armchair treasure hunt thrill of the chase
Like a secret place of treasure by OH!

This is the thirteenth in a series on Six Questions with Searchers of The Thrill of the Chase Treasure Hunt by Forrest Fenn. Questions are asked and then answered by those who are enjoying Forrest’s dare!

(Read how you can participate) 

Six Questions with OH!:

1)When did you first hear and learn about the Treasure Hunt?

I first heard of The Thrill Of The Chase treasure hunt in 2012 from my brothers. One of my brothers had bought the book and after reading it I was hooked.
I have accumulated over 8000 hours into the poem, book and maps and have come up with one area of importance.

 

2)What inspired you to become involved and begin searching?

It was the challenge that inspired me but the mind of Forrest Fenn intrigued me most. He seemed to have an ambiance about him that stirred my inner soul into thinking I might have a chance in solving his quest.

 

3)What is your most favorite part about the Treasure Hunt so far?

The most treasured part of my six year endeavor has been spending two weeks out of the year with my twenty five year old son. He has learned so much about the wilderness and I have learned so much about him. The place we have been for the sixth time is forever molded into his life to where he will one day also bring his children. To me that is worth more than any treasure in the chest. All I want from the chest is the frog anyway! 😊

 

4)What is your least favorite part about the Treasure Hunt so far?

My least favorite part is knowing I need to be fit for the hike but never am! High altitude plays a part but next time it’s all about exercise and being prepared. Don’t let Mr. Fenn’s age of 79 or 80 fool you, he was in great shape then. A few years ago an 80 year old man climbed Mount Everest.

 

5)What is the best or most unique thing you found while searching for Forrest Fenn’s treasure chest?

I found a mountain that is not hike-able and that streams out water at timed intervals only after the snow melts. There isn’t any documentation of this and It can be viewed with binoculars or video camera only. But to watch it shut down for the day is total awe!

 

6)Do you think that you are any closer to finding the chest after all of your arm chair and hiking research?

I do know my area is the location but to pinpoint the exact spot will be an ongoing endeavor. This area has also became very dear to me and my son. Through a process of elimination we will continue to search here and come back every year until we find it, that is if somebody else doesn’t find it first.

Please remember to always think safety first, never go it alone. Always carry a two-way radio, first aid kit, bear spray, a gun, a gps or compass.

If the chest is found I hope you have it in your heart to tithe the families who have lost a loved one, Sincerely. OH!

 

 

Thanks for sharing your answers to this Six Questions with us all OH!  The places we explore with loved ones will always be treasures found!  You definitely have found one!  Congrats!  

 

Best of luck with all that you seek!

Always Treasure the Adventure!

 

 

62 Comments

    1. Of course…killing time is not the point. The point is that time is going to go by anyway.

      You might as well do something awesome…like go look for Forrest’s Treasure with Family and Friends…

      …because if you’re out there in the mountains…you’re lookin’ at it.

      I’ve known that for a long time.

      Thanks for the added motivation, Forrest.

      And Thank You, Jenny…and…OH! 🙂

      JC1117

  8. OH! seems to have a lot in common with my solve, but mine is based on the poem and TTOTC. Afterward, I made a bunch of connections to the scrapbooks (including those not mentioned by OH!).

    I’ve been in the areas you talk about 😉 My partner (since May) lives very close the spot and we have been moving fast since I stopped posting on the blogs. Its take no prisoners at this point, and over 10,000 hours of combined research.

    WyMustIGo

  9. I will let you in on one important issue, the area below 26 like down around Castle Gardens is considered a desert by Forrest. I know this because he told me so in June when I sent him photos and videos, along with coordinates slightly southwest of where you are. In fact, this happened the day before he mentioned on Jenny’s site “if your solve is in a desert, get a new solve”. He could have been talking to someone else, but I doubt it because less than 24 hours earlier we just discussed “that desert”.

    To me, the only desert in WY is south of the Sweetwater. The Gas Hills area is arid plains to me, but Forrest told me it is a desert when I sent the pictures in the Gas Hills area.

