Thursday, September 17, 2015

ZBC Field Guide to Forrest Fenn's Treasure: Part 7

Part 7: More Resources


All first-class Forrest Fenn treasure hunters should make themselves familiar with a few bloggers, not the least of which is Dal Neitzel. He is perhaps the pioneer of the Forrest Fenn movement and is also a wealth of information, both in the research he’s done and the trips he’s taken. You can check him out at dalneitzel.com.

To catch glimpses of other searchers’ adventures, check out www.fennsfriends.com. Be sure to use the hashtags #forrestfenn and #fennsfriends on Facebook and Instagram to have your photos and memories be a part of this open love letter to Forrest Fenn.

Lastly, as you go forth to find your own Forrest Fenn adventures, never forget there are many things in life worth more than even Fenn’s gold. Friends, family, Jesus. These are the treasures that are truly precious. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matt 6:21

And just a few more resources to get you started:
Did you miss our other posts?

ZBC Field Guide to Forrest Fenn's Treasure: Part 6

Part Six: A Few Unfinished Theories


Ok, so where did almost four days in Yellowstone get us? Well, likely no closer to the treasure, but we still have some bits and pieces from our two main theories that really need a home if any of you future treasure hunters can find a way to work them in! We actually feel pretty good about these things. Sure, we couldn’t make them work with our limited time (and again, my debilitating fear of bears), but we are at least certain they are within the same vein as the way Forrest thinks. Without further ado, the pieces of theories and thoughts that don’t quite belong anywhere else.

The Nine Clues

For starters, I want you to listen to Everything is Stories: As I have gone alone in there. It’s a podcast with Forrest Fenn where he reads his own poem aloud. Listening to his particular emphases and pauses brought new light to the poem and helped us decide which of the lines we believed were specifically the 9 clues:

1. Begin it where warm waters halt
2. Take it in the canyon down
3. Not far
4. But too far to walk [about 10 miles]
5. Put in below the home of Brown.
6. From there it’s no place for the meek, the end is ever drawing nigh
7. There’ll be no paddle up your creek, just heavy loads and water high
8. If you’ve been wise and found the blaze
9. Look quickly down your quest to cease.

You might disagree on what constitutes a clue, and that’s ok. I would at very least encourage those of you who are sick of looking at the poem — or don’t know what else to think about anymore — to try to see his clues as the “architectural plan” he says he made them to be. They are the framework. Just like you build a wire “skeleton” before you add paper mache to a sculpture, so too did Forrest build a “structure,” a step-by-step guide to finding the treasure, that is “filled in” with hints like “brave” and “in the wood” and “cold.”

Public Land or Private Land

So is it on public land or private land? I think this should be quite obvious: public land. For one, you can’t just go traipsing across people’s private property, and I don’t think even quirky Forrest would encourage trespassing. Secondly, “finders keepers” laws get very muddled when you’re on someone else’s land. Thirdly, why in the world would he go to all that trouble to define federal land vs. tribal land, etc. on his map from “Too Far to Walk”? I read a really great theory that deduced it is somewhere in the National Park Service territory, because it’s the smallest territory (in order of square miles) listed on the map. People tend to make a list only until the smallest common denominator becomes apparent. If I run a race and earn 14th place, I’m going to say I was in the top 14 or 15, not the top 20. Why? Because it’s the smallest common denominator! Therefore, this particular theorist suggested it's likely in the National Part Service.

Lastly, and perhaps the most compelling reason we believe it’s on public land is this quote from Forrest: “There are 654,885,389 acres of land in the United States that are owned by the American people. That is what the federal government admits is ‘public property.’ And the population of this great country is 313,914,040. After doing the math I learn that my allotment is exactly 2.086 acres. Now, what if I wanted to secret a can of Dr. Pepper under a rock in the cooling waters of a rivulet somewhere in my allotted public acreage?”

The Blaze

The blaze. Oh goodness, outside of the treasure itself, the thing I looked most forward to seeing was the blaze! This is the part of the poem that really drives me crazy, because we have a really great theory that would be so special if it were true. We believe the blaze could very well be a horseshoe somehow affixed to the face of a rock (or, in any case, a horseshoe shape carved into a rock). If you read back in “The Thrill of the Chase,” Forrest interrupts his musings on leaving a legacy by talking about this time he went and watched a blacksmith hammer a horseshoe into the perfect shape and size for a horse’s foot. It’s almost like you follow his train of thought from leaving a legacy by burying the chest, and then he begins thinking about the significance of the blaze he used to mark the location of the chest that would otherwise be irrelevant years from now. I think it’s even more remarkable that he says, “I was careful. A blaze can be on a tree, in a fire, on the face of a horse, a scar on a rock, and a host of other things.” He mentions the face of a horse, which is odd because clearly he couldn’t mark an actual horse, and I feel like most people don’t think of horses when they think of a blaze. He also says it is not probable, but feasible, to remove the blaze. One would not easily, but possibly could, remove a horseshoe that has been drilled deeply into a rock.

