Back in 1885, a New York reporter noted that St Paul was “another Siberia, unfit for human habitation”. This gave birth to the novel idea for a celebration of our wintry clime. Families and communities came together to participate in the St Paul Winter Carnival; a tradition that continues today, over 120 years later as the coolest celebration on earth.
The Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt began in 1952, where “hidden in Boreas' rollicking realm, lay his treasure.” A small treasure chest made of wood, with the instructions on how to claim the prize inside. Arthur M. Jensen found this treasure in Highland Park on the 11th clue, which told of two tree stumps to the west. With his big $1000 win, his wife splurged and bought herself a new hat!
There are a few things that you can do to ensure that you have a successful medallion hunt as well. Maybe you won't win the prize, but you can share in the magic of family and tradition that the St Paul Winter Carnival brings to us each year.
“It is time again, to pick up a pen
and delve into the clues mysteries.
Grab yourself a chair, but you must beware
the clues are full of trickeries.
The time is near for you, my dear
to bundle up and bring your luck
the hunt has begun, now have some fun
and bring home the cherished puck!”
The clues are mesmerizing as clever little poems. Take the above “clue” as an example. At first glance, it is telling you that the clues are tricky and that the hunt has begun. But that's no fun, the cluewriter needs to make sure that only those who put forth a little effort can find this. What fun would it be if you were just given directions, and had to foot race 2,000 people to the location?
Digging deeper into the above clue, you have a few different possibilities. “Chair” could represent something that the medallion is near, or attached to. It could also be a reference point for another clue, if it means anything at all. “Trickeries” could be just that, the clues are hard to figure out due to deception, or it may point to the magic shop across the street from the medallions location. “The time is near” may refer to a large clock nearby, but for sure, “the cherished little puck” means the medallion. Right? Or is it referring to the park having a hockey rink?
It is easy to confuse yourself and get caught up in the clues thinking that every word has meaning. This happens every year when a newbie comes along and deciphers every word in the first clue to give the entire directions and location to the medallions location. There may be more to the first clue than some have realized, 15 times since 1952 there has been more information in the first clue than just general information or if it is in St Paul or not.
Bring the family together on this. Call up some of your friends, meet for dinner and discuss the clues. The most enjoyable part of the medallion hunt for many is the opportunity to spend a lot of time with their family and friends. There is a closeness that develops when you really get into the deciphering. Consider this, you are decoding the map to a treasure of $10,000, and you are trusting your family and friends to not leave you in the dust and find it for themselves. You are doing more than just spending time with your friends, you are building trust with them as well.
So you think you've figured out tonights clue. You run out the door because you know the exact location of the puck and you are going to just reach down and pick it up. Wrong. Don't be the guy who runs out in the middle of the woods when it is -17 degrees outside with just a windbreaker and tennis shoes. You can die or become seriously injured from the cold. Stop and bundle up. You will be out there longer than you think.
If there is any snow at all you are not going to move it with just your hands. You will need a tool of some sort. Hoes are very popular this time of year, as are garden rakes and shovels. Remember the saying, “search, don't destroy”, as it cannot be said enough. You just want to move the snow, weeds, or whatever. Do not dig into the ground; on that note, do not climb up trees either. The medallion will be within easy reach for the average individual. It has been that way for over 55 years. A 3 inch piece of Lucite hidden within 170 square miles doesn't need to be hidden too hard at all. Hunters will be spread out among many parks throughout the county. If you get close enough to find it, and you are a persistent digger with a keen eye, you will find it. Maybe.
Take your kids out with you and build a family tradition that they can carry over to their kids. This is a great opportunity to be an active part of their lives. My Grandpa, Larry Graber, found the Dispatch-Pioneer Press Treasure Chest in 1954 at Hidden Falls Park, the 4th hunt ever. Imagine what goes through my mind as I think I am very close to finding the medallion! It is an amazing closeness to him that I can share even though he moved to Calvary Cemetery back in 2001.
Whatever it is that you do during the medallion hunt, do it safely, do it responsibly, and have fun doing it. So suit up, head out and enjoy the coolest celebration on earth!
The time has come where Vulcanus Rex attempts to unseat King Boreas from his wintry throne and bring the promise of spring once again. It is also the time of the year where the web-weaving muse hides the ultimate winter treasure somewhere in Ramsey County. Want to increase your odds at finding it?
Prepare yourself before the Winter Carnival
Read up on past clues and get a feel for what you are up against. Get a feel for how the Cluewriter hides not only the medallion, but the clues within the clues.
Prepare in other local treasure hunts. Many suburban cities host treasure hunts in the off season. These are a great way to hone your skills as a true "puckhead".
Read the Official Rules
Go to Twincities.com and read the official rules. To paraphrase - The medallion will only be on public property within the limits of Ramsey County. Search, don''t destroy. You will not have to dig up the ground, climb up trees, or damage any property to find the medallion. Doing so will cause the hunt to be cancelled and the $10,000 to be forfeited. Collect the clues from the daily Pioneer Press paper, find the medallion, and turn it in to the Pioneer Pres Building.
Register your button
You can either register the button online or by mail. If registering online, clicking the send button after filling in your information registers the button. If mailing in, be sure to have it postmarked prior to the first clues official release.
Make sure that you have warm clothes
This is Minnesota in January folks, I don''t think I need to remind you that you will likely be searching in weather ranging from -25 through 30 degrees. Layering is very important. It takes a lot of effort to swing a rake for 14 hours a day, you will be sweating in below zero temperatures. What a wonderful state!
Get your digging tools ready
Every hunter has their favorite tool for different environments. I like to use a childs garden rake for light snow, and in weedy areas. It doesn''t have the weight that larger tools have, which is why I prefer a garden hoe for the harder, icier, and deeper snows. An actual shovel is many a hunters best friend 12 days of the year, just remember to never allow it to sink into the ground. Remember, search don''t destroy.
Bring some kind of light source should you be obsessing until dark. It gets icy and can be dangerous to travel if you can''t see where you are going.
Get a clue
You need to have the clues. How will you know where to dig if you don''t have a clue? You can get the clues online at Twincities.com, on your doorstep in the morning, or my personal favorite - waiting in line the night before the papers release. The doors are usually open between 11 pm and midnight. Not only do you get to hunt right away, but you can meet other hunters and share your ideas on where the medallion is.
Decipher the clues
You could write a book on this. Really. First, look at the clues literally. Is there anything it is trying to tell you? Usually you will have to dissect it to get to the heart and soul of the clue. Are there anagrams hidden in the clue? Do any of the words in the clues have any other or archaic meanings? Does a phrase hint to something that ties to a park?
Get out there and dig
You will never find the medallion from your computer chair. It is hard to stumble upon it if you stay in your car. Don''t worry about feeling silly, there are thousands each year looking just like you. And someone is going to find the medallion. Ask a previous finder if the $10,000 was worth feeling a little silly poking around in a snowbank with a hockey stick.
Rejoice when the hunt is over
Either you found it or you didn''t. In the end it really doesn''t matter. The money, your picture in the paper, the free sweatshirt, and the ride in the parade will be just fleeting memories compared to the bonds made with other dedicated hunters. Given the chance, your obsession will spread and you will meet like-minded people doing things just as silly as you. Buying a $75 hoe just for the hunt, taking time off of work to hunt, memorizing the clues of years past.
Think hard, and dig harder.
You dig?