    Figured that might save you some money. There are many cool things down there, I guess you have not seen “Sarcophagus Butte” yet? You can go inside it 🙂

    WyMustIGo

    1. Nope.

      The solve was complete and exactly 242 miles from WWWH before you exit the car at the creek.

      But as I said, the entire area around Gas Hills was a desert according to FF. I was told this when I sent proof of where we were, I did not want a confirmation on if I was right, I wanted to know IF the chest was ever there. I was informed to “Look around, where are you”.. I replied” I did, I am by the lower rockies”, I was told “no, you are in a desert”. I argued the point that in Wyoming the area gets over 10 inches of rain and is NOT a desert, it is an arrid plaine. The only real desert in WY is the Red Desert south of the Sweetwater. But why argue with the man who made the poem? Especially after what he posted on Jenny’s the following day about desert solves. Was that directed at me? I don’t know, but within 24 hours I just discussed the word “desert” with FF. He did not confirm or deny anything about the chest having ever been there, but did confirm it was a desert.

      I realize I cannot prove it, because I have no intentions of posting emails NOR will I create a hoax site like everyone else who thinks they found it. People can choose to ignore me, that is cool, it just means they will be searching in areas that are wrong.

      You are going to find a LOT of connections to that area in both Fremont and Natrona counties. I did, and my team has well over 10,000 hours of research (4ooo just from me on Fremont county alone). My only advice is watch out for the snakes, go out early before they are around in the heat. My main focus was around Sarcophagus Butte (which to me was the answer to stanza one). But we were all up around there, clay city, castle gardens, and farther east into Natrona county almost up to the old cabin you will find out about. We also went as far south as Jeffrey City, out towards Gurnsey, and the other way towards Independence Rock. All great areas, no chest. We did not stop looking there until FF made the desert comment. So yes, from Hells Half Acre and below 26 was called “desert”. This does not rule out areas closer to Big Horn, or the very small areas just around the sweetwater south of Jeffrey City.

      Essentially, its either up by BigHorn or west towards Wind River Mountain range if its in Wyoming. OR, it could be on the east side down near Minnies Gap or north where all the fur traders went.

      I’m just putting this out there for you or anyone else to save you some time. My team has been BOTG in these areas many times. You can also go back LONG ago and many old time searchers were near Gas Hills too, all around Lucky MC, not sure about the Sarcophagus though. Same is true with Castle Gardens and down by the Sweetwater. But back then, Desert was still in play. When the man told me its a desert, then follows it up with “get a new solve” the next day, I stop looking in the desert.

      As I said though, I used the poem and the book to get there, scrapbooks had nothing to do with it other than confirmation. I never posted my solve (WWWH, hoB, etc) and I never will, even if the solve failed. All I know for sure is that it cannot end where I was 🙂

      WyMustIGo

        1. As I stated multiple times I agree, you are where I was.

          The problem has nothing to do with open minds, you are going to soon discover that you will be lead down south of there, and that is desert, not in my opnion, in Fenns opinion.

          Trust me, it was a tough pill to swallow.

          If I were you, I would try to see if it takes you back north or west of there. The area around the Hole in the Wall is another spot, but I ruled it out because it is private property. If it isn’t BLM or public land, I rule it out for legal reasons, same with National Parks.

          Right now you don’t have a complete solve, just some waypoints with no ending. All I am saying is be careful that you do not end up where I did, around Gas Hills. Or you can choose to ignore me. Who knows, maybe some day we can work together, it sure is nice having a partner who lives within 1/2 hour from the spot that you just showed me.

          WyMustIGo

  11. By the way, I am not trying to discourage you. Just so you know where i am coming from, one of my partners has been searching since 2011 and was BOTG probably 30+ times during the years. When they seen my solve, they went along at their own expense because it was so convincing. They tried to break it, but only confirmed it. I will not say who they are, they want to remain anonymous, but it really doesn’t matter because that solve failed anyway. So I am still with my new partner and friends with that other person.

    And before anyone suggests it, no, I am not Andrew Jeff/Tightfocus or whatever. I do not know him, nor his solve, and I never use aliases. I was ALWAYS WyMustIGo.