The Madison Junction

We still believe “where warm waters halt” is the Madison Junction. We think the treasure could be about 10 miles out in any direction from the Madison Junction, meaning either down the Madison River (since it flows downstream from the Junction) or up the Gibbon (since it is upstream from the Junction). We checked out the area about 10 miles up both rivers, however, and we couldn’t find anything of note. That said, it’s worth a shot if you happen to be searching in Yellowstone. 

Going in Circles?

We had a really interesting turn of theory towards the end of our hunt. I began to notice Forrest’s quotes that said things like, “The person who finds the treasure will have studied the poem over and over, and thought, and analyzed and moved with confidence. Nothing about it will be accidental. T. S. Eliot said: We shall not cease from our exploration, And at the end of all our exploring, Will be to arrive where we started, And know the place for the first time.” And likewise, “I will say that I walked less than a few miles if that will help. I just looked ‘few' up and one definition is ‘scant.’ Why do I sound like I’m talking in circles?” Reading through his poem, you see this phrase: “the end is ever drawing nigh,” which seems to potentially indicate a circle, right? He has also said many, many times that you can’t start from any point in the poem other than “where warm waters halt,” which doesn’t make sense if the poem is truly linear. I mean, if you are on a 10-clue scavenger hunt and happen to accidentally find clue 7 while searching for clue 3, you would easily be able to start at clue 7 instead of clue 3 where you left off, right? Likewise, wouldn’t that mean you could theoretically cut off “where warm waters halt” and the rest of the poem before the home of Brown so long as you figured out what the home of Brown is? 

So, what we think Forrest might be doing is leading you in some sort of circle or semi-circle. We think all of this might mean that, when you put in “below the home of Brown,” you actually don’t know what the home of Brown is until you’ve completed the poem, until you complete the circle or semi-circle and you see the home of Brown in a new light — a light that shows you what it is. Perhaps the treasure is actually on or under or near the home of Brown. If you want to go full Inception, perhaps the blaze IS the home of Brown! It would certainly explain why people have somehow managed to get the first two clues right and then “walked right past [the treasure].” If you don’t know what the home of Brown is, it would be easy to walk right past, right? In any case, not knowing what the home of Brown is — just that you “put in” below it — would certainly prevent you from starting the poem halfway through. Forrest says to follow the clues in order, but “in order” could simply mean “chronological,” not necessarily “linear.”

In keeping with this theory, we think it's quite possible that once you get to the home of Brown, the rest of the clues work in a very small (perhaps 200 or 500 foot) radius, coming quickly one right after the other. Again, this would make sense if people decoded the first 2 clues but then walked right past the treasure.

More on the Home of Brown

So we’ve discussed the possibility that maybe the “home of Brown” can’t be discovered without the entire poem, but if it is a tangible thing that can be discovered with enough research, we believe it is some sort of historical place/marker/area. Even a natural “home of Brown” might not exist in 10,000 or even 1,000 years. We intentionally chose our theory about "home of Brown" being the specific location where brown trout were initially introduced into Yellowstone — their first “home” — because this place is historical, and therefore it never changes. Even with mudslides, rock slides, forest fires, or construction, the history of a place never changes. It makes sense to us that the home of Brown is something that cannot be altered.

To Pinyon Pine or Not to Pinyon Pine

There has been a big debate about Forrest’s pinyon pine quote. Remember it? 

“If I was standing where the treasure chest is, I’d see trees, I’d see mountains, I’d see animals, I’d smell wonderful smells of pine needles or pinyon nuts, sagebrush… And I know the treasure chest is wet.” Later, Forrest said, “I just watched that New Mexico Tourism video again and must say that I didn’t say what I was thinking. You cannot smell a pinyon nut, but those who pick them know that in doing so you get pine pitch all over your hands, and pine pitch smells about the same no matter what kind of pine tree you are talking about. Looking back I think I wanted to say I could smell pine needles, not pinyon nuts. Sorry I kicked a hornet’s nest with that comment.”

