The Clues

Forrest Fenn does not tell us the clues in the poem; instead he tells us the poem contains nine clues.  It is up to us to determine what the clues are, then to solve them.

Since 2010, most searchers have approached the poem with the following as their clues:

1. Begin it where warm waters halt,
2. And take it in the canyon down,
3. Not far, but too far to walk.
4. Put in below the home of Brown.
5. From there it's no place for the meek,
6. The end is ever drawing nigh;
7. There'll be no paddle up your creek, Just heavy loads and water high.
8. If you've been wise and found the blaze, Look quickly down your quest to cease,
9. But tarry scant with marvel gaze, Just take the chest and go in peace.

That approach has not, however, led to anyone finding the chest.  

That approach eliminates the first and last stanza from not only having no clues, but it makes them extraneous and unnecessary. 

That approach is wrong!


In a Q&A published on Mysterious Words, Fenn answered a question with regard to the stanzas and words in the poem:

Q) Someone unfamiliar with your poem receives a message that says “meet me where warm waters halt, somewhere in the mountains north of Santa Fe”. Would they be able to work out where to go? If they can’t, would they need the whole poem, another stanza, or just a line or word to help them on their way? ~Phil Bayman

A) There are a few words in the poem that are not useful in finding the treasure Phil, but it is risky to discount any of them. You over simplify the clues. There are many places in the Rocky Mountains where warm waters halt, and nearly all of them are north of Santa Fe. Look at the big picture, there are no short cuts. f

A few words are not useful....a FEW...not entire stanzas are not necessary, or there are only a few words that are actual clues; instead there are only a few words that are not useful in finding the treasure.

In my next post I'll detail what I believe the nine clues are, so stay tuned!