    The only people who I know in RL are: My anonymous partner(s), Jenny, Forrest, Mindy, Rolltide, Fundy, and two other people. I never met them all personally, but I did talk to them via phone or email, and some on Facebook.

    As I said though, I will not post my solve because most of it is still good. The ending was in the desert.

    Good luck with your search, and if you still want to look around Gas Hills have at it. I am not going to try and stop people from going there if they want to 🙂

    WyMustIGo

      1. Well, as smart as Wy is (and maybe he agrees with what I’m about to say anyways), I’m fascinated by this “arm-into” thing you have. And the 50 miles supports it, plus that picture. I’ll be getting to dissecting that Scrapbook this morning and maybe posting something under your forum topic.
        That was a cool find and I wonder how much more there might be like it.

        Buckeye Bob

        1. Look at that area last year when I was on the Medicine Wheel kick, all soves came up short at the blaze. Its not that I am smart, its that my research was focused completely on Wyoming, and especially near Cody, Lander, and Guernsey.

          The entire area between Casper and Shoshoni has a TON of things related to Fenn, I do not think OH has found them all, yet. But Fenn pretty much nipped it in the bud with the desert comment. To me, this pretty much ruled out anything from Lost Cabin south to the Sweetwater, and west to Riverton.

          People will look there, and that is fine, just pointing out that the man himself told me it is a desert. So frankly, even though I agree with OH that the TTOTC story matches that area, it was all ruled out. Now it could be a clue still, but your solve ending needs to be far west of there, or north into Bighorn mountains.

          Go read SB 107, tell me if it does not sound like (use your imagination):
          Gas Bill = Gas Hill
          Forrest and Peggy live in the cheap houses at Clay CIty, old biddies live in Castle Gardens
          Forrest drove into Riverton, ran out of gas, car towed to Walmart
          The $5 bill lines up with Gas Hill Road, the pen lines up pointing down Dry Creek Rd
          Lincolns head on the $5 is aimed at Lost Cabin
          Colorado is under the $5, or down facing south
          The rainbow in the corner fold of the bill will exactly surround Sarcophagus Butte
          Now look at the connections to radiation/tailings ponds
          Note that 136 was paved sometime in the 40’s

          How about SB 180?
          Those letters on the whiskey flask = MC
          The stencil on the flash has shamrocks = Lucky
          The mine is called Lucky MC
          Now the binoculars, look at where the most famous binoculars are made! Riverton!
          Look at the picture of the guy (with the binoculars) and his wife, the prospectors who discovered Lucky MC
          Look at this symbol: 42°49’16.81″N, 107°28’52.94″W
          I wonder how many times FF flew over that radiation symbol, 100 feet in diameter, been there since the 1980s cleanup! It would be under his RIGHT WING where the bomb was.
          Now pull up the Augusta golf course map, orient and size it properly, guess where hole 13 is?

          Look at the scrapbooks of the pottery and other sculptures, especially the white ones. Where does that white material come from?

          I could go on and on and on… This is why OH!’s post caught my eye, like minds think alike. He/she and I have looked into the same places clearly, there is no way he/she could have copied from me, I never posted anything about it. So two people came up with similar theories, outside the box, not your typical clueless newbies looking in Yellowstone or Taos.

          Trust me, I was VERY VERY disappointed after I got that email from Forrest. Now he never said that the area is not part of the clues, but he did basically say the chest was never and is not in a desert, and he called that area desert. I argued about it, trust me, he is wrong, it is NOT a desert. But look how stupid I look saying that, I am telling the man who hid the chest he is WRONG, and he is, BUT he does know where the chest is, I do not, so I have to believe him and move on to a different ending.

          If you seen my solve and how it works with JUST THE POEM, it would blow you away. Then, you would crap yourself when you seen how just about every scrapbook fits. It was a huge bummer. But I am still convinced, without a doubt the chest is in Wyoming and it is within close proximity of Cody or Riverton.

