Where is the Treasure?

“There isn't a human trail in very close proximity to where I hid the treasure.” f

Later, when asked for clarification, Fenn answered:

Dear Mr. Fenn,
You once wrote: “There isn’t a human trail in very close proximity to where I hid the treasure.”  You also once wrote: “And in close proximity were stone projectiles and crudely made hand axes that could have been 30,000 years old.”
Can you clarify for us your definitions of “close proximity” and “very close proximity?” (e.g. 10 feet, 50 feet, 100 feet, 500 feet, etc.?)
Thanks, Milan


It’s not that easy Milan. Are you asking me to carry a caliper in my pocket? Each “close proximity” is different, relative, and site-specific, as you pointed out. So I can’t answer your question. To an ant a mud puddle can be like an ocean. f

There isn't [is not] a human trail in very close proximity to where I hid the treasure.

The automatic assumption is that Fenn is telling us there is no trail near the hiding spot.  But if we use the method of the 'word that is key' to define what Fenn is saying, here is what we get:

Not = no
No = dissent, decline, negative, nothing, refusal, opposite, not by any means
Human = person, imperfect, errant, frail, faulty, gentle, natural, practical, uncertain, weak
Trail = course, stream, dangle, shadow, path, linger, shadow

So, while Fenn has misdirected us with words, what he did really say is that there IS a declining, weak path in close proximity to his hiding spot for the treasure.

Close = near, adjacent, adjoining, neighbor, warm, bordering on, joining, border, matching
Proximity = relation, area, territory, surroundings, vicinity, contiguity, contact, region

It's interesting that contiguity is a synonym of proximity - Fenn has said the clues are contiguous, so let's see what we get from that word:

Contiguity = touch, close, hit, nearness, adjacent, familiarity, locality, tract, region

So, taken together, we're looking for a faint/weakly defined trail, perhaps one that is used infrequently, but remains visible, even if difficult to see...it is declining, so either going down in elevation or getting narrow along the way, and it is bordering the area of where the chest is hidden, or joining that area in some way.