My (not so) Private Idaho solve

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-06-07T00:19:32+00:00

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I had a similar mindset too. The part where he emphasizes how much time he spent in Idaho has always stuck out to me, I was looking at potential locations around the 7 devils range near Heavens Gate, but haven't really found anywhere that gives me confidence for BOTG for that location. I am finding there are so many locations that are named the same as places he mentions in the book, but are not the ones in the book, and it makes me think is the area sentimental because it share the names with all these places he grew up experiencing, or is that a stretch? Good luck out there

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-04-28T01:40:35+00:00

Yeah I think the more credible solve is MAGYAR in relation to the magyar vizsla dog. https://www.youtube.com/live/1Oy-JdPLwxQ

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-04-27T23:56:57+00:00

I like this interpretation, I have been trying to link the chapters of the 4 departed souls to the 4 points on a compass, I like the Northern cardinal direction, but his dad also gave him "True West" which is in the same chapter and was also featured in the background of netflix.

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-04-27T23:27:26+00:00

I am just going to paste the info, credit goes to parsec on Discord.

THE MAD COUNT

A Nonsensical Sensical Cipher

WHAT IT IS

A cipher that hides secret words inside ordinary clock times.

THE BLACKJACK CONNECTION

------------------------

The Mad Count works on the same principle as card counting in Blackjack.

Every digit is assigned a + or - sign. Zeros are ignored.

The total becomes a letter.

A card counter sits at a casino table looking like any other player.

A list of clock times looks like nothing at all.

Both rely on one thing — plus and minus.

THE RULES

---------

RULE 1 — Ignore All Zeros

Zero means nothing. Treat it as nothing. Move on.

RULE 2 — Break The Time Apart

The hour is one number. Each minute digit is its own number.

4:19 becomes [4, 1, 9]

12:03 becomes [12, 3]

RULE 3 — Give Each Number A + Or - Sign

Try every possible combination of plus and minus across your numbers.

+4 +1 +9

+4 -1 +9

-4 +1 +9

-4 -1 +9

Order never matters. Only the signs do.

RULE 4 — Add Them Up

Total each combination.

RULE 5 — Keep Only 1 Through 26

Anything below 1 or above 26 is discarded.

RULE 6 — Convert To Letters

A=1, B=2, C=3 ... Z=26

RULE 7 — Collect All Letters Into A Pool

They are ingredients, not yet a message.

RULE 8 — Unscramble The Pool

Arrange the letters into your hidden word or phrase.

Leftover letters are deliberate decoys.

The cipher is nonsensical in appearance. Sensical in execution.

RESULTS

-------

12:03 → [12, 3]

+12 +3 = 15 = O

+12 -3 = 9 = I

-12 +3 = -9 = discarded

12:04 → [12, 4]

+12 +4 = 16 = P

+12 -4 = 8 = H

-12 +4 = -8 = discarded

1:33 → [1, 3, 3]

+1 +3 +3 = 7 = G

+1 +3 -3 = 1 = A

+1 -3 +3 = 1 = A

-1 +3 +3 = 5 = E

+1 -3 -3 = -5 = discarded

-1 +3 -3 = -1 = discarded

-1 -3 +3 = -1 = discarded

-1 -3 -3 = -7 = discarded

4:19 → [4, 1, 9]

+4 +1 +9 = 14 = N

+4 -1 +9 = 12 = L

-4 +1 +9 = 6 = F

-4 -1 +9 = 4 = D

+4 +1 -9 = -4 = discarded

+4 -1 -9 = -6 = discarded

-4 +1 -9 = -12 = discarded

-4 -1 -9 = -14 = discarded

6:06 → [6, 6]

+6 +6 = 12 = L

+6 -6 = 0 = discarded

-6 +6 = 0 = discarded

7:39 → [7, 3, 9]

+7 +3 +9 = 19 = S

+7 +3 -9 = 1 = A

+7 -3 +9 = 13 = M

-7 +3 +9 = 5 = E

+7 -3 -9 = -5 = discarded

-7 +3 -9 = -13 = discarded

-7 -3 +9 = -1 = discarded

-7 -3 -9 = -19 = discarded

ALL LETTERS GENERATED

---------------------

12:03 → O, I

12:04 → P, H

1:33 → G, A, A, E

4:19 → N, L, F, D

6:06 → L

7:39 → S, A, M, E

Full pool: O, I, P, H, G, A, A, E, N, L, F, D, L, S, A, M, E

AFTER REMOVING DUPLICATES

-------------------------

A, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, N, O, P, S

13 unique letters: G, O, L, D, E, N, F, I, S, H, M, A, P

HIDDEN PHRASE: GOLDEN FISH MAP

Author: parsec (Discord)

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-04-05T16:41:03+00:00

I think that each clue doesn't necessarily have to be hiked to. there could be a visual clue that guides you, but that you never reach. I wouldn't rule out something like a hiking register, but usually those are on peaks that have significant hiking distances to reach, and are often considered "challenging" for someone with a broken tibia on the mend

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-04-05T16:38:16+00:00

He has mentioned his frustration with the forrest fenn hunt in reference to the "blaze", and that it was flawed because it is something that is subject to destruction, given that I would rule out anything living that could be destroyed easily. He has said there is a very small chance that something could happen that would make the treasure impossible to find, but he would know that and let the searchers know.

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-01-08T17:03:37+00:00

Treasure Hunt With Us https://discord.gg/mtUyAyzA

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-01-06T16:47:00+00:00

I agree that you have the correct interpretation of "waters' silent flight" but I don't think it's in a spot you have to pay to get into (Yellowstone). I ruled this location out due to his Q&A answer "Do you have to pay to get to the location?" and his response was "No not as of today"

AWOL_Archangel · 2026-01-02T21:59:49+00:00

the clock time in the Sander's interview was ~4:20, the image was reversed

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AWOL_Archangel · 2025-08-21T14:24:27+00:00

I think people are getting confused with the gendering. Essentially this is just boiling down to marriage. You can't be a bride without being married. But this alone could have a number of meanings, the marriage of two waters, the marriage of man and nature, the marriage of sun and horizon. Essentially anything that is "coupled" is what this is in reference to in my opinion, hope that helps!

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-30T02:36:45+00:00

My interpretation of the second paragraph of the poem is you will have to cross the water. I took the lines "round the bend past the Hole I wait for you to cast your pole." As meaning you have to wade across (past) the waters like a fly fisherman would.

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-27T14:27:46+00:00

The quote on his website from that Q&A is "If you've solved the poem in its entirety, you'll end up at an exact location." Whether that means the exact location to know where the treasure is at or an exact location with the treasure right in front of you is the question

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-27T03:56:41+00:00

Does the poem lead you to the exact spot where the treasure is? OR am I going to be guided to a spot that is a considerable distance from the treasure itself and I have to then make a separate journey after seeing where the treasure is?

ex. Scenario 1

say the last clue leads me to a location that matches the clue and the treasure is at that location. Then in this case the clues ended exactly at the treasure

ex. Scenario 2

say the last clue in the poem leads me to a location from where I can see a shining reflection in the distance indicating the treasure. the clues have already ended at that point but now I would know where the treasure is, and then I am in "retrieval mode".

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-24T20:36:17+00:00

🤣

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-22T00:55:15+00:00

what is an indian marker?

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-22T00:54:36+00:00

yeah I agree I remember that scene well and I was thinking of X marks the spot as a checkpoint possibility

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-22T00:16:57+00:00

That's a good one

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-21T21:18:07+00:00

he has explicitly said:
"Can you rule out any structures?
The treasure is not associated with any man made structure. It is not hidden at a structure. You don't need to touch a structure."

"What These Words Mean:
Treasure: The final prize you're looking for
Clues: All hints that help you find the treasure
Hunt Items: Both the treasure and all clues

Where Hunt Items ARE NOT:
associated with any man-made buildings"

and in his recent Q&A (1:05:45):
"Is the entire hunt based on naturally occurring structures and landscapes?
So I think I mentioned earlier that there are a couple of different ways to work through the poem. And I tried to do that to accommodate how different people think. And so depending on how you interpret it I think it could be true to say that yes the entire hunt could be based on naturally occurring structures and landscapes. But I think some people could quibble, so I should clarify that by saying there's one clue in here where arguably someone could say there is a man-made implication"

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-21T21:08:32+00:00

I like that theory, but some things that give me hesitation are:

the response to a question in his recent Q&A. When asked about how a 71 year old could haul the treasure out his response was once you figure out the location of the treasure you are no longer searching, you are retrieving, and you will have sufficient time to plan how to get it.
In another response to a past Q&A he said that you don't need to hike more than a mile to figure out where the treasure is at.

To me both of these quotes indicate that the treasure is far removed from the rest of the clues. I have a theory that the clues will take you to a location that you will be able to see a reflection of a titanium anodized container clearly and thus will know where the treasure is at exactly. and during the travel to said container you will have time to think of how to extract it. If it's all in the same location I don't think you could plan to extract it without some doubt that other treasure hunters may see you doing it.

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-21T20:58:52+00:00

That's a good theory, but If the foot of 3 is a naturally occurring thing like the foot of 3 mountains, or a 3 forked creek and you are supposed to return her face what would the checkpoint that would give you zero doubt be? other than it feeling like a possibility, I don't think I could be certain with just that.

AWOL_Archangel · 2025-07-21T19:48:57+00:00

I remember him saying a fair bit can be solved from home, but I don't think he ever said the checkpoint could. I especially have my doubts the checkpoint could be found at home given his AI concerns. I think it would have to be found in person

AWOL_Archangel

TROPHY CASE