Hiker injured in search of $10,000 treasure in Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE CITY — A search for buried treasure led to an injured hiker and a call to Salt Lake County Search and Rescue on Saturday night.

Officials report that a family of four had hiked to the Ferguson Canyon overlook when a large rock fell onto the foot of one of the hikers. His injury was such that he could not walk down the trail from the overlook on his own, and Salt Lake County Search and Rescue was called to help.

Salt Lake County officials said they sent up five teams of people, equaling nearly 25 people, in order to lift the man down what was described as a steep canyon trail back to the parking lot.

Several other groups of hikers were present on the trail, all looking for the same treasure according to Salt Lake County officials.

“Most were unprepared to be in the backcountry, and asked our team for water on the trail,” officials said in a statement.

The story behind the treasure

According to a report from KSL TV’s Alex Cabrero, the duo responsible for burying the treasure and then advertising it wants to help people rid themselves of division and negativity.

Somewhere in the Wasatch Mountains is a treasure chest with $10,000 in it. It’s been there for almost a week now. Here’s our story for @KSL5TV with the two men who hid it and why.
🎥 @jdubz66
🐶 Timber pic.twitter.com/j45lqrGFXc

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) June 25, 2021

 The two men buried $5,000 in 2020, thinking initially that nobody would be interested.

That treasure, Cabrero reported, was found in just a few days.

Message from Salt Lake County Search and Rescue

Since many of the people seen Saturday night hiking to the Ferguson Canyon overlook were unprepared to be in the backcountry, search and rescue officials have these reminders:

• Be prepared with the ten essentials (at a minimum);
• don’t hike alone;
• inform family and friends where you are, and when you expect to be back

 

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