This is Cathedral Peak in Yosemite Valley. It was named in 1862 by the representatives of the San Carlos Mining and Exploration Company led by Henry G. Hanks, the first State Mineralogist of California, James Mason Hutchings who was Yosemite’s biggest fanboy ever, and a certain Captain Corcoran, who I am reliably informed has never been known to quail at the fury of a gale, nor has ever been sick at sea.

James Mason Hutchings though, was the solid gold deal. He came to California for the gold, struck it rich, lost it all, and then got rich again writing books about how he did it. I think he should be made the patron saint of the self-help guru.

One of his more famous works are the Miner’s Ten Commandments

Thou shall have no other claim than one. Thou shalt not make unto thyself any false claim, nor any likeness to a mean man by jumping one; Whatsoever thou findest on the top above, or on the rock beneath or in a crevice underneath the rock; for, if thou doest, I shall surely Visit the miners around, and tell them What thou hast done; and, should they decide against thee, thou shalt take thy pick-axe and thy pan, and thy shovel and thy blankets, with all that thou hast and “go prospecting” for “new diggings” but thou shalt find none. Then, when in sorrow and despair thou returnest to thine old claim, thou shalt find it all Worked Out; and yet no “pile” made for thee, that thou mightest bury it in the ground, or hide it in an old boot beneath thy bunk, or in buckskin or bottle beneath thy cabin floor. Besides this, thou shalt discover that all that thou hadst in thy purse has quietly drifted away; that, thy boots and thy garments have been Worn Out, so that there is nothing good about them but the pockets, and thy patience Will be like unto thy garments; and, as a last resort, thou shalt hire thy body out to make thy board and save thy Worthless bacon.

It continues on in this vein for a while, here's the link.archive.org/details/minerstenc…

After all his hard work talking about Yosemite valley, Hutchings figured that he was owed 160 acres of land in the park and sued the State for it. He lost, but because the question was somewhat murky (preemption laws) California paid him some cash to ‘go away’. He did not go away. He carried right on building his house and farm in Yosemite park until he was banished from the park in 1875. He was killed in Yosemite park in 1902 by a fall from a horse, presumably while he was trying to sneak back in. It is after all, a super spectacular wonderful place.

Xander would have taken him in. Built him a mini Yosemite park somewhere on Eynhallow probably. Kept away claim-jumpers.

