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 ever drawing 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 answers 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.
As I have gone alone in thereThese lines provide some subtle hint as to the where, but do not hold any of the 9 clues. The location he went alone is his childhood bathing spot in the Firehole River inside Yellowstone National Park that he calls his 'special place' and 'one of the most beautiful places in the park'.
And with my treasures bold,
I can keep my secret where,
And hint of riches new and old.
Begin it where warm waters haltWarm waters halt where the hot spring runoff of Ojo Caliente meets the Firehole River.
And take it in the canyon down,The Firehole River flows through Firehole Canyon downstream from Ojo Caliente.
Not far, but too far to walk.Wade across the Firehole River, but where?
Put in below the home of Brown.Brown trout are not native to America. They were first introduced in Michigan. The official sign at the release site reads, 'The first planting of the "German Brown Trout" (Salmo trutta) occurred from this railroad trestle on April 11, 1884.' The fish eggs came from Baron Lucius von Behr of Germany. Just a few years later both the Loch Leven strain and the very same German Brown strain were first introduced to Yellowstone in the upper Firehole River and in Nez Perce Creek, a tributary of the Firehole. What is interesting is that 'Brown' is capitalized on the official sign describing the strain of fish, and in the poem. If the upper Firehole River and the Nez Perce Creek area are 'home of Brown', then below that somewhere in the lower Firehole River is where to cross.
From there it's no place for the meek,This is telling us there is danger ahead. The Cascades of the Firehole are the first set of treacherous rapids encountered traveling down Firehole Canyon.
The end is ever drawing nigh;Nigh means to the left of an animal. The final destination is to the left of Elk Island on the brink of the cascades.
Just heavy loads and water high.The Cascades of the Firehole are a series of waterfalls over volcanic boulders.
There'll be no paddle up your creek,Get out of the river here on the left, just before the cascades.
If you've been wise and found the blaze,Clue 9
Look quickly down, your quest to cease,
But tarry scant with marvel gaze,
Just take the chest and go in peace.
If you've been wise and found the blaze,This is the last clue. Once you get to it look down to find the treasure. On the left bank we searched for a blaze, like a rhyolite or obsidian or perlite streak in lava outcroppings, an 'F' engraved in a petrified tree, or the Eolh rune carved into stone and thereby cast. Forrest mentions Norse mythology in his memoir. The Norse alphabet is made up of runes. Eolh means elk, and rune means secret or poem. The Eolh rune offers spiritual protection and symbolizes wisdom. Its merkstave, or the upside down Eolh rune, is the death rune and resembles the international symbol of peace. We searched for caves and in openings in the volcanic rock, checked around crags, and looked at Purple Mountain wondering if it could be the blaze.
So why is it that I must goHe was tired when he rode his bike 20 miles as a boy from West Yellowstone to Ojo Caliente, and weak at 80 years old when hiding the treasure.
And leave my trove for all to seek?
The answers I already know,
I've done it tired, and now I'm weak.
So hear me all and listen good,The treasure is in the woods. Lodgepole pines don't need deep soil, and do well in the rocky landscape of Firehole Canyon. You are wet and cold from wading across the river.
Your effort will be worth the cold.
If you are brave and in the wood
I give you title to the gold.
