Treasure Chest Found In Rocky Mountains: Finder Identified

A mysterious person found a famous treasure chest, which was hidden in the Rocky Mountains, in the spring. The person's identity remained a secret for months, but his name was finally revealed Monday.

Jonathan “Jack” Stuef found the chest that was hidden by the late Forrest Fenn, a famous art and antiquities collector. Fenn's family announced Stuef's identity in a letter to the public.

Fenn hid the treasure chest, which is now believed to be worth several million dollars, more than a decade ago in the Rocky Mountains. Fenn said he wanted to encourage more people to spend time in the beautiful mountain wilderness. He also thought it would be exciting to start an old-fashioned treasure hunt.

While the identity of the man who found the treasure has been revealed, the location of the treasure has still not been disclosed.

Forrest Fenn died in September at 90.

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"Jack found the treasure chest as a result of years of careful searching, without any help from my grandfather, myself, or any other member of our family," Fenn's grandson, Shiloh Forrest Old, said in a letter posted Monday.

"My grandfather wanted to honor Jack’s desire to remain anonymous in an effort to protect him from potential harm and harassment like my grandfather and the rest of our family have experienced over the years since the treasure was hidden, and especially since it was found.

"He went to great lengths and personal expense trying to help Jack retain his anonymity, and my family has continued to do so to the best of our ability up to this point. We find ourselves currently in a position, however, where it is no longer possible to continue to carry out my grandfather’s wishes to keep Jack’s identity confidential," the letter said.

In a statement posted on his website in June, Fenn said the chest was found "under a canopy of stars in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains."

The treasure hadn't been moved from the spot where he hid it a decade ago, Fenn said.

Fenn, who lived in Santa Fe, said the person who found the treasure sent a photo to confirm the discovery. The only information Fenn offered about the mysterious man was that he was from "back East."

In 2010, Fenn published the 2010 autobiography, "The Thrill of the Chase," which included a 24-line poem with clues about where the treasure was hidden.

"I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot," Fenn's statement said.

Thousands of people searched for the chest in the Rocky Mountains over the decade that the treasure remained hidden. At least five people died in their search, including a Colorado pastor, whose body was found by police in New Mexico in 2017.

Since 2010, Fenn added more treasures to the chest, including more gold coins, gold nuggets, jewelry with rubies and emeralds, and ancient relics made from jade and gold.

"I congratulate the thousands of people who participated in the search and hope they will continue to be drawn by the promise of other discoveries," Fenn said in a statement released after the chest was found.

>> Read the full letter posted by Fenn's family here.