Mount Wilson is a peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, located within the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California. With only minor topographical prominence the peak is not naturally noticeable from a distance, although it is easily identifiable due to the large number of antennas near its summit. It is a subsidiary peak of nearby San Gabriel Peak. It is the location of the Mount Wilson Observatory, which is an important astronomical facility in Southern California with historic and aperture telescopes, and and tall solar towers. The newer CHARA Array, run by Georgia State University, is also sited there and does important interferometric stellar research. The summit is at . While not the tallest peak in its vicinity, it is high enough in elevation that snow can sometimes interrupt astronomical activities on the mountain. All of the mountains south of the summit are far shorter leading to unobstructed views across the Los Angeles Basin, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and out to Ventura County, San Diego County and the Pacific Ocean. On most days, Santa Catalina Island, some south, is visible. On clear days, other Channel Islands visible include San Clemente Island at , Santa Barbara Island at , San Nicolas Island at , Santa Cruz Island at and San Miguel Island at . At an elevation of , the horizon on the ocean extends . Mount Wilson is also heavily utilized for relay broadcasting of radio and television for the Greater Los Angeles Area. Climate History The native inhabitants of the San Gabriels probably belonged to various tribes of the Tongva people who lived in the low-lying valleys. Granite outcroppings along the Angeles Crest show signs of meal preparations with metate pots ground into rock surfaces. The first recorded exploration of the mountain was performed by Benjamin Davis Wilson, also known as "Don Benito". Wilson, who was the grandfather of George S. Patton, was the owner of Rancho San Pascual in about 1852 and ran a winery at his home, "Lake Vineyard", which was in the area of today's San Marino. Wilson hoped to find a suitable wood for his casks but was disappointed by the poor quality of trees on the mountain. He built a trail, following an established Indian route, which became known as the Mount Wilson Trail. In turn, Wilson's trail became the predecessor of the Mount Wilson