Pinyon pines are only found in small parts of Colorado and New Mexico (and south into Mexico, but we are talking about Forrest’s map, silly). They are never found in Montana or Wyoming. So. Did Forrest recant his comment because it was too much of a hint (as some would argue), indicating your hunt should focus exclusively in Colorado and New Mexico? Or did Forrest recant his comment because it was incorrect, indicating your hunt should focus exclusively where pinyon pines are not, which is in Montana and Wyoming? We would argue for the latter option, which supports our stance for Wyoming.

On Waterfalls, Grottos, and More

We talked about this in our theories one and two, but it’s worth noting one last time: we firmly believe Forrest’s treasure is hidden near and/or behind a waterfall, most likely in a small grotto or crevice. Why? In the poem, “heavy loads” seem to indicate the weight of the water falling on you as you search behind the waterfall. “Water high” is a fancy name for a water fall. We were further encouraged in this theory, because Forrest has a very sentimental story in his book about finding a few forgotten headstones of deceased French soldiers at a waterfall in Vietnam. He talks about the tragedy of lying dead and forgotten against the beauty of such a wonderful force of nature. He also talks about the gold “at the end of my rainbow.” What creates a rainbow in the sun? The arch of a waterfall. And where can one’s body (and gold) be hidden safely — both from nature and prying eyes — for many years? In the crevices/grottos behind a waterfall.

ZBC Field Guide to Forrest Fenn's Treasure: Part 5

Part Five: Yellowstone Theory Number Two


We really can’t take all the credit for theory number two. In a morning of desperation, when we realized our first theory had unraveled, we used THIS theory (see "near Mammoth Springs" section) from a blogger as an outline and adapted it to what we already knew about Yellowstone and what we believed about the poem.

If you didn’t read the background on theory number one, I would highly recommend it, as we won’t repeat it all here.

As I have gone alone in there — “in there,” in the grotto/crevice/etc, in order to die
And with my treasures bold, — It takes guts to go somewhere with the intention of dying.
I can keep my secret where, — He has said he wasn’t going to tell anyone he was going off to die, it was going to be his “secret”…in this case, his final secret.
And hint of riches new and old. — Reference to the treasure, the riches of nature, etc.

Begin it where warm waters halt — Mammoth Hot Springs. Have you been here? If not, it’s super cool all by itself. But what made Mammoth so special to us in regards to Forrest’s treasure is that the hot, boiling mineral water that continually shapes this amazing natural wonder really, truly does halt. Like seriously, it primarily just evaporates, leaving the minerals that keep making Mammoth Hot Springs taller and taller. There is some hot water runoff into the Gibbon River, but mostly it’s just gone.
And take it in the canyon down, Take the road that runs down into the canyon (towards the Tower-Roosevelt area).
Not far, but too far to walk. — This is the part where the original blogger’s plan begins to unravel. He also agrees that “too far to walk” is likely a distance of about 10-15 miles. However, when he said it was 10-15 miles between Mammoth Hot Springs and the Lamar Ranger Station (“home of Brown”, see below), he was dead wrong. It’s actually just over 20 miles from Mammoth Hot Springs to the Lamar Ranger Station. Too far? I don’t know, but we didn’t proceed as confidently as we did before. I will say, this part of the park looks more promising in regards to those rocks we were looking for.
Put in below the home of Brown. — Gary Brown was a famous park ranger who would have been a contemporary of Forrest Fenn. Google “park rangers of Yellowstone National Park,” and this is probably the first guy who will appear in the search results. His old home in the park has now been converted to an educational center and ranger station (by the way, if you are looking for this on a map of Yellowstone, it’s known as the “Institute” or “Buffalo Ranch”, not so much the “Lamar Ranger Station”). Though we met a ranger named Harold Brown, who lent us an extra can of bear spray, I’m just not so sure this is actually the home of Brown. But for now, let’s say it makes sense for our theory. There is a creek that runs literally just below the ranger station, meaning the ranger station is set on a bit of a hill and the small stream is about 6 feet down the side of the porch. You definitely can’t paddle up it because it’s so shallow. Looked promising.

