Pallett Mountain
| Pallett Mountain | |
|---|---|
Pallett Mountain, North Aspect. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,760 ft (2,365 m) |
| Prominence | 476 ft (145 m) |
| Parent peak | Mount Williamson (8,248 ft) |
| Listing | Hundred Peaks Section |
| Coordinates | 34°23′06″N 117°53′07″W / 34.3850°N 117.8853°W |
| Geography | |
Pallett Mountain Location in California Pallett Mountain Pallett Mountain (the United States) | |
| State | California |
| Parent range | San Gabriel Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Juniper Hills |
Pallett Mountain is a 7,760 ft (2,365 m) elevation mountain located in the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California.[1][2]
Description
Pallett Mountain is located approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) south of the unincorporated town of Pearblossom, California. It is named after the historic Pallett Family who owned a ranch near Big Rock Creek Canyon, also in Los Angeles County.[3][4][5] Numerous other features in the area are named after the family, including Pallett Creek, itself near Pallett Mountain.[6][7][5]
Hiking to the peak of Pallett Mountain involves a strenuous route, either from the south, via either Buckhorn Campground or Islip Saddle, or from the northeast from Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area. Each route involves over 3,500 feet (1,100 m) of elevation gain.[1]
Climate
Located in an area with a wide variety of climates, the ecosystems in the San Gabriel Mountain Range change as one moves up in elevation. In the lower elevations, the climate is Mediterranean, with dry summers and cool, wet winters. In the higher elevations, the climate becomes more continental and snow often falls above 4,000 ft (1,200 m) in the fall and winter months.[8]
The area is known for being quite dry, with an average annual rainfall of only 40 in (100 cm). Fires are a frequent threat in the San Gabriel Mountains, especially during the summer and fall months.[8]
History
On September 30, 1966, a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar plane crashed near Pallett Mountain in stormy weather, killing all four crew members on board.[9] News sources referred to Pallett Mountain as the crash site, but the wreckage is located on what is now informally known as Boxcar Ridge just to its east.[10][11]
"Pallett" first appeared on the State Mining Bureau Geological Map of California in 1916. In 1963, the peak name first appeared on USFS Angeles Forest maps.[6]
The peak was added to the Peak List of the Hundred Peaks Section of the Sierra Club in 1965.[6]
References
- ^ a b "Pallett Mountain". hundredpeaks.org. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ^ "Topo Map Explorer". livingatlas.arcgis.com. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
- ^ "Walter Feller – Page 4 – Desert Gazette". 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ^ Evans Noble, Dorothy (July 7, 2000). "Wrightwood Roots" (PDF). Retrieved December 18, 2025.
- ^ a b Thompson, David G. (1921). "USGS Historical Relief Map of part of the Mohave Desert Region, California" (PDF). pubs.usgs.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
- ^ a b c "HPS Summit Signatures - Pallett Mountain". hundredpeaks.org. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ^ "SCVHistory.com | Soledad | Mining and Ranching in Soledad Canyon & Antelope Valley". scvhistory.com. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ a b PeakVisor. "San Gabriel Mountains". PeakVisor. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ^ "Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar on Mt Pallett: 4 killed | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives". www.baaa-acro.com. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ^ "C-119 Plane Wreckage". wikimapia.org. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ^ Desert Sun (26 November 2025). "Four Perish as C-119 Crashes in Mountains". UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research. Retrieved 26 November 2025.