Forrest Fenn's Real Treasure

I Am Thankful for Forrest Fenn and His Treasure

For the uninitiated, in 2010 Forrest Fenn hid an actual treasure somewhere in the actual Rocky Mountains and left the only clues to its location in an actual poem. It is the modern-day fairy tale we're all looking for, and the man who made it happen is no longer here. The hunt, and the man, came with a certain amount of intrigue. Forrest was an early, vociferous, and widely respected dealer in art and artifacts of the American Southwest. His name has been mentioned and cleared of scandal, but the fact remains he unearthed ancient dwellings on his property. Forrest lived long enough to see his treasure found and was in awe at the sheer spectacle the treasure hunt became. He left us with more than a box of knickknacks. Forrest instilled the notion that treasure truly can be found.

Memories Are the Treasure

There is an old, “Deep Thoughts,” by Jack Handy that states: “It’s funny that pirates were always going around searching for treasure, and they never realized the real treasure was the memories they were making.”

That is part of what made the Fenn Treasure Hunt so good.

Before we go further, you should know this was not all fun and games. Multiple people lost their lives while adventuring and there were certainly large sums, if not fortunes, spent on searching for the treasure. Why would people spend years of their lives looking for a box in the woods? Because it contained more than $2 million worth of gold nuggets, coins, gems, etc.

In 2010 Forrest Fenn was diagnosed with cancer. A longtime resident and antique dealer in New Mexico, Forrest had amassed quite the cadre of collectibles. Facing imminent death, Forrest considered much, and finally hatched an idea he had been contemplating for some time: make a treasure hunt. He chose a 400-year-old copper chest, worth a mighty some of its own, as the hold. He filled it with prized possessions and set it somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. He wrote a poem with clues leading right to the spot, published it in a book and sold it widely. Then sat then sat back and watched a true-life treasure hunt unfold.

Fenn hid the treasure in the exact spot where he wanted to die, so we found out. His writing was sound but difficult to decipher, causing many to question the validity of the old man's claims. A few years went by, thousands of sleuths took to the trails. The treasure, which was not buried, but laying out in the open, would not be found. Forrest’s health improved, and he beat the cancer back. Fenn could have retrieved the $2 million prize, most folks would have, but he didn't. He left it. And the trail to the treasure got hotter.

Speculation Grows

National news agencies caught wind. Forrest never spent a penny on advertising, yet Good Morning America, The Today Show, all sorts of programs dedicated time to Forrest and his treasure hunt. Tens of thousands of people bought his printed book, and he donated much of the proceeds to causes close to his heart, namely cancer research. Hundreds of thousands met the legend online and at speaking events. Alas, no good deed goes unpunished, Forrest was hounded constantly for extra clues. His home was broken into, he was stalked, and dozens of other unsavory interactions befell him for committing to such an event.

After years of harassment, five adventurers dead, and thousands of unhappy questers, rumors of a hoax grew. The mainstays, treasure hunters who’d made dozens of trips to the Rockies, started to pull off the gas. That was when a newcomer jumped into the game and changed everything. He sucked up all the collected Intel from message boards, Forrest’s books and combined it with personal knowledge and gut instincts.

Found Treasure

Somewhere in Wyoming, on June 6th 2020, Jack Stuef found Forrest Fenn’s treasure. It took Jack 25 trips, according to his personal recount, to locate the box. He presented it to the collector, and together they verified each piece. Just two months after the treasure was found, Forrest shuffled off this mortal coil. It appears his work was done, his purpose served.

So, why bring up this dead guy? Because he showed me how hungry we are for adventure, and that it is possible to create the environment of a quest. It is beyond me that state and local tourism boards have not jumped on this notion in greater force. Different from the Lotto, this kind of gimmick gets folks thinking, moving, talking, reading. I am shocked we are not doing this all the time. You want movement, give some incentive. Remember the swell of activity when Pokémon Go dropped? Give them something to advance now. A big treasure. Maybe. How about a sustained treasure?

A New Treasure Hunt

Wouldn't that be something? You can keep putting 10 grand out in the woods. If we can waste money on drones, we can waste it on people. But that is just it, it is not wasted. They prove themselves worthy via the hunt. Treasure can be created, and it can be shared. You can make your very own treasure hunt…

When I was a child, there was an amazing contest put on by a dairy distributor in our county. Each spring, you could win a year’s supply of ice cream if you found the table creamer-shaped like a cow-hidden within the county lines. Every morning there would be a new clue read on the radio. I remember the tension, even as grade schooler, as the days passed without a winner. One year, vast alliances were made in hopes of splitting the prize. We never found the cow, but I will never forget those hunts.

The sum need not be 2 million. Heck, folks will stand outside for a week just to win a truck. Car dealerships can sponsor, state tourism boards, lone benefactors, whomever. Why not give away a college tuition or 50K? C’mon, we have this stuff up the wazoo, put it in a place where it can be used. Better yet, encourage one of the many celebrities in your state to offer the prize on behalf of the people.

So, I am asking Patrick Rothfuss, famed author of The Kingkiller Chronicle, to sponsor an epic treasure hunt in our shared birth state of Wisconsin. Please help me get word to him, if you are not too busy seeking your own treasure.

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