From there it’s no place for the meek, — The journey gets harder from here, as you have now “put in” and are traveling in the water.
The end is ever drawing nigh; — We travelled up the creek towards where it “ends” at its source.
There’ll be no paddle up your creek, — Once again, we walked up this shallow stream.
Just heavy loads and water high. — Once again we were looking for a small waterfall, likely unnamed. However, we quickly ran into trouble. For one, the stream split into two almost immediately. We liked the idea that “ever drawing nigh” used the old archaic meaning of “nigh” or “left” to mean “always take the left”. But when we realized we, at 24 and 25 years old, could barely ford the stream for the fallen logs and undergrowth, we thought perhaps Forrest would have the same problem at 80. We turned back and took the right fork of the stream. We hiked and hiked for what felt like forever, but ultimately we realized we had long since exceeded the “few miles total” Forrest said he hiked making four trips in an afternoon (meaning four legs of the two trips, there, back, there, back, since we were just working on the first “there”).

If you’ve been wise and found the blaze, — Same as theory one. This is something we believe you won’t know until you see it, but once you see it, you will know it. We personally believe it might be a bronze horseshoe, but more on that HERE. (We didn’t find the blaze.)
Look quickly down, your quest to cease, — Same as theory one. Look quickly down, perhaps even underneath.
But tarry scant with marvel gaze, — Same as theory one.
Just take the chest and go in peace. — Same as theory one.

So why is it that I must go 
And leave my trove for all to seek? — Literal meaning.
The answers I already know. 
I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak. — Same as theory one. Again, back to the reference where Forrest meant to take his treasure and die. We believe this is a line left over from the original intent of the poem. Forrest is speaking as though inside the crevice/grotto/whatever, saying he has “done it tired” [the journey, the hiding, the path towards death] and now he is quite literally weak.

So hear me all and listen good, — Same as theory one, needed something to rhyme with wood.
Your effort will be worth the cold. — Same as theory one, the only way to guarantee being cold is being wet.
If you are brave and in the wood — Same as theory one. We feel these are “hints” to the location of the treasure. Not clues, mind you. Remember we said “clues” were the 9 distinct steps for how to get to the treasure, and “hints” were things that helped you find the clues but aren’t necessarily a path to find the gold. “Brave” emphasizes the need to wade/hike up a creek, being outside (with the freaking Grizzlies, etc.). “In the wood” means amongst the trees. Seriously, read his book. As great of a writer as Forrest is, he doesn’t seem to mince words. Perhaps we sometimes overthink the obvious.

ZBC Field Guide to Forrest Fenn's Treasure: Part 4

Part Four: Yellowstone Theory Number One


On August 22, 2015 — ironically Forrest Fenn’s 85th birthday — Brian, Zach, and I set out on our own adventure to look for Forrest’s treasure. Though we didn’t end up as millionaires, we certainly had the experience of a lifetime! Annnnd we are still quite certain our theories are solid, but we just couldn’t make them fit. A little background, and then we will jump right into the details of theory number one.

We started out by choosing a general geographical area and then deciding whole-heartedly to center our research on that one location in order to use our week-long trip most effectively. Of the four states Forrest claims might contain the gold: Colorado isn’t mentioned at all in either of his two memoirs. New Mexico is mentioned only in regards to Taos and Sante Fe (neither seemingly significant in his life, though he currently resides most of the time in Sante Fe). Montana has some mention of Gallatin National Forest and a car trip he took with his brother, but even these references pale in comparison to the endless references and sentimental stories centered in and around Yellowstone National Park. 

Since we believe the treasure is on public land (see PART SIX), we all settled on Yellowstone National Park, wrote up a contract and plan of action in the event we found the treasure, and got to work devising a few workable theories. Here was our first (and arguably our strongest) theory:

Theory One



Forrest Fenn wanted to die with his treasure, right? This means he had to find some sort of grotto, crevice, or area behind a waterfall that would be big enough (yet hidden enough) for both his body and the treasure chest. We envisioned Forrest writing this as though he were actually in the process of going into the grotto/crevice to die with his treasure (remember, the poem was written when this was still his intention). 

As I have gone alone in there — “in there,” in the grotto/crevice/etc, in order to die
And with my treasures bold, — It takes guts to go somewhere with the intention of dying.
I can keep my secret where, — He has said he wasn’t going to tell anyone he was going off to die, it was going to be his “secret”…in this case, his final secret.
And hint of riches new and old. — Reference to the treasure, the riches of nature, etc.

