Rocky View County (RVC) residents are encouraged to explore Canada this summer while searching for treasure boxes hidden within the county – part of the 2019 Great Trail Treasure Hunt, a summer-long event held across the country.
“There's so much to see and do and experience within Canada, and a lot of it is in our own backyards that we've just never noticed,” said Jason Muscant, director of advancement for Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS).
The Great Trail unites the country through the world’s longest network of recreational and multi-use trails across Canada, and passes through RVC communities such as Cochrane, Airdrie, Beiseker, Irricana and Crossfield. Last year, according to Muscant, RCGS and Canadian Geographic teamed up to initiate a treasure hunt along the trail to encourage Canadians to explore the network – while also exploring other areas around them and nation-wide.
The initiative’s second year, Muscant said, kicked off June 19 and will run until Aug. 18. Isabelle Duvet and Katrina Barnes are both Cochrane residents who have participated in the Great Trail Treasure Hunt since it was introduced – they have found 20 and 10 boxes, respectively, with their families so far this year.
“I enjoy spending time with family and having fun with it,” Duvet said. “My kids started to love it and started asking, ‘Can we go treasure hunting?’”
To participate, visit the hunt’s website and follow co-ordinates either on a mobile phone or a GPS tracker to find the locations of any boxes within a certain area. The first participant to find a box will receive a special edition Canadian Mint “This is Canada” coin along with a form to submit for a prize assigned to each box, which could include Nikon cameras, magazine subscriptions, a month’s supply of CLIF bars and more.
“It's great for family time and I've even shared the exploration with other people [like] my work colleagues and people that I've met in the community,” Barnes said. “It's a great way for families to get outside.”
Participants can continue to find boxes even after the main prize is claimed. When the redemption code for the box is entered online, it helps participants validate and track their finds – treasure hunters will be entered into weekly and grand prize draws, according to Muscant. He said more than 5,000 boxes have been discovered so far but noted some have yet to be located and those prizes remain unclaimed.
Barnes said, this year, her family was the first to find two boxes – they won free CLIF bars and acquired the special edition coins. Last year, she added, she won of one of the Nikon cameras. Duvet said she took home a $100 Mountain Equipment Co-op gift card and a full-year Canadian Geographic membership in 2018, and has already won that membership again through one of this year’s hunt’s weekly draws.
“Winning the prizes is an added bonus,” she said.
According to Muscant, more than 150 Canadians already have found five or more boxes for the 2019 hunt – earning them the title of “Superuser” and the chance to win additional unique prizes.
Duvet has already traveled as far as Edmonton to search for boxes this year, she said, adding she has enjoