MARS HILL, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A father-daughter treasure hunting team from northeast Georgia struck gold on Bailey Mountain Loop in Madison County, finding more than $26,000 in coins during the Countdown Treasure hunt.
Charlotte entrepreneur Adam Howell, creator of the Countdown Treasure project, announced the discovery Saturday, congratulating user @Fuzzy — identified as Corey — and his daughter Zoe for uncovering the cache. The pair located the treasure on the publicly owned Bailey Mountain Preserve, about 25 yards off the Blue Trail, after more than a week of research and hiking.
Howell said the family used “sweat equity” and strategy to find the stash. They matched trail camera updates with cloud data from Zoom Earth and analyzed drone shadows to pinpoint the hiding spot.
“It took a couple of walk-bys before they saw it, but eventually — there it was,” Howell wrote. “No hints, no shenanigans. Just sweat equity.”
Treasure find turns into charity windfall
In a move Howell called “an absolutely amazing gesture,” Corey and Zoe plan to donate the entire $16,420 side pot from the hunt to Tropical Storm Helene relief efforts.
Howell said the donations will push the project’s total fundraising above his original $20,000 goal.
- $10,000 will go to the Bee Log Community & Relief Center, which supports recovery in Western North Carolina.
- $10,000 will be given to Appalachia Service Project, a nonprofit providing housing repair and disaster relief across Central Appalachia.
- At least $420 will benefit the Bailey Mountain Preserve, which reopened trails and repaired storm damage following Helene.
Corey and Zoe also left behind a silver bar in the treasure site for fellow hunters — a token later found by another participant, known online as @WeatherMan.
Howell posted a Zoom interview with the winning duo to his YouTube page.
Bailey Mountain Preserve, managed by the town of Mars Hill, remains open year-round to the public with free parking and trails accessible from Forest Street.
“It’d be pretty hard for anyone to be unhappy with that ending, right?” Howell wrote. “Thanks to everyone who kept the vibes high throughout this amazing hunt.”
