Another treasure has been found! This one created by Maxx and KK (Black8EscapeRooms) for the Grasshopper Inn Meet & Greet with Justin Posey. The Lost Key brought people together every step of the way.

The hunt was created to be an adventure: get outside, follow the clues, discover new places, and have fun along the way. And that’s exactly what happened. Searchers gathered, formed teams, shared ideas, chased clues into the night. And eventually, Bruce, Jason, Boots, and Rogue found the key. Congrats to all involved!

The best part may be what happened beyond the treasure itself. Friendships grew, teamwork took over, a little “Work It” was sung along the way, and all searchers came together to celebrate the find. That’s what treasure hunting can be all about. The thrill of the chase, the excitement of discovery, and the people you meet along the trail.

Let’s hear from both the creators and the finders about how The Lost Key came together and the adventure that led to the treasure.

First 3 (of 6) Questions with Maxx and KK (creators):

  • 1Q) When you were designing this hunt, what did you most want searchers to experience along the way? Was there anything about the way people approached your clues that surprised you or was it solved as intended?

With all the hunts we have done so far, our intention is to get people out, boots on the ground and discovering clues in the real world, and hopefully in great locations so that even if they aren’t the first to the treasure, they had a fun experience and it seemed like a real adventure and race to the finish.

This hunt was solved as we intended which is always a good feeling. As a creator there is always a little concern in the back of your mind that it may not go down the way you envision it, so I was happy to see it play out the way it did.

  • 2Q) There’s something pretty special about creating a hunt and then getting to watch people solve it right in front of you. What did it feel like when the treasure was finally claimed at the event?

Yes, one of our favorite parts from the last couple of hunts that we have done has been getting everyone together before the start and watching people meet, mingle, and start forming teams. Then having the opportunity to see them try to start solving things and hearing them work through their theories is awesome, and great insight into how everyone’s perspective can be so different and how sharing different ideas with people who see things differently can actually be very helpful. We have only had one hunt solved by an individual searcher, all of them since have been solved by a team of people working together.

We were very happy that the hunt was solved prior to the meet and greet on Saturday. Our hope was that it would be found so the finders could celebrate and bring that energy into the event. It was a great group of searchers that found it too so we were excited for them. We also have to thank The Grasshopper Inn for keeping their doors open much later than usual so the finders of the key could return to a cheering crowd and claim their treasure, which ended up being around 12:30 am.

  • 3Q) If someone who has never done a treasure hunt before comes across your hunt and is intrigued but doesn’t understand how to get started, what would you want them to know? Do you create all your hunts to be approachable by newcomers?

We typically create our hunts to be weekend events so I don’t think they are terribly difficult. The advantage an “experienced” hunter would have over a brand new searcher would just be the familiarity with different types of puzzles or ciphers. Nothing a little online research wouldn’t help though.

For example with the Lost Key, the next to last location had to be found using what 3 words, which is a website that will give you a precise location anywhere on earth using 3 randomly assigned words. Although in the material the searchers were given, there are clues to use “what 3 words” someone who isn’t a searcher (and even some searchers) may not have heard of that.. yet.

I do think our hunts are good for people just getting into treasure hunting because there are lots of “confirmers” built in as you progress through, it builds confidence and hopefully keeps them excited.

NEXT 3 Questions for the Finders! Congrats to Bruce, Jason, Boots, and Rogue!:

  • 4Q) Please take us through some of your solve process?  Like what did you do first, what obstacles did you overcome, how did you form a team, etc? We’d love to hear more about what led to finding the key!

 “Team Head Trauma” was very confident as a team going into the hunt based on Jason, Bruce and Rogue’s previous experience with Maxx and KK’s “The Cameo” hunt in South Dakota earlier this year.   Boots rounded out the team, and contributed the team name when she injured her head in her rush to get rolling on the hunt!   She was very excited!   

