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SANTA FE, N.M. — A New Mexico multimillionaire who says he buried a treasure worth millions at a mystery location has seen a resurgence in attention in the past week after he released another clue to the treasure's location.
Forrest Fenn, 82, claims he hid a chest filled with gold coins and gems somewhere in New Mexico after being diagnosed with kidney cancer and given three years to live. He said it was his way of leaving a legacy — he wanted Americans to leave their TV's and enjoy the country's scenic trails.
Fenn has gained an international following over the years, as people tried to piece together nine clues found in his memoir, "The Thrill of the Chase." He shot back into the spotlight Wednesday after an appearance on TODAY during which he revealed a 10th clue:
Begin it where warm waters halt And take it in the canyon down, Not far, but too far to walk. Put in below the home of Brown. From there it's no place for the meek, The end is drawing ever nigh; There'll be no paddle up your creek, Just heavy loads and water high.
If you've been wise and found the blaze, Look quickly down, your quest to cease But tarry scant with marvel gaze, Just take the chest and go in peace.
So why is it that I must go And leave my trove for all to seek? The answers I already know I've done it tired, and now I'm weak So hear me all and listen good, Your effort will be worth the cold.
If you are brave and in the wood I give you title to the gold.
"The treasure is hidden higher than 5,000 feet above sea level," he said.
That doesn't give much away: the average elevation of New Mexico is 5,700 feet. "I'm not going to put an X on the map for you," he said.
Fenn's self-published book shot into the Amazon top 100 after his appearance on the show. But he said he isn't in it for the money.
"If I have a motive in this," he told the Detroit Free Press, "it's ... to get kids off the couch and away from their game machines and to smell the sun and have a little fun out in the trees."
Fenn, long a collector of antiques, was an Air Force pilot in the Vietnam War. Between missions, he would search for artifacts.
When he returned to Santa Fe in the 1970s, he opened a gallery and became a successful art dealer. But his treasure is where his heart lies, he told TODAY.
"A big part of me is in that treasure chest," he said. "I felt it go in as I closed the lid for the last time."
