SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX) – Treasure hunters and adventurers, grab your hiking boots and get ready: The fifth annual Utah Treasure Hunt has officially begun, and this year’s winner will walk away with $25,000.
Organizers of the annual event, David Cline and John Maxim, first launched their Utah Treasure Hunts project during the pandemic to “provide everyone with a safe way to get outside with family and friends,” the duo wrote on their official website. The first one in 2020 offered a $5,000 prize, but the event – and the prize – have grown in popularity since then. The hunt is no longer funded by Cline and Maxim themselves, as several companies have since contributed to the prize pool to keep the fun going.
The hunt is free for participants, who are instructed to be cautious while searching for the treasure. (Cline and Maxim urge treasure hunters to never put themselves in danger; the prize is said to be located on a trail in an area with full cell reception.)
Otherwise, the participants are only sure of one thing: the treasure is hidden somewhere within the borders of Utah.
“The greatest treasure is not in the gold, but in the thrill of the hunt, the joy of discovery and the friends you make along the way,” Cline and Maxim write on their website. “Now go! The world is waiting for you.”
As usual, the first official clue of the 2024 Utah Treasure Hunt is a riddle, but this time in Spanish.
The choice of language may be a clue in itself, although Maxim suggested that it might be merely an artistic decision.
“In a lot of films and things we’ve done, like ‘The Goonies,’ the treasure map is completely in Spanish – so it’s not so weird for us to say, ‘Hey, this time the treasure is in Spanish,'” Maxim said.
Cline added that a word can have multiple translations, making the puzzle even more complex.
The complete puzzle is as follows:
If you are in pain, heal yourself with gold
Find the tone where you sing your heart
Find the location for the name you are using
Cross the volcano and stay in the shade
Where do you learn to be happy earlier?
Do we eat lobster in the morning?
When I see the madman
Further to the right, I can do that
See the numbers as if a shepherd were dying
The son, when the race was, observed
Now you are there, one last stretch
Find a place with the best viewTreasure hunt in Utah
Maxim said they’ve heard stories over the years about what the Utah Treasure Hunt means to the community — some treasure hunters have fallen in love while searching, others have said it has helped their mental health, and families have said they’ve bonded with each other while searching.
“We did it the first time to get people out. COVID was such a blow, but since then we’ve seen that the impact it’s had on people and on treasure hunters has been phenomenal,” Maxim said. “And that’s why we almost feel like we can’t stop doing it because it’s just so great for them and for us to keep it hidden.”
“We’re just students of ‘The Goonies’ and ‘Indiana Jones’ and we thought this was the coolest thing ever,” Cline added. “How about we put on some kind of event where all ages, from kids to grandparents, could go outside and go on a treasure hunt together? We just love that idea.”
Last year’s hunt was unique because hunters diligently searched for the treasure for about two months – the longest it has taken anyone to find it. Overall, Cline and Maxim said it was a positive experience and they look forward to creating another unforgettable summer with this year’s hunt.
“I hope people have adventures and discover parts of Utah that they’ve missed. Fall in love with nature and things like that,” Maxim said.
Cline said it can be challenging to find the line between a puzzle that is solvable and one that is difficult enough to keep the hunt fun for participants.
“Every year it gets harder and harder because … you know, people get smarter and get used to our way of thinking,” he said. “This year we have a different kind of adjustment. We’ll see how people react to it, but we’re looking forward to it.”
Cline and Maxim said safety is the top priority when choosing treasure locations, so participants won’t be required to climb or dig, but they should bring water and sunscreen.
The duo also posts weekly clues every Friday for those who sign up for an email list. The organizers (Cline and Maxim) also share updates on their official Instagram pages.
