Page 171 - WDT MAGAZINE PORTUGAL

Mountains north of Santa Fe, higher than 5,000 feet because he thought he knew where he could find the
above sea level, and not in Nevada, Idaho, Utah or chest. (He didn't). A recent newspaper story in the
Canada. major Milan newspaper led to 10 Italians planning a
The search isn’t limited to the Rocky Mountains. trip to search as a group and split the money if they
New York City police caught a man digging in Central found the booty. An article about the treasure in a
Park near the Alice in Wonderland sculpture because German magazine led to a large group of German
he’d heard that Fenn could quote from Lewis Carroll’s searchers. There’s also interest from Russia and
book. Another searcher asked, if his truck broke down Brazil.
in the mountains, would Fenn come and take him the A father, searching with his grown son was sure
rest of the way to the treasure? Two brothers, who he had solved the clues. The two slept in a van and
had not seen each other for 17 years were reunited to shared their hopes for the future, but after two days,
search for the treasure, An 8-year-old girl emailed they gave up looking. The father wrote to Fenn
Fenn. “If I find the treasure, do I have to share it with thanking him for The Thrill of the Chase and
my brother?” explaining that if it hadn’t been for the book, the two
“The treasure is difficult to find, so no one will find would never have had this time with each other.
it right away, but it’s easy enough so that it’s not Others email Fenn to thank him for getting their
impossible to find,” family off of the
says Fenn. “I want couch and into
sweaty bodies out the wind and sun.
there looking for This pleases Fenn
my treasure – they who says his real
just have to find the aim of hiding the
clues.” chest was to get
kids away from
Not all the
bodies are sweaty. their devices and
encourage
In spite of winter families to go out
snow and ice in the into the woods.
Rocky Mountains,
some die-hard One seeker
searchers still wanted to know,
brave the winter ‘is the gold going
elements because to rust?’ When
they think if they two men fighting
wait, someone will for the same
find the treasure parking space in
ahead of them. They risk everything and in the last Jackson Hole discovered they were both looking for
eight years, four people have died trying to find the the treasure, they searched together. A mother,
treasure: one died of hypothermia, two drowned and writing that her son wanted to look in Grebe Lake,
one fell off a mountain. Despite warnings that are asked, ‘Does Yellowstone Park control the alligators?’
posted on multiple web sites and posted warnings A few think the bronze chest will melt if there’s a
from Forrest Fenn, people come from all over the forest fire and the gold will spill out.
world to look in all seasons. In spite of some ridiculous beliefs, Fenn admits
Seven years ago, Dal Neitzel, a Washington State there are dangers involved. “Things can complicate
TV station manager and searcher started a blog to the search such as earthquakes, mudslides, forest
share clues with fellow treasure hunters. Since its fires, floods, trees and rocks falling,” says Fenn.
inception, the blog has garnered nearly 20,048,000 “There are those who have been at risk in water when
views, 291,800 comments, and 249 stories plus they attempted to search someplace where it was not
several hours of exclusive interviews with Fenn. None really safe to go. Some have not been prepared to face
of Fenn’s tales offer additional clues, but still the the elements after they parked their car and started
searchers analyze every word he writes. There are walking. Some have lacked the proper clothing and
about 800 or more unique visitors per hour and on food and water. One man rode 28 miles on a bicycle
discussion pages, a quarter of a million comments. in the snow and almost froze after getting wet.”
One man flew to Santa Fe from London two times Fenn wants searchers to stay safe. He is also

170 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2019