Forrest always has and always will be a fisherman at heart. His memoirs paint stories of his long summers fishing and the fond emotions that fishing still brings to him. In particular, Forrest was known to frequent the Madison River. In “The Thrill of the Chase,” Forrest writes, “And when my tackle box is closed at last, and the cadis hatch is gone, I will rest through all of time and space, pillowed down and scented in, and with a smile that comes from remembering the special things that brought me to that final place, many of which were knowing you were there, somewhere, waiting for me.” Soooo….it makes sense, then, that a special fishing place is the place where Forrest planned for his body to spend the rest of time (and where he hid the treasure!).

Begin it where warm waters halt — We took this to mean the one road through the western side of Yellowstone NP, beginning at the Madison Junction, where two warm (in terms of fishing) “waters” — the Gibbon River and the Firehole River — meet to form the cold Madison River.
And take it in the canyon down, Take the road along Firehole Canyon, which stretches between the Madison Junction and Firehole Falls. “Down” indicates directionally south on a map. Alternately, it could mean you literally climb down the bank into the canyon, but we assumed we would drive at first.
Not far, but too far to walk. — Tells you how far to go. After much thought and a bit of trial and error, we believe Forrest is giving you a fairly exact reference of how far to go — either TO the canyon or WITHIN the canyon (the poem isn’t clear). In the prologue of “Too Far to Walk,” Fenn tells a story about a fishing trip he took along the Madison River, one in which he spent 3 days fishing a 10-mile stretch of the river. He says he wishes he would have taken that trip again, but for now, “it’s just too far to walk.” Is he telling us to substitute an approximate 10-mile distance for this line of the poem? Or is it merely poetic? We tend towards the fact that Forrest has to give you something tangible to work with or else the poem is useless. For our theory, if you measure the curves of the Firehole from the Junction to the Falls, you will have waded a few miles, but really this area would be nigh impossible to wade, as the cascades are massive. We assumed this was “too far to walk” because you can’t walk it at all. I know, I know, it’s a bit of a stretch since it doesn’t fit the 10-mile theory, but it was the only part of our theory that didn’t match our sub-theories perfectly.
Put in below the home of Brown. — Notice the punctuation change here. “Not far, but too far to walk” again is in reference to the distance either TO the canyon or WITHIN the canyon. This line starts a new thought. “Put in” is a fishing term, meaning to wade out into the water. We assumed we needed to either get into the river or, more likely, a small tributary off of the river (based on the next stanza of the poem). We took the “home of Brown” to be a reference to brown trout, which are not native fish to Yellowstone. We did some research, and it turns out the places where brown trout were first introduced to Yellowstone were just above and below Firehole Falls. Which means, even in a thousand years from now, these two places will always be the “home of Brown,” because this was their original “home.” Make sense? Good. Keep going.

We honestly weren’t sure whether the “home of Brown” meant above or below the falls, so we decided to look for small tributaries off of the Firehole River both above and below the Falls.

From there it’s no place for the meek, — The journey gets harder from here, as you have now “put in” and are traveling in the water.
The end is ever drawing nigh; — Perhaps a poetic line to indicate you are getting closer to the treasure? We took this to indicate a tributary, as eventually these bodies of water do have a distinct end. NOTE: We now have a separate theory for “ever drawing nigh.” See PART SIX.
There’ll be no paddle up your creek, — Hike up the creek.
Just heavy loads and water high. — There is a (likely small and unnamed) waterfall up the creek. “Heavy loads” indicate the weight of the water falling on you as you search behind the waterfall. “Water high” is a fancy name for a water fall. We were further encouraged in this theory, because Forrest has a very sentimental story in his book about finding a few forgotten headstones of deceased French soldiers at a waterfall in Vietnam. He talks about the tragedy of lying dead and forgotten against the beauty of such a wonderful force of nature. He also talks about the gold “at the end of my rainbow.” What creates a rainbow in the sun? The arch of a waterfall. And where can one’s body (and gold) be hidden safely — both from nature and prying eyes — for many years? In the crevices/grottos behind a waterfall. 

If you’ve been wise and found the blaze, — This is something we believe you won’t know until you see it, but once you see it, you will know it. We personally believe it might be a bronze horseshoe, but more on that in PART SIX.
Look quickly down, your quest to cease, — When you see the blaze, look quickly down with your eyes. He has said a child would have an advantage in finding the treasure, so that reinforces our belief that the treasure is likely hidden in a crevice or under some sort of rock overhang that is low to the ground. Why else would a child — who is not certainly anything but short — have an advantage in finding such a well-hidden treasure chest?
But tarry scant with marvel gaze, — We find this mostly poetic. Don’t stay long. Maybe it’s wet, maybe it’s directly under the weight of the water from the falls, who knows. But don’t just stand there. 
Just take the chest and go in peace. — Just what it sounds like.

