The Fenn Treasure - Encore
Millionaire Forrest Fenn hid a gold-filled chest somewhere in the Rockies and wrote a poem with cryptic clues. Tens of thousands searched for it and five people died trying. A story of obsession. "CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil reports for "48 Hours."
- Duration
- 42m
- Broadcast on
- 26 Dec 2021
- Audio Format
- other
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(upbeat music) - I think Forrest wanted to become a legend, and I actually think he succeeded. He was described as a modern day Indiana Jones. Forrest came up with the idea to hide a bronze chest filled with gold, somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. - I bought this beautiful little treasure chest, and I started filling it up with wonderful things. There's 265 gold coins, hundreds and hundreds of gold nuggets. - He wrote a 24-line poem guiding people to the location of the treasure. Yeah, that's exactly it. He created an effect that we had treasure map in the form of that poem. - I'm gonna read the poem. So here it goes, "As I have gone alone in there, and with my treasure's bold, I can keep my secret where, and hint of riches new and old." - There'll be no paddle up your creek, just heavy loads and water high. - So hear me all and listen, God. Your effort will be worth the cold. If you've been brave and in the wood, I give you title to the gold. - And I read that poem and, oh God, it was like a hook. No place for the meat. The bug got in me and I couldn't let it go. - I tried to climb up into that cave there. - I couldn't sleep. - I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. - How much was that treasure worth? I think that 1 million is a pretty good mark to use. - I made at least 85 trips. - I didn't find the treasure yet! - We had so much fun, it was crazy. - Since there's a mountain lion in the area, we don't want to take any chances. - So we're bringing our gun. - I had spent over 2000 hours. - This is where I ran into my rattlesnake. - Searching for forced fence treasure. - Well, I made it hard deliberately. If it was easy, anyone could do it. - For at least five people, the search for fens treasure was the last thing they ever did. - Yes, unfortunately, you know, this treasure hunt did claim at least five lives. - Randy Bill U was the first. Paris Wallace also died in the Rio Grande River.
Transcription truncated.
Millionaire Forrest Fenn hid a gold-filled chest somewhere in the Rockies and wrote a poem with cryptic clues. Tens of thousands searched for it and five people died trying. A story of obsession. "CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil reports for "48 Hours."