          WyMustIGo

      1. Are you serious? hehe… You never heard of Butch Cassidy, Sundance Kid, and the rest of the hole in the wall gang? Watch the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid movie sometime, also read Robert Redfords book on them. They spent a lot of time in WY, CO, UT and NM. Local rumor (based on relatives) has it that Cassidy did not die in South America, he returned to Lander area and died there in the early 1930s.

        OH! is in rabbit hole heaven. Wait until they discover the hints to all those places, like Kirwin WY. Some cool shit there… unfortunately all rabbit holes, the poem just never seems to work out there, and a solve must work with the poem after all 🙂

        Very interesting stuff. This is why I am so focused on the state, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see all the things that lead there.

        WyMustIGo

        1. Hello WyMustIGo. Yes, I am. I do not know enough of the western history and trying to catch up. While growing up back East, western history wasn’t taught. Being back East, I was taught history from there…..Presidents, Declaration of Independence, Mayflower, Iroquois Indians, etc.. When my family moved to Colorado, we were disappointed that we didn’t see cowboys or Indians with their teepees….these were things that were briefly taught. Went to school in Colorado for a couple years, and once more, not much was mentioned. I also took a lot of Secretarial classes and arts. From there, I worked, married, began a business and raised a family. Life was busy and didn’t have much free time. They might seem excuses to many, but they are my true reasons.

          pdenver

            1. I’m curious, WyMustIGo, the school(s) you attended, were you taught much of the western history? Mine didn’t. What was mostly spoke about was cowboys and Indians. I don’t recall much of anything else being taught about it. When we moved, it was like a whole new world for us.

              pdenver

              1. Just the Oregon trail, the Indians being pushed out west, gold rush, Lewis and Clark, west expansion, etc. No details about things like Mountain Men/Fur Traders for example. It was probably mentioned, but no detail that I remember.

                WyMustIGo

                2. BTW pdenver, I will answer your question from Dals. Yes, Castle Gardens is the desert accoording to FF as I explained here. I’m not speculating, this is not an opinion, it is a fact (and I do not agree with FF lol, but he hid the damn thing)

                  WyMustIGo

  15. A note for OH!

    I seen your post about the #109 on the edge of the Chest photograph on page 3 in TTOTC. I just wanted to let you know that it is only a film code used by Eastman Kodak on their old nitrate based film. That image in the book was probably scanned from a slide made on or before 1924 when Kodak stopped production of 109 rolls.

    It is interesting though that we know the image dates back to the 1920’s. BTW. Kodak stopped using Nitrate altogther by 1951 when they switched to Acitate (?).

    Perhaps FF can shed some light on where the old slide came from because there is no way FF took that picture using Nitrate based film, none exists anymore!

    In any case, this rules out 109 having any longitude meaning because the notches cut into the edge match the code for the 109# roll of film.

    WyMustIGo

    1. If Forrest went to the trouble to create this picture, then I think it has to mean something. Why else would he do it?

      I’m just tossing this out here, but this longitude line fits into the boundaries of the possible location where the “Fenn Cache” was found.
      I don’t know if that has anything to do with this.

      Buckeye Bob

      1. Problem is, as I pointed out, 109 is the Kodak film code. Forrest could not have taken that picture, 109 film stopped being made in 1924, and nitrate stopped altogether in 1951. So, Forrest likely scanned the picture. 109 is was not put there by FF, it matches the notch edge code for 109.

        WyMustIGo

      1. Yeah, I seen that 🙂

        Since Bob asked above, why would he do that? Because, it is likely nothing more than a picture he received when he purchased the chest.

        TBH I am not sure why OH! did not do a simple search on Kodak film edge codes. I did the search because I thought OH’s posts were interesting, but like everything I read, I do my own verification. Now if 109 was not the film code that matched the edge notches, then I would consider it a hint, but alas it is nothing.

        WyMustIGo

        1. Wy, the chest is on the same bench seen in pictures from before he hid the it.
          So either he’s had that chest AND the bench for a whole lot longer than stated, or he doctored that picture. That would mean that he chose the 109, or some other aspect of the doctored picture. But he chose it, it wasn’t a coincidence.

