A fresh snowfall and the coming ferocious cold won’t deter those out for the Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt.

That’s the word out on the $10,000 medallion hunt, which apparently has coalesced over the weekend at Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton.

“It’s a whole new hunt,” said, well, just about everyone we talked to Monday after some five inches of snow fell on the park.

The fresh snow covered spots where other hunters had already pored over — making them work all over again.


Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt buddies dig at Long Lake Regional Park on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, for the prized medallion. From left, are Scott Nelson of Lindstrom, Alicia Mertz of Woodbury, Kelli Kamholz of South St. Paul, and a guy who goes only by “Smitty,” of St. Paul. Nelson was looking on the bright side Monday: “At least we didn’t get 10 inches of snow.” (Lisa Legge / Pioneer Press.)

“Yesterday when we were here, you could see exactly what people had (dug), and now with four or five inches of new snow, you can’t see any of that anymore. So everything is in play,” said Charlie Petron, of Maplewood, a 10-year veteran of the hunt. He  persuaded college friend Jennifer Millisor to come from Cincinnati to join in.

“It’s really discouraging,” said Nate Buck of St. Paul. But, said his wife and hunting partner, Shannon: “It’s a lot prettier though.”

Not one person among dozens out digging at Long Lake reported that they planned to sit out the extreme cold and wind chills coming Tuesday and Wednesday.

“I’m not looking forward to it,” said Alicia Mertz of Woodbury, “but it won’t keep me away.”

“I’ll be sitting in my car a little bit more tomorrow,” said Stacey King, a past winner from White Bear Lake.

They planned to wear goggles and plenty of layers — and for the layers to come off at times as they work the snow.

Some hunters even saw some advantages to the fierce environs as they hunt for a possibly three-inch acrylic medallion stashed somewhere in that sizable park.

“It keeps a lot of the fair-weather people home,” said Scott Nelson of Lindstrom, who plans 17-hour days of hunting Tuesday and Wednesday.

And, on the bright side, “we didn’t get 10 inches of snow,” said Wayne Motzko of Vadnais Heights, pointing out that the forecast had called for possibly more.


Pioneer Press Treasure Hunters Charlie Petron, of Maplewood, and Jennifer Millisor, of Cincinnati, reread a signpost about history at Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019. Petron’s wife isn’t as enthusiastic about the hunt — “only when she’s out here, Petron said — so he persuaded their college friend Millisor to come to Minnesota in January for the hunt. “We love solving things,” they both said. (Lisa Legge / Pioneer Press)

What’s at stake is up to $10,000 in prize money for the finder.

“I just hope they don’t chicken out on our behalf because we’re ready to go to 12 clues,” said Steve Worthman, another past medallion finder. “For the welfare of the treasure hunters and their fingers and toes, they might give us something more specific like an 11th or 12th clue. … But it’s not what we want.

“Don’t protect us,” he said. “We’re prepared.”

Copyright 2019 Pioneer Press.