Since the release of Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Poem in 2010, Forrest has made numerous comments concerning his poem and treasure hunt. Below are Quotes in connection to Where Warm Waters Halt and the First Clue.
New Zealand Interview 2013
“The first clue in the poem is ‘begin it where warm waters halt’. That’s the first clue. If you can’t figure that clue out you don’t have anything.”
(May 2014 on Dal’s site)
I will say now that WWWH is not related to any dam. ff
MW Featured Question August 2014
Someone unfamiliar with your poem receives a message that says “meet me where warm waters halt, somewhere in the mountains north of Santa Fe”. Would they be able to work out where to go? If they can’t, would they need the whole poem, another stanza, or just a line or word to help them on their way? ~Phil Bayman
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 over simplify 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. f
Dear Forrest, You tell us that we should find “where warm waters halt” before trying to solve any of the other clues. Imagining that we haven’t seen the rest of the poem, and all we have to go on is:
a. “begin it where warm waters halt” and
b. “somewhere in the mountains north of Santa Fe”
Do you think that we can confidently determine the starting place for your treasure trail? ~ Steve
No, if all you have to go on are those two clues you cannot proceed with confidence. Look at it this way. If you were making a cake and you left out a few ingredients, would you achieve your goal?
Your question reminds me of another: You leave home and walk a straight line for a mile, turn 90 degrees left and walk a curved line for a mile and shoot a bear. Then you turn 90 degrees left again and walk a straight line back to your home. What color is the bear?f
Dear Mr. Fenn, You say the clues in the poem are to be followed in consecutive order. You have also said the book holds sublte hints. Are these ‘subtle hints’ in consecutive order (in relation to how they help with clues in the poem) too? ~ Thank you, joseph
That’s right joseph, you should start with the first clue and follow the others consecutively to the treasure. Hints in the book are not that organized.f
MW Archived Question 2014
As far as I know the closest person to the treasure was a man, but there may have been a woman with him. The most common mistake that I see searchers make is that they underestimate the importance of the first clue. If you don’t have that one nailed down you might as well stay home and play Canasta.f
Is the map that needs to be used to discover where warm waters halt found online or in paper form? or both?” ~mdc777
C’mon now agent 777, a map is a map. The more detailed maps are most useful if you have the right map, but I’m not sure I needed to tell you that.f
Forrest, you have stated that several searchers correctly identified the first two clues in your poem. Could you tell us how many searchers to your knowledge have correctly identified the first clue correctly? Thanks. ~49 Dollars
No 49, 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. To me that’s just expensive folly. f
Mr. Fenn, Over the past half-decade, your challenge for any cavalier spirit to find a valuable treasure chest hidden in the Rocky Mountains sparked a veritable gold rush of knowledge. Searchers endlessly immerse themselves in study of topics previously unknown to them hoping to gain an advantage in their quest. I would even go so far as to speculate that some have done more research in relation to the chest than some doctoral students do in completing a thesis.
To be sure, there is value in wisdom. That value is then increased when wisdom is shared with others. Which is why I was hoping you might be willing to share a thought or two about something you’ve learned from searchers over the past five years. Whether related to geography, geology, history or even human nature, I’d love to hear if there’s been anything offered up by a searcher, or searchers, that enlightened you in some way. Hope all is well! ~ S&H
Thanks for the question S&H. I learn something every day from those who are in the treasure hunt.
What surprises me is that so many ignore the first clue in the poem. Without it all the searcher has is the memory of a nice vacation. Although many have tried, I doubt that anyone will find the blaze before they have figured out the first clue. f
Dal’s Site: Forrest Gets Mail 2015
Do expect that people will somehow *know* for sure once they have found the first clue?
No, many people have found the first clue but they didn’t know it. Until someone finds the treasure they will not know for sure that they have discovered the first clue.
Or they might have found it without realizing it?
Yes
My simple question would be: You’ve written an excellent poem that leads us to the location of a fantastic treasure. What do you feel is one of the main reasons it hasn’t been found yet? Thanks so much ~ jenny
Congrats Jenny. Most of the searchers are very bright and make intelligent comments, either by email or on the blogs, but there seems to be more attention paid to the blaze than to the first clue. Perhaps that’s why the treasure hasn’t been found. f
Dal’s Site: Forrest Gets Mail 13 (2017)
Our final guess is that the treasure may be along road 156 in Wyoming. Thank you for taking time out of your day to help us in our class!
You cannot solve the problem by starting in the middle of the poem. You should start with the first clue and then solve the other eight in order.
What does “warm” mean to you?
It means being comfortable.
If you don’t know where it is, go back to the first clue.f
Dal’s SB 167
Can you give me one quote that will inspire my readers that it is possible to find your treasure? Something to motivate them? Something to tease them.
Those who solve the first clue are more than half way to the treasure, metaphorically speaking.
YouTube Video 2019
You start the chase by getting in your car an going to the first clue. f
YouTube Video 2019
To mention, there are 3rd party accounts of Forrest asking searchers ‘Did you tip your toe in it’- suggesting Warm Waters is a Thermal Feature and the location of WWWH should feel warm to the touch. However, we have a first account of Forrest implying basically the same thing in the following discussion about a solution Cynthia had for WWWWH.
F: Did you ask her to show you the warm water?
Lady: Ah..no I didn’t touch the water…
F: See there.. she wanted to find a place, so she manufactured a place where warm water halts… There’s no warm water under that bridge, I promise you.
YouTube Video 2019
The Interviewer asked Forrest: ‘so if don’t start right, you’re never gonna get there’.
Forrest’s answer was a question:
If you are going to go to the grocery store what is the first thing you do?
Interviewer: I get a shopping cart..
F: No, you go get in your car………. Find WWWH and let that take you to the puzzle.
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I have read the location and seen people make guesses, but they are well off from the two locations that I am focusing on. One is 10 miles from a hot springs going into the main river, but has the rest of the clues pretty tight. The other has the clues pretty clear, but you have to think out of the box. Not sure how to get to location if an 80+ years old man. If you use Google earth and think about verbiage ie I have not seen anyone else hint that the house of brown has to do with the two options I have. Up a creek without a paddle makes perfect sense if I am correct. How do I contact FF to see if I am close? Both locations are within 20 miles of one another, but I have not had time to check them out. Both would not normally have someone go directly over the top, but would have people within 100 feet every day.