Rocky Mountains Hidden Treasure Worth $1 Million Found After 10 Years Of Search

A treasure chest, which has been hidden deep in the Rocky Mountains, the mountain ranges in the borders of the Southwestern United States and western Canada, has finally been unearthed after a 10-year search.

One lucky man, who wants to remain unnamed, figured out the exact location of the treasure, as confirmed by Santa Fe resident Forrest Fenn, an 89-year-old art dealer, and antique collector, who buried the chest over a decade ago.

Fenn revealed that the man who discovered the hidden treasure was from "back East," who took a photograph of his find to send to the art dealer. The treasure chest, filled with gold, jewels, antique coins, and figurines, was estimated to be worth over $1 million.

The antique collector said that he wanted to excite people to get into an old-fashioned adventure; thus, he devised the elaborate treasure hunt. In an interview in 2018, Fenn said that he "wanted to give some people hope" as the country was going into recession at that time he launched the treasure hunt.

Fenn posted clues to the treasure chest's location in 2010 in an online poem that was published as a part of his autobiography, "The Thrill of the Chase."

"I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot," Fenn said on his website Sunday (June 7). "I don't know, I feel halfway kind of glad, halfway kind of sad because the chase is over."

The treasure hunt attracted thousands of people, with some actually quitting their jobs to devote their time to treasure hunting. Some also risk their lives to find the treasure as four people reportedly died in the middle of their quest. Others filed lawsuits against Fenn, saying that his game was an elaborate hoax.

"I congratulate the thousands of people who participated in the search and hope they will continue to be drawn by the promise of other discoveries," Fenn said in his final message about the treasure hunt.