Blue Ridge Mtn. treasure hunt’s prize pool hikes over $41k, seeks to aid Helene recovery
By Elijah Skipper
Click here for updates on this story
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a glass mason jar filled with more than $26,000 in gold coins sits, waiting to be found.
Every morning, the online search map for Countdown Treasure gets smaller, and the growing number of adventurers refresh their browsers to see if their favorite trail is still “in the circle.”
Now on Day nine of the hunt, the circle has shrunk to 75 miles, and the total prize pool has climbed past $41,000, fueled by premium signups that add $10 to the jackpot each time someone joins.
For creator Adam Howell, the idea began as a mix of adventure, family fun, and a way to help western North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene.
“I grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, just south of here on Lake Wylie,” Howell said. “We’re definitely mountain people over beach people. Pisgah’s our go-to, but we love the Smokies too. Sometimes I’ll just head up here for a long walk — it’s where I clear my head.”
The concept stems from a Boston-area contest called Project Skydrop, which made national headlines last year for hiding $25,000 in gold on the forest floor and livestreaming it until it was found.
“I wasn’t a treasure hunter at all,” Howell said with a laugh. “But I joined that one on day one. It was so well done, the shrinking map, the suspense. My kids and I were packing the car to drive up there when I saw the webcam go dark. Someone had found it. We were bummed, but it was such a fun experience.”
That same night, Howell decided he wanted to bring the idea home.
“I thought, ‘someone needs to do this in the Blue Ridge,’” Howell said. “And after Hurricane Helene, it became about more than just adventure. I wanted it to help the communities that make this place what it is.”
The treasure, a mason jar filled with $26,250 in American Gold Eagle coins, sits no more than 50 yards off a public hiking trail. It isn’t buried or hidden; it’s in plain sight, watched 24/7 by a live webcam on the official website.
“It’s just sitting there,” Howell said. “Not in a bush, not under the ground. The live cam lets everyone see it’s still there.” The shrinking map is visible to anyone online. Premium hunters, who pay for extra clues, get daily aerial photos taken from gradually higher altitudes.
“The circle shrinks on the map while the photos expand,” Howell said. “You start seeing more, maybe a river, a road, a ridge, until you can piece it together.”
The treasure did hit one early snag, or paw.
“It was about 3 a.m. on the first night, and I looked at the webcam, and the treasure was gone,” Howell said. “Turns out, a raccoon came through and knocked it over.”
The footage quickly went viral, and Howell gave the midnight thief a name: Wreaky Raccoon.
“I drove back up there with a new jar — this one with a lid and nailed down,” he said. “Now we’ve got Wreaky Raccoon merch, and all of that goes toward hurricane relief.”
Two dollars from every premium signup, and all merchandise proceeds, go toward local recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of western North Carolina last year.
So far, more than $3,000 has been raised for the Bee Log Community & Relief Center in Yancey County and the Appalachia Service Project, which rebuilds homes across Central Appalachia.
“We’ve got hunters who were directly impacted by Helene,” Howell said. “So, it means something that we can give back while having fun.”
Howell says even if only one person finds the gold, thousands are already winning in their own way.
“Hiking through the woods, I don’t think a good walk is ever wasted,” he said. “People are out there camping with their families, exploring new trails. Some have said they haven’t walked this much in years, and they always add a smiley face at the end.”
With the circle shrinking and the weekend ahead, Howell says he’s excited to see how the community finishes strong.
“We’re on Day nine now, closing in on double digits,” he said. “My big hope is just that it ends smoothly, and that everyone feels like it was fair, fun, and worth the journey.”
Anyone can track the shrinking search area or join the community.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.