Hiker injured during search for $10,000 treasure in Utah wilderness

SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — A couple of men buried a treasure chest filled with $10,000 in the Utah wilderness, prompting a search by amateur adventurers for it.

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John Maxim and David Cline doubled the amount of cash they hid this year after the immense interest by treasure hunters who found $5,000 four days after they buried it in 2020, KSL reported.

“The response last year was insane,” Cline said. “We don’t want to make it as easy as last time because, again, we just underestimated the genius of people.”

The search this year might be more challenging but it is not supposed to be dangerous.

“A 10-year-old could do it,” Maxim told KSL. “We did it in our flip-flops. You don’t need carabiners or ropes or anything like that.”

However, some people in search of it have put themselves in danger, authorities said.

Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue said a 49-year-old man was with his family Saturday searching for the treasure near Ferguson Canyon when a rock fell on his foot, KSTU reported.

Five teams responded to help carry him out of the canyon and to the parking lot.

Rescuers warned others to be prepared if they are planning to search for the treasure.

“Our team ran into several other groups of hikers all looking for the same treasure, most were unprepared to be in the backcountry and asked our team for water on the trail,” the search and rescue unit said on social media. “Please make sure that you’re going into the mountains prepared with the 10 essentials at a minimum, don’t hike alone, and let family or friends know where you are and when to expect you back.”

Maxim and Cline came up with the idea for the treasure in an attempt to bring people together and left clues to find it.

“There’s something about a treasure hunt that I just love. It brings out the kid in all of us,” Cline said. “If anyone feels like it’s getting a little bit dangerous, we say it’s probably not there.”

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