DIVISION FIVE — NAMES. 37 1 



east slope of the Mount L,owe tri-crest. Of course as seen from Pasadena 

 it looks lower than Mount Lowe, and seems a part of the same, although 

 being several miles farther north. But when there happens to be snow on 

 its summit and not on the front range, then it shows its separateness very 

 distinctly. The United States surveyors ignored the old Spanish name of 

 " Sierra Madre " for these mountains, and called them San Gabriel moun- 

 tains, because they are so extensively ramified with canyons and creeks 

 tributary to the San Gabriel river ; and this peak being the highest of all — 

 6,723 feet — they put it on record as " San Gabriel peak," the chief of the 

 range ; hence this is its name as given upon all official maps or documents. 

 The name " Commodore " was given to it by some wags at Switzer's camp, 

 'which was a favorite resort far up in the Arroyo Seco canyon some eight or 

 ten years ago,' in facetious honor of Mr. C. P. Switzer who had built the 

 famous trail and tourist-resort camp which bore his name. They humor- 

 ously dubbed him "Commodore " of the fleet of burros which navigated 

 the intra-montane Arroyo Seco by way of Switzer's trail — and then dubbed 

 this highest peak " The Commodore," after him ; and that burlesque name 

 was quite commonly used for it. Big and little Strawberry peak. Walker's 

 peak, Lucky camp, and various other points were named in this same spirit ot 

 fun and waggery, and given currency through newspaper reports. The name 

 " Observatory Peak " was applied to it by Prof. lyowe, as being the grandest 

 " observation " point in all these mountains. And the Mount Lowe Rail- 

 way company promises in due time to make this peak accessible to their 

 guests, and provide it with instruments for observing the wonderful scope of 

 mundane things — of mountains, plains, deserts, valleys, cities, beaches, 

 harbors, coast line, ocean expanse, dotting islands, etc., which can be seen 

 from its lofty summit. 



The first and only woman who had ever achieved the ascent of San 

 Gabriel peak, up to January i, 1895, was Mrs. Herve Friend of Los Angeles, 

 whose husband, a prominent photogravure artist, made the first photo- 

 graphic views ever taken on this loftiest point of our Pasadena mountains. 

 This occurred on August 26, 1893. The party had to camp over night 

 on the wooded ridge which connects Mount Markham and San Gabriel 

 peak, in order to be able to make the ascent and then return to Echo moun- 

 tain the same day. There was no path, trail or waymark beyond Rattle- 

 snake spring;* and as they had to carry their lunch and water supply, besides 

 a heavy 8x10 photogravure camera, with its adjustable and stout tripod 

 stand and a stock of exposure plates, and find their own way just as if no 



* August 4th, 1893, Jason Brown went afoot from Kcho mountain to Black Jack peak, to find for 

 me the date wlien he and Owen climbed to its summit and gave it the name. He thought he could get 

 back as far as Crystal Springs cabin the same night, but found it impossible to do so, and had to lie out all 

 night, without food, blankets or shelter, on the northwest slope of San Gabriel peak. Early in the morn- 

 ing he made his way to where he knew of a trickle of water from a crack in the .solid rock. A large 

 rattlesnake lay coiled right at the spring. He killed it, and I now have the rattles in mj' collection. And 

 thus came the name. "Rattlesnake spring." Our party obtained water there when making this ascent, 

 August 26. That snake had eleven rattles. 



