It was discovered in 1981, and named to honor geologist John T. Alfors (1930–2005) of the California Geological Survey for his work in the area where it was discovered.
Josiah Dwight Whitney (1819–1896) was an American geologist, professor of geology at Harvard University (from 1865), and chief of the California Geological Survey (1860–1874).
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To carry out the California Geological Survey, he organized an eminent, multi-disciplinary team, including William H. Brewer, James Graham Cooper, William More Gabb, Charles F. Hoffmann, and Clarence King.
In 1861, Josiah Whitney, chief of the California Geological Survey, was searching for a qualified paleontologist to assist with the survey.
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Mount Hoffmann, named for topographer Charles F. Hoffmann of the California Geological Survey, is located just across May Lake, which is named for the woman Hoffman married, Lucy Mayotta Brown.
The peak was named for William Henry Brewer who worked on the first California Geological Survey and was the first Chair of Agriculture at Yale University's Sheffield Scientific School.