So why is it that I must go 
And leave my trove for all to seek? — Literal meaning.
The answers I already know. 
I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak. — Again, back to the reference where Forrest meant to take his treasure and die. We believe this is a line left over from the original intent of the poem. Forrest is speaking as though inside the crevice/grotto/whatever, saying he has “done it tired” [the journey, the hiding, the path towards death] and now he is quite literally weak.

So hear me all and listen good, — We’ve seen some compelling arguments that, since “good” is clearly improper grammar here, Forrest meant you to substitute the obvious alternative of “well.” This would fit quite well with the hint Forrest gave about “begin it in the Spring” if, indeed, he meant Spring to be a natural water source and not the season. But the more we thought of it, the more we didn’t like messing with his poem. He meant what he said, I think, and he needed a word that rhymed with “wood.”
Your effort will be worth the cold. — The only way to guarantee being cold is being wet.
If you are brave and in the wood — We feel these are “hints” to the location of the treasure. Not clues, mind you. Remember we said “clues” were the 9 distinct steps for how to get to the treasure, and “hints” were things that helped you find the clues but aren’t necessarily a path to find the gold. “Brave” emphasizes the need to wade/hike up a creek, being outside (with the freaking Grizzlies, etc.). “In the wood” means amongst the trees. Seriously, read his book. As great of a writer as Forrest is, he doesn’t seem to mince words. Perhaps we sometimes overthink the obvious.
I give you title to the gold. — In other words, you find it, it’s yours. :)

Our theory was a workable option both by starting from the Madison Junction and working our way south (“down”), or by starting from Old Faithful and the geyser basins and following the Firehole “down” (as in downstream). The “not far, but too far to walk” actually made more sense working our way from Old Faithful because the distance of the canyon (i.e. from the geyser region to Firehole Falls) is closer to 10 miles. But the problem with anywhere within the Caldera boundary (the “loop” of the park within which all the geysers, paint pots, and thermal features are located), is that you can’t leave the path. It’s not just illegal, it’s legitimately dangerous. Most of the land off of the boardwalks within the Caldera boundary is merely a thin crust, underneath which boiling water/lava is lurking. There didn’t seem to be much workable territory between the outside edge of the Caldera boundary (where you can leave the path again) and Firehole Falls.

A Few Problems with Theory Number One

We already mentioned the Caldera boundary and the perils (and rules) that dominate those parts of the park. But there were a few more issues with theory one as well. When you envision waterfalls, grottos, and the like, what do you absolutely have to have? Sturdy rocks. And where might you find sturdy rocks? Rocky mountains. If you’ve ever been to the western side of Yellowstone National Park, however, you’ll notice it doesn’t really have rocky mountains, cliff faces, or anything that could seemingly house $2 million worth of gold safely from rock slides, flooding, or other natural disasters. In fact, most of the mountains (hills?) are frequented by rock slides and are devoid of structures that would support waterfalls.

Another MAJOR issue we ran into? There are no tributaries off of the Firehole River, at least not any that are accessible, especially for an 80-year-old man. We barely found breaks in the riverbank that would indicate a dried-up tributary, but even when we did, Firehole Canyon was completely inaccessible with it’s sheer cliffs and then sudden-open-prairie-devoid-of-all-rocks. 

There is one creek I wish we would have explored. It’s called the Nez Perce creek, and it’s a tributary of the Firehole that creates a backcountry trail in the general area between the geyser basins and Firehole Falls. But the problem once again? Most of the trail falls within the Caldera boundary, a no-no for off-trail searching or getting in the water. 


ZBC Field Guide to Forrest Fenn's Treasure: Part 3

Part Three: Additional Hints/Clues and the Difference Between the Two



So now you have the poem, the map, and Forrest’s additional hints. According to Forrest, this is all you need. But what now? If those are so helpful, how have so many people tried and failed? We believe part of Forrest’s ingenuity (and therefore, what should be part of your strategy) is his ability to say so much without seemingly telling you anything at all. If you want to find this treasure, you must start thinking like Forrest.

From here on out, we will very clearly distinguish between “clues” and “hints.” Why? Because Forrest does. Forrest has told us there are 9 specific clues hidden throughout his poem. In his words, “I have crafted a poem that's in my book. It has 9 clues in it, and I changed that poem over a 15 year period. People read that poem and they say, ' He sat down and wrote that poem in 15 minutes.’ Well, it took me 15 years. The poem is really not so much written as it is an architectural plan. It’s been crafted.” 

