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SALT LAKE CITY — Getting out in nature may be its own reward, but a Utah man is providing a little extra incentive for people to explore the state's wide-open spaces.
Wesley Weber said he has spent the last two-and-a-half years saving up and accumulating gold, silver, and other valuables to hide in 10 treasure chests he has placed for others to find.
"There's from $1,000 to $10,000 in gold and silver around 10 different spots in Utah," Weber told KSL during a recent interview. "We want everyone — all the families — to take their little kids and find them, but it's a big find — a really big find."
Weber first started posting on social media on July 14 about the treasure hunt via his @utahshiddentreasures Instagram profile.
He posted his initial clue video last Friday on his "Expedition Utah" channel. In it, Weber reads a rhymed riddle pertaining to the location of the first hidden treasure chest.
Weber said the locations of all the treasures span the state from northeastern Utah in the Wasatch Mountains to outside of St. George and south of Moab.
"It's a lot of traveling but we do it anyway," Weber said. "We're out traveling and playing and trying to find new spots all the time."
Weber, who runs an expedition business, said he wanted to challenge people to explore and find renewed interest and appreciation for Utah's outdoors.
All of the treasure chests also contain a national parks pass, Weber said.
"We've just been trying to find all of these cool places in Utah people don't frequent and there are so many," Weber said. "We want everybody to take their families out going."
