Netflix doc reveals how cryptic 24 line poem led to deadly £1 million treasure hunt

A new Netflix documentary has shone light upon a cryptic 24-line poem which led to a £1 million lost treasure hunt.

The hunt took a full decade, led people to quit their jobs, and ultimately caused several deaths. A famous art dealer, Forrest Fenn, hid a literal treasure chest full of gold coins, jewels, and art, somewhere in the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming in 2010.

He released a poem within his memoir, 24 lines long and cryptic, that he promised would lead people to the treasure. Over the years, people tried various methods to find the treasure haul.

Much of this is detailed in Netflix’s newest documentary, Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure.

In the three-part documentary, a treasure hunter called Justin Posey reveals the lengths people went to, with many abandoning their jobs to search for the treasure.

Posey himself went as far as to train a dog to sniff for bronze in an attempt to find it.

Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, the treasure hunter said: “I didn’t think anybody would solve it for the next 50 to 100 years.

“It turned out that the key to solving this was understanding the person who hid it and what was important to [him]. I and many others glossed over that a little bit too much, and maybe we didn’t spend enough time trying to understand the person who hid it.”

Justin Posey and his bronze-sniffing dog (Netflix)

It ended up being discovered in 2020 by Jack Stuef, who put up a blog post saying: “The moment it happened was not the triumphant Hollywood ending some surely envisioned; it just felt like I had just survived something and was fortunate to come out the other end.”

Fenn died aged 90 in September 2020, and Stuef decided not to reveal where exactly he found the treasure in his honour.

Forrest Fenn (Netflix)

Several people died in the search for the treasure, something which led to controversy and pleas for the hunt to be called off.

Stuef’s blog post went on to say: “This treasure hunt was the most frustrating experience of my life. There were a few times when I, exhausted, covered in scratches and bites and sweat and pine pitch, and nearing the end of my day’s water supply, sat down on a downed tree and just cried alone in the woods in sheer frustration.”

Forrest Fenn's Treasure Poem

As I have gone alone in there

And with my treasures bold,

I can keep my secret where,

And hint of riches new and old.

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 answer 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.

Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure is available to stream on Netflix now.