For us, this means that his clues are intentionally built to lead you to the treasure. Everything else, then, is a “hint,” something that helps you solve the clues. In PART TWO, we gave you a compiled list of specific things Forrest has indicated in regards to his treasure. Those we will call “Forrest Facts.” Below are some additional “Forrest Quotes,” which may or may not be meaningful. But based on what we know about Forrest, I wouldn’t discount any of them.

We have personally deduced a few things about the treasure from the quotes, which we have outlined in PART SIX. Take them for what you will (but we are pretty smart, so you should read them regardless). ;)

ABOUT THE POEM
  • “I have crafted a poem that's in my book. It has 9 clues in it, and I changed that poem over a 15 year period. People read that poem and they say, ' He sat down and wrote that poem in 15 minutes.’ Well, it took me 15 years. The poem is really not so much written as it is an architectural plan. It’s been crafted.”
  • “You need to start at the beginning. You need to figure out where warm waters halt.”

ABOUT SPECIFIC CLUES (i.e. BLAZE, HOME OF BROWN)
  • On 8/12/2014 Forrest answered a question about ‘where warm waters halt.’ He said, “There are a few words in the poem that are not useful in finding the treasure Phil, but it is risky to discount any of them.  You oversimplify the clues.  There are many places in the Rocky Mountains where warm waters halt, and nearly all of them are north of Santa Fe.  Look at the big picture, there are no short cuts.
  • Question: Did the same 9 clues exist when you were a kid and to your estimation will they still exist in 100 years and 1000 years? Answer: “The clues did not exist when I was a kid but most of the places the clues refer to did. I think they might still exist in 100 years but the geography probably will change before we reach the next millennia.”
  • Question: Is the Blaze one single object? Answer:  “In a word – Yes”
  • Question: I would like to know if the blaze can be found during the day without a flashlight. Answer: I would say yes.”
  • Fenn has hinted that the “blaze” line in the poem could be a deception. He told an interviewer, “I was careful. A blaze can be on a tree, in a fire, on the face of a horse, a scar on a rock, and a host of other things.”
  • “While it’s not impossible to remove the blaze it isn’t feasible to try, and I am certain it’s still there.”

ABOUT SEARCH STRATEGY
  • Fenn once reminded a reporter, “People who go looking for the treasure should not search where a 79- or 80-year-old man could not take it.”
  • “The problem searchers make is that they don’t dwell long enough on the first clue. If you can’t find the first clue you don’t have anything. People driving down the street looking for a blaze, because THAT’S ONE OF THE CLUES, but you can’t start in the middle of the poem and find the treasure.”
  • “I think kids have an advantage [finding the treasure]. Don’t ask me to explain that.” 
  • Question: When you hid your treasures, did you take the same path that is described in the poem, or were you able to skip some of the steps because of your familiarity with the area? Answer: “The clues should be followed in order Curtis. There is no other way to my knowledge.”
  • “Playing a hunch is not worth much in the search and those who start out by looking for the blaze, are wasting their time.”
  • He said in Six Questions interview, “I don’t want to broaden the clues and hints I’ve written about by pointing them out. What surprises me a little is that nobody to my uncertain knowledge has analyzed one important possibility related to the winning solve.”
  • He said, “It seems logical to me that a deep thinking treasure searcher could use logic to determine an important clue to the location of the treasure. Is someone doing that now and I don’t know it? It’s not what they say on the blogs that may be significant, it’s what they whisper.”
  • “It is interesting to know that a great number of people are out there searching. Many are giving serious thought to the clues in my poem, but only a few are in tight focus with a word that is key. The treasure may be discovered sooner than I anticipated.”
  • “The person who finds the treasure will have studied the poem over and over, and thought, and analyzed and moved with confidence. Nothing about it will be accidental. T. S. Eliot said: We shall not cease from our exploration, And at the end of all our exploring, Will be to arrive where we started, And know the place for the first time.” 

ABOUT PAST SEARCHES
  • “I cannot tell you how many searchers have identified the first clue correctly, but certainly more than several. I cannot imagine anyone finding the treasure without first identifying the starting point, although many seem to be preoccupied with later clues.” 
  • “There have been some who have been within 500 feet because they have told me where they have been. Others have figured the first two clues and went right past the treasure and didn’t know it.” In another interview, “They walked right past it.”