          Buckeye Bob

              1. Play fair, wy.
                I’m quoting myself from up the road, not far but too far to walk (haha).
                “I don’t know if that has anything to do with this.”
                So, you see, I’m not forcing anything.

                That bench in the photo that FF took, that’s his. I don’t know why you won’t see that. He’s talked about it, and even answered a question from someone about why he chose that bench for the picture. And yet it shows up (actually, the exact modern photo) in that photoshopped “old” photo layered on top of the old fashioned Kodak film with the 109 on it.
                My position is, as I said, that FF picked that creation and what was in it. Including the 109. But I’m not saying definitely that “109” is what the hint is, it could be something else. But since he chose to do that, then it seems to me that there is a hint hidden in it somewhere.

                Buckeye Bob

    1. I’ve always wondered if his daughters are twins, yet there’s times when I look at the photo on page 140 in “The Thrill of the Chase,” I think they’re a couple years apart, Zoe being the oldest. It would be nice to know one way or the other. If they’re twins, I think Zoe may not think of me so kindly now. Mr. Fenn is a blessed man to have three beautiful and intelligent women in his family. That’s amazing about your mother’s side of the family, SL.

      pdenver

  19. pdenver,

    When seeing any reference to the daughters, both Zoe and Kelly are shown as having been born in 1959. No independent birthdate given for Kelly.

    Mother’s 2 other sisters each had twin boy and girl born in the month of October!

    I know! lol

    SL

    1. Hello SL. I tried finding the information in the books about the year of their births, and saw none, but only glanced to where I thought it might be. The information you found is great. If the records you found is correct about his daughters being born in the same year, then I would say there was a lot of love that year. 🙂 Were your mother’s sisters twins born in the same year, too? Twins have a special bond and can sense each other. I think it’s great! Have you witnessed this with your aunts and their children?

      pdenver

  20. Identical twins are not thought to be hereditary. Its when nature receives a signal to divide evenly

    Fraternal twins are not thought to be hereditary either. Very common in mothers over age 25 (multiple egg release as aging occurs), with fertility treatments.

    Speaking as mother of twins.

    I have a boy and girl. I always love the question, “are they identical twins” after sharing I have a boy and girl.

    Twingem

  21. All of my research brought me to the Longitude of 109″ before-hand . The Eastman Kodak nitrate 109 was a recent find and fit right into my research so there was no reason to research on old film codes. You can find the many designs on the photo-shop website to frame your new picture and make it look old in style. This is what was done for Page 3’s photo of the chest. Either Mr Fenn asked the publisher to add it or the publisher made the design. It’s your call, OH!

    OH!

    1. Why the insults?

      I am not closed minded, quite the opposite actually. Since you want to insult, you might want to be more intelligent than the person you are insulting.

      Nobody is knocking you down, if you don’t want criticism, don’t make public posts.

      So, please don’t accuse me of mocking you, I did not (until this reply).

      In good spirits! WyMustIGo

      PS: Plagiarism is not cool.

      WyMustIGo

  22. AS
    az,əz/Submit
    adverb
    1.
    used in comparisons to refer to the extent or DEGREE OF SOMETHING.

    The word count for “AS” in the book is 109. It is the only word that spells 109 times and it is also the first word in the poem.

    There are 166 X’s in the book and 166 words in the poem.
    This isn’t even 1% of what the book tells you with word count and this is probably the reason you cannot buy an E-book.
    He has many repeat phrases in TTOTC and he also uses the page numbers for you to recognize. If you have not made a PDF out of your book you are on the losing end. It’s not hard to do, just OCR copy each page then use a PDF creator.

    OH!

  24. Thomas Moran would draw an “X” on his sketches before actually painting the infamous YNP “Lost Falls.”

    I am guessing that there aren’t too many visitors at one time near the location of where he painted the masterpiece.

    SL

    SL

  26. Thank you, (again), pdenver ♥

    Have you noticed the “109” discussions of late? Could be coincidence, but since ‘ waterfalls ‘are being mentioned; it might be prudent to make note of the length of ” Yellowstone Upper Falls”.

    Yep, 109 feet high.

    SL

    SL

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