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Annual ‘Utah’s Treasure Hunt’ Reveals First Clue to $20K Purse

Using a Compass
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Anyone who wants to claim the $20,000 cash prize in this summer’s ‘Utah’s Treasure Hunt’ better dust off their decrypting skills — fast.

A treasure hunt just got underway in the Beehive State, and the first two clues trickled down to hopefuls over the weekend.

“Utah’s Treasure Hunt” kicked off on June 3, and organizers John Maxim and David Cline released a map and a poem as the first clues a day later. Together, they lead to the $20,000 loot.

Maxim specified that the treasure sits more or less in plain sight, wherever it is. It’s not buried, and hunters won’t need to bushwhack or rock climb to get to it.

But make no mistake, you’re probably not going to find it by combing every inch of the map — the rectangular area covers a substantial tract from north of Ogden to south of Spanish Fork, from the middle of the Great Salt Lake to just past Park City.

utah's treasure hunt
(Image/Marin Richardson)

Here’s the completed clue:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Cline Family (@the.cline.fam)

The stash? A box of cold, hard cash.

Follow Cline’s or Maxim’s Instagram account to keep up with the news of the hunt and familiarize yourself with the rules of engagement.

Treasure Hunt Organizers: ‘Kids at Heart’

Cline and Maxim, real estate investors in the area, said their ultimate goal is to motivate people of all abilities to get outdoors.

“We’re kids at heart, so we’ve always thought if we ever have money when we’re grownups, what would be awesome?” Cline told the Lehi Free Press. “All we needed was a safe route for people to go outside.”

Last year, it took a group of 20,000 hopefuls 17 days to find the treasure. The organizers hope this year’s contest lasts a little longer.

“We were kind of expecting it to be done since people were going crazy,” Maxim explained. “We’re trying to let folks take their time this time, but I’m not sure they can with this much money out there.”

Go get it — before one of our staff beats you to the spot.

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