching a summit is a great feeling. All the doubts have faded and the beauty takes full grip. I think how small and insignificant I am, my time is limited, but I'm grateful to experience such places. The Sierra Nevada will be here long after I'm gone, but I have plenty more peaks to see and there are plenty more...
This was only Jeremy and my halfway point, it was a little after three and we had 5,000' to descend. The way up is hard on your heart, head, and lungs. The way down is hard on everything else. By the time we reached my truck it was seven and we were both exhausted. My legs, knees, and feet were all cursing me, but I was overjoyed to be in a chair cooking some Mountain House.
12 hours truck to truck, about 12 total miles, and 10,000' total elevation. I highly recommend Mt Hooper and hope you guys add to the register, because there weren't too many names in there. The oldest was from 2010, don't know what happened to the old one. A party from Germany was in there twice, with a year in between. Laters.