Will Thrall

Plaque dedicated to the memory of Will Thrall on the summit of Will Thrall Peak. Will Thrall Peak in the San Gabriel Mountain Range in California.

William Henry Thrall, editor and conservationist, was born in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut on September 26, 1873. He came to Riverside, California on January 31, 1888.

Thrall became an authority on the trails and history of the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. He promoted wilderness conservation, education about the outdoors, and fire prevention.

Thrall married Olive J. Frayer (1880–1952) in December 1898.

Accomplishments As an authority on the trails and history of the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, Will Thrall established the Mountain Information Service to educate the public about the mountains and encourage its responsible use. From 1933 to 1938, Thrall was the Director of the Mountain Division of Education of the Los Angeles County Department of Recreation. He developed an extensive database and telephone network to promulgate mountain information on hikes, road conditions and recreational areas. There was a large and positive response from the public to this resource. During Thrall’s tenure with the Mountain Information Service, visitors to the Angeles National Forest increased by 50% and the frequency of brush fires declined. It encouraged the use of mountain trails and outdoor recreation in Los Angeles County. It provided information on mountain history, landmarks, trails, and local outdoor organizations.

Thrall wrote a weekly hiking column titled "Today's Hike" for the Sunday Los Angeles Times from October 21, 1934, to November 2, 1941.

Death and the naming of Will Thrall Peak In the summer of 1954, Thrall suffered a stroke which caused him to give up hiking, lecturing, and driving. The plaque reads as follows: Dedicated to the Memory of WILL THRALL 1873-1963 Explorer, author, editor, Authority and historian of The San Gabriel Mountains “There’s physical, mental, And moral strength, to be Found on a mountain peak.” Native Sons of the Golden West Walton P. Rego, Grand President Sierra Club June 26, 1965.