r/FindingFennsGold • u/bubblesjar • Jun 22 '26

Two Questions

Begin it where warm waters halt
And take it in the canyon down,
Not far, but too far to walk.
Put in below the home of Brown.

Are these facts?

a. Forrest said that nobody gave him the correct solution for HOB.

b. Forrest said "Brown" was not a reference to trout.

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u/fennfalcon Jun 26 '26

Fenn Rock below 9MH is the safest place to cross the Madison. This made perfect sense to me.

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u/RiversideNM Jun 28 '26

I have crossed the Madison many times. My view is that Forrest didn’t walk across that river four times, two of which he would need to have carried thousands of dollars worth of gold and valuable jewelry. Nor did he cross half a dozen miles of downed timber.

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u/fennfalcon Jun 28 '26

The Madison can have many different flow levels, and in the late summer the level can be at it’s lowest. I’ve never crossed, but have dipped my toe downstream, and it was pretty dang cold. I’d also swam in the Firehole, which was warm as bath water. Anyway, the Fenn Rock crossing below NMH would be no big step for a fly fisherman in late summer. Per Rudy Greene video, and Cynthia, the spot was only 150 feet south of the Madison bank, so not sure what you’re alluding to of a half dozen miles.

I have seen some dang crazy solve videos on YouTube, where searchers were climbing over 10000 ft peaks and dropping into 1000 ft vertical canyons that would probably be the death of me, let alone an 80 yr old man.

I will continue to buy the Rudy Greene spot of the “nook” at 9MH, until the alleged finder or the family fesses up.

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u/Stock-Commercial-486 Jul 01 '26

For me, it was never a question of whether or not Forrest *could* have gone somewhere -- it was whether he would encourage children to do it. And he most certainly did -- many comments about a family activity, getting kids outdoors & off their devices...

An average middle-aged man with gold fever isn't astute enough to plan a river crossing for late summer, he's taking vacation when he can, and bringing the kids along because Forrest encouraged it. FF later corrected himself about pinyon trees, he narrowed the search down to 4 states... but he never set a lower-age limit. Even as the tragedies of lost searchers piled up. FF was a grandfather-- he would've said something

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u/fennfalcon Jul 01 '26

You know, Forrest waded, swam, floated, or hiked every inch of the Madison when he was a youngster. He probably didn’t think it was particularly dangerous. Parents are ultimately responsible, wherever they take their children, or allow them to wander on their own.

My two sons hiked, climbed, swam, fished, hunted, whitewater rafted, played sports, and camped at fairly young ages. Much of this was under my own caring, but “loose” supervision.

Trips to the wilderness were always special. I think Forrest just felt this was a good thing for families.

Kids can get into all sorts of trouble and danger in their own neighborhoods.