ABOUT THE LOCATION
  • “I made two trips from my car to the hiding place and it was done in one afternoon.”
  • “I will say that I walked less than a few miles [whole trip of hiding the chest and treasure] if that will help. I just looked ‘few' up and one definition is ‘scant.’ Why do I sound like I’m talking in circles?”
  • “There isn’t a human trail in very close proximity to where I hid the treasure.”
  • “There are 654,885,389 acres of land in the United States that are owned by the American people. That is what the federal government admits is ‘public property.’ And the population of this great country is 313,914,040. After doing the math I learn that my allotment is exactly 2.086 acres. Now, what if I wanted to secret a can of Dr. Pepper under a rock in the cooling waters of a rivulet somewhere in my allotted public acreage?”
  • “If I was standing where the treasure chest is, I’d see trees, I’d see mountains, I’d see animals, I’d smell wonderful smells of pine needles or pinyon nuts, sagebrush… And I know the treasure chest is wet.” 
    • Later, Forrest said, “I just watched that New Mexico Tourism video again and must say that I didn’t say what I was thinking. You cannot smell a pinyon nut, but those who pick them know that in doing so you get pine pitch all over your hands, and pine pitch smells about the same no matter what kind of pine tree you are talking about. Looking back I think I wanted to say I could smell pine needles, not pinyon nuts. Sorry I kicked a hornet’s nest with that comment.”
  • It’s not in a tree but it is surrounded by trees.
  • Fenn has admitted that the treasure is readily accessible and that when deciding on the location (which he says he gave much thought), he was thinking “10,000 years down the road”.  He explained that when hiding the treasure he “considered mudslides, forest fires, earthquakes, and floods.”
  • He said to wait for “Spring.”
  • Fenn has admitted that although the chest contains a lock, it is unlocked.
  • “…that’s why I told people I hid the treasure chest when I was 79 or 80 years old because I don’t want the exact date to be known because I’m afraid somebody will go check the rental car records and how many miles did Mr. Fenn put on the truck or the car…so I don’t answer those kinda questions…but shoot that person that sent in that email…”

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

ZBC Field Guide to Forrest Fenn's Treasure: Part 2

Part Two: The Poem, the Map, and a Few Facts

Forrest’s poem, as found in “The Thrill of the Chase”

As I have gone alone in there
And with my treasures bold,
I can keep my secret where,
And hint of riches new and old.

Begin it where warm waters halt
And take it in the canyon down,
Not far, but too far to walk.
Put in below the home of Brown.

From there it’s no place for the meek,
The end is ever drawing nigh;
There’ll be no paddle up your creek,
Just heavy loads and water high.

If you’ve been wise and found the blaze,
Look quickly down, your quest to cease,
But tarry scant with marvel gaze,
Just take the chest and go in peace.

So why is it that I must go
And leave my trove for all to seek?
The answers I already know.
I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak.

So hear me all and listen good,
Your effort will be worth the cold.
If you are brave and in the wood
I give you title to the gold.

Forrest’s map, as found in “Too Far to Walk”


Forrest Facts, as released by Forrest in misc. interviews

  • Located above 5,000 ft and below 10,200 ft.
  • At least 8.25 miles North of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
  • The treasure is in one of 4 states: Montana, Wyoming, Colorado or New Mexico.
    • The treasure is somewhere on the map in “Too Far to Walk” (above).
    • It is NOT in Nevada.
  • According to Forrest, the poem contains 9 distinct clues (much debate as to what these are) that are in chronological order. 
  • The poem, if followed precisely and understood correctly, will lead a person to the location of the hidden treasure.  Nothing more is said to be required. 
  • “Where warm waters halt” is not a dam.
  • Not in a graveyard.
  • Not in an out house. The treasure is “not associated with any structure.”
  • Not in a mine.
  • Chest and contents weigh 42 pounds (Fenn said 44 in one email but has said 42 several other times). Chest is 10 x 10 x 5 inches and made of bronze.
  • Although the chest contains a lock, it is unlocked.
  • Forrest is quick to call the treasure “hidden,” not “buried.” He “never said it was buried, but I never said it wasn’t.” [But for heaven’s sake, please stop digging in our National Parks. :)]
  • The treasure is wet. It is “exposed” to rain and snow and could be scorched in a forest fire.
  • Forrest has said many times that nothing about the search will be accidental. The person who finds it will "move with confidence” and will not simply stumble across it.