Steve Worthman published “St. Paul Parks: The Treasure Hunter’s Guide” almost 20 years ago, but he had never found the Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt medallion — until Thursday.
On Thursday, Worthman took time off from his job as a data programmer to hunt, something he normally doesn’t do.
With only five of the hunt’s dozen clues published, he was hunting at Snail Lake Regional Park in Shoreview from 9:30 a.m. until finding the treasure at 3 p.m.
Worthman, 52, of St. Paul will receive the full $10,000 prize in the 64th-annual contest — $2,500 for turning in the medallion, $5,000 for having a registered St. Paul Winter Carnival button and $2,500 for having all five published clues in the 12-clue contest, which was sponsored by Fury Motors.
Known to fellow medallion seekers as “Mappy” or “Map Guy,” he said finding the medallion after 20 years of publishing his map guide gives him some street cred.
The 2015 Treasure Hunt started Sunday, but Worthman started hunting the day before the first clue was published, he said.
Worthman credited his success to the three other medallion seekers he was hunting with — Rob Brass, Steve Sanford and Jake Ingebrigtson.
“I knew that since I was with these three people who are really good at finding treasures, that if I just keep digging, my chances would be better,” Worthman said.
The minute he found the cupcake-shaped hunk of ice, he tossed it to Ingebrigtson, who said, “Worthman, it looks like you found the treasure,” Worthman said.
The 2-inch plastic medallion was wrapped in white tape — like hockey tape — and frozen inside a chunk of ice, he said. The treasure had never before been hidden at Snail Lake Regional Park.
He said he thinks Sanford unwittingly knocked it aside when he was hunting in the same spot the night before.
“It couldn’t have happened to a better guy,” Ingebrigtson and Brass both said. Ingebrigtson and Brass are two-time finders of the medallion. In 2007, Ingebrigtson found it after only three clues — a record time. That prompted a rare second hunt that year.
“For someone who’s contributed so much to the hunt with the map book, it’s so good to see him rewarded,” Brass said of the guide to medallion hunting on St. Paul parkland.
Worthman first started hunting 25 years ago when he moved to St. Paul from Minneapolis after marrying his wife, Jeannie.
He likes riddles and maps, but more than that, he said the hunt is addicting.
“If you get excited about finding clues, it’s really easy to get the fever,” he said.
Obviously, making the maps helps, he said.
“It’s about time, though. I can quit now,” he quipped.
But he quickly backtracked.
“I can’t give it up. I’ve met so many people and they all mean something to me,” he said.
He plans to buy his 18-year-old son, Harrison, something good for his birthday in two days.
“He deserves it,” Worthman said. “The Treasure Hunt falls on his birthday every year.”
Harrison Worthman said he’s proud of his father for finding the medallion after all the years of hard work.
“I always thought it was something only the most dedicated people could do,” Harrison Worthman said. “He’s a real cool guy. I mean, he flies kites with cameras attached, makes maps and finds treasure.”
Katie Kather can be reached at 651-228-5006. Follow her at twitter.com/ktkather.
Copyright 2015 Pioneer Press.
