Mount Disappointment (California) Explained

Mount Disappointment
Elevation:5,963+ ft (1,818+ m)
Elevation Ref:[1]
Listing:Hundred Peaks Section[2]
Location:Los Angeles County, California, U.S.
Map:California#USA
Map Size:240
Label Position:below
Range:San Gabriel Mountains
Coordinates:34.2467°N -118.1048°W
Coordinates Ref:[3]
Topo:USGS Mount Wilson
First Ascent:1875 by F. Kampf, W.A. Coles, and Frank Holland
Easiest Route:Hike,

Mount Disappointment is a mountain in the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, California with a summit elevation of 5,963+ feet (1,818+ m). It was named "Disappointment" in 1894 when USGS surveyors in the Wheeler Survey sighted it from the Santa Susana Mountains, believing it to be the highest point in the immediate area, decided to use it as their next triangulation point. When they reached the summit, however, they discovered that San Gabriel Peak half a mile (0.8 km) to the east was higher and it was a disappointment so they moved there instead.[2] [4]

A Nike missile site was located there in 1955 and the summit was flattened to accommodate it. The missile site was abandoned in 1965. The mountain top is now an important telecommunications site for both commercial and government organizations.[2]

Notes and References

  1. 1353 . Mount Disappointment, California . 2009-08-09.
  2. 12B . Mount Disappointment . 2009-12-27.
  3. 1660551 . Mount Disappointment . 2009-08-09.
  4. News: Deborah. Netburn. The strange, true story of how Mt. Disappointment got its name. Los Angeles Times. February 25, 2020. February 25, 2020.