Forrest Fenn Gold Medallion #6 Solution and Winner’s Story

Congrats to Greg F.!  He successfully claimed the 6th Forrest Fenn Gold Medallion for the treasure hunt released on March 20, 2019!  The next FFGM Treasure Hunt, #7, is set to be released on April 10th.  The fun continues!

The Coded Treasure Stone was found at the Glen Onoko Falls Trailhead near Jim Thorp, PA.  It was retrieved by Joe W. (shown below) who lived in the area and is a friend of Greg’s.

 

The solution to FFGM #6 is as follows:

The Key, with its end looking like a magnifying glass, in the center of the puzzle, suggests concentrating on the ‘red’ letters first, and hints to the final Keyword to discover the exact spot (X marks the spot).  Each of the coded red lines are solved by Caesar Shifts of different values.

Their values are:

9, 2, 7, 9, 12, 9, 6, 4, 8, 5, 2, 9, and 17.

These shifts reveal the red letter lines to be:

Near the entrance

To the stream

between two hills

is the place

of disputed rest

drive along river

park at the end

thirty steps down

left at base

along the wall

find the crevice

see the stone

claim the medallion

 

The two highlighted Black Letters from the red lines, VG, not only translate to PA revealing the treasure is in Pennsylvania, but also hints to the ViGenere cipher.  Plus, this is a cipher used in previous FFGM treasure hunts.

From this information, along with other clues on the image, it is possible the correct location ‘could be’ deduced (more on this soon).  However, solving the Blue Coded Letters using a Vigenere cipher would confirm the location beyond any doubt.

So knowing the Vigenere is to be used, a keyword must be found, and with the message ‘Discover the KEYS to break the code’, it can be assumed the KEYS (the values of the Caesar Shift) are used to find the keyword to break the Coded Blue Letters.

Using each ‘Key’ (9, 2, 7, 9, 12, 9, 6, 4, 8, 5, 2, 9, and 17), on each decoded line, and counting forward reveals:

NONCENTRATION.

It should be obvious the word should be CONCENTRATION, as this is hinted to by the central image looking like a magnifying glass on the X (concentration).  This anomaly then provided another clue of ‘Up 5’-  realizing the ‘Key’ to give a C would be 14, not 9.  A difference of  ‘UP 5’ in the alphabet (and will later be explained to connect with X marks the spot).

Using the Vigenere Cipher and applying the keyword CONCENTRATION to the Blue Coded Words reveals:

Glen Onoko Falls Trailhead.

Knowing this, and following the directions decoded from the red letter lines indicates the exact location.

The white stone was hidden where the X is on the rock wall of the background image, concentrating 5 feet up, as the difference in shift suggests- UP 5- at the Glen Onoko Falls Trailhead.

Glen Onoko Falls Trailhead is ‘Near Jim Thorpe’ in PA.  Jim Thorpe is often called the ‘Gateway to the Poconos’.  With the word Poconos meaning, ‘Stream/creek between Two Hills’, the first lines of Near the entrance to the stream between two hills’ is understood to mean the stone is near– the Gateway to the Poconos- Jim Thorpe.

Jim Thorpe, the town, is also the place of disputed rest as it has been argued that the Famous Olympian Jim Thorpe, whose body is now resting in Jim Thorpe, should be resting elsewhere.

LEE, seen high in the corner, hints to LEHIGH- the river running at the location.

The Bear hints to the fact Jim Thorpe used to be called Mauch Chunk, meaning Bear Place.

The white word of Stone, wavy blue lines, and a tunnel- hints to the fact that the White Coded Treasure Stone is found next to the Lehigh River and old railroad tunnel.

Joe W. had no trouble retrieving the stone for Greg….as all the clues led right to it!

I think that is it!

Thanks everyone for participating in the FFGM Treasure Hunts!  4 more to go in the first series!  How exciting!   See you all on April 10th!

 

Best of luck with all that you seek!  Always Treasure the Adventure!