Once Boots tended to her injury the team quickly headed to Dillon!   The locations in the “Lost Key” story clearly were pointing towards landmarks in Dillon.   The bookstore and the train station in particular.   In a fortuitous twist of fate, Rogue was already in Dillon getting a tattoo, so the team immediately sent her the info pages to get a jump on the solve.   Rogue sent a picture of the Masonic Lodge sign to the team.   Boots and Bruce quickly figured out “HOPE” while Jason sped (legally…) towards Dillon.   The team worked on different hypothesis on the drive to Dillon, pausing briefly to film a short clip of them singing “Work It” by Missy Elliott.   

When the team arrived in Dillon they joined up with Rogue and started working the other two clues.   With it being dark, they struggled a little bit to get their bearings but eventually came up with “PROJECTIONS” and “BLITZ”.   The tiny numbers on the cattle brands at the train depot were really difficult to see in the dark which ended up being one of the biggest obstacles.  

Now the team had HOPE / PROJECTIONS / BLITZ.   Initially they started looking at locations in the area that had these names.   This idea wasn’t yielding any results.   The team started looking at synonyms for the words which felt like a good idea, but wasn’t giving them anything concrete.   Jason and Boots started throwing around the idea that “What3Words” might be part of the solve.   After inputting the three clues, Bannack State Park popped up.   The team immediately headed out to Bannack despite not knowing exactly what they were looking for.   At Bannack they found the leather signs that gave them “CLARK CANYON RESERVIOR CANOE”.   

Despite it being 10:30 PM and the team being about 45 minutes from Clark Canyon Reservior, Boots inspired (or threatened, depending on your perspective…  😉) the team to head out there.   When the team first got there, they were worried another team might have already found the key as one of the other teams was there!   They searched the canoe for 15 minutes and gave up.   Bruce and Boots went out to the canoe armed with iPhone lights but quickly ran back to the warmth of Jason’s truck.   After some hand wringing and considering other areas at Clark Canyon, the team went back to the canoe.   The team was certain this was the correct location but frustrated about not finding it.   (Sort of like every other BOTG trip the team has made… 😡)   Jason had a flashlight and a sense of determination that alluded Bruce – who was back in the truck.   

After a few minutes of thoroughly inspecting the canoe, Jason saw it wedged under the canoe but could only see a brass edge of the key.  If Jason hadn’t been so purposeful in his search, the edge of the key would have looked like a natural part of the display.  Jason managed to unwedge the key with a pocket knife and immediately yelled “I FOUND IT!!!”  This was one moment where Bruce was able to take himself out of the truck to celebrate with Jason and Boots.  In his excitement, Jason didn’t get a picture of the key in its location and the team didn’t get any team pics / videos.   Probably because they were freezing and it was 11:30 PM.  We found the treasure!!!

  • 5Q) Congrats on the discovery! Solving the clues is one thing, but then comes the BOTG search. Since the key was not easy to find, did you ever start questioning your solution, or what made you keep looking until you found it? (If you hadn’t had almost certainty of a solution – do you think you would have missed it/walked away for the correct location?)

The team never questioned the solve of the canoe.   Having experience with Maxx and KK’s previous hunts, they were extremely confident in the solve being correct and coherent.   The biggest question the team had was, “Has someone already found it?”   There didn’t seem to be a lot of places on the canoe to hide a key, so after the first quick pass over the canoe and hearing another team couldn’t find it created some doubts that the key was still there.  Also, since it was dark and cold, conditions didn’t lend itself to a thorough search.  Bruce was staying in Dillon and offered to come back out early the next morning to keep searching, but Jason and Boots were determined.   Luckily Jason had a flashlight and a good eye!   

  • 6Q) Beyond the actual discovery (finding treasure), what was the most memorable or fun part of the experience for you? What advice would you give those thinking about getting involved in the hobby of treasure hunting?

Singing “Work It” was a definite high point and team building activity. The team worked really well together which made it fun.   Jason, Bruce and Rogue had previously established friendships.  Boots brought a great, fun energy to the team.  The team is now permanently bonded together as TREASURE FINDERS, which is very cool and strengthened our already strong connections.   

If you’re thinking about getting into treasure hunting, you should absolutely give it a shot!  The community is full of fabulous, fun people.   You might never find a treasure, but you may find yourself singing “Work It” on a remote road in Montana with some new BFFs.  

A few other photos of teams working on The Lost Key!