[gamblor956]

It's a horrible story.

Some rich idiot put a treasure box on public lands, resulting in significant amounts of damage to national parks and monuments and several deaths. It was ruined from the beginning and it's a damn shame Fenn is no longer around to be prosecuted for it.

[snowwrestler]

Wild lands like national parks or public wilderness are places where a person can still experience risk from the natural world. That is a significant part of the whole point of having them. That’s what makes an outing an adventure and not just a pleasant stroll.

People don’t need a $1 million treasure to get themselves into trouble in the wild. It happens regularly for reasons as trivial as selfies or even just for the fun of it. It is good that there are still places where people can do that.

[gamblor956]

My issue is not with people exploring the wilderness.

My issue is with the idiot who left the treasure on public lands and with the idiots that vandalized public and private property to try to find it.

[tasuki]

Who's an idiot, the rich person that hid a treasure or the people who go into the wilderness and die?

People need to learn to be responsible for themselves. Supposing they were adults, going into the wilderness and not being able to survive is totally on them. "But there was a hidden treasure" is not an excuse.

People damaging national parks and monuments - again, that's on them. "But there was a hidden treasure" is not an excuse in this case either.

[8bitsrule]

Out of hundreds of thousands of treasure-hunters, over a decade, four or five people are said to have died while looking.

On average, 38 skiers and snowboarders die in the US each year ... 1600 go missing in wilderness areas ... 5000 die riding motorcycles. Treasure-hunting looks pretty safe. Feel free to hide in your home.

[gamblor956]

Out of millions of snowboarders, 38 died. Out of hundreds of millions of park visitors, 1600 went missing. Out of millions of motorcyclists, 5000 died.

Out of a few hundred "treasure hunters", 6 died. Several dozen were seriously injured. "Treasure hunting" was by far the most dangerous activity of the ones you listed, even compared to motorcycle riding. And that doesn't include the damage to private or public lands caused by these idiots in their search.

[daniel-cussen]

Multiple deaths just for this treasure and the guy didn't end it after being asked by police. I think that if 5 skiers died on one mountain that ski lift would be shut down.

[Alex3917]

Leaving treasure on public lands is allowed, otherwise geocaching would be illegal. Maybe not in a national park, but certainly in a national forest or multiuse area.

[kortilla]

Prosecuted for... littering?

[gamblor956]

The rich idiot? Depends on where he left the "treasure."

The other idiots? For vandalism. National parks, national forests, national monuments, and private lands were vandalized during this search.

[jmkb]

And creating a nuisance.

[stronglikedan]

lol if that were a crime, I'd have at least a dozen people a day locked up.

[LanceH]

We're gonna need your belt...

[dkarp]

I have to agree. It's an allegory of greed.

The "Monolith" gives me similar vibes.

[mannykannot]

I just can't see where there is a greed angle to the monolith events.

[retox]

Self promotion and advertising to sell copies

https://www.themostfamousartist.com/maas/edition-of-3

[mannykannot]

Ah, I had not followed the story that far.

At least Forrest Fenn's treasure has actual value, apparently (I would join with the naysayers if it did not.)

[throw1234651234]

Imagine not understanding that people want a little fun in their life.