Location: Santa Barbara County, California

Name created by the USGS when it became necessary to change from "Montecito Peak" at the request of the USFS (1938). This was done to avoid confusion with another Montecito only 12 miles away. "Monte" is Spanish for woods, grove, or thicket. Although often thought to be synonymous with "mountain" (as it is in Italian), in countries where Spanish is spoken, this term has always been reserved for hills that are densely covered with growth. "Arido", however, means arid and or barren-so this fabrication merely joins a long list of attempts to invent proper-sounding romantic place names that prove to be empty.

Called "Montecito Peak" on the original HPS Peak List.

USGS bench mark "Montecito" first appears on USGS Mt Pinos topo (1901).

Name first appears on USFS Los Padres Natinaol Forest map (1938).

Name officially accepted by USGNS (1938).

Peak was on the original 1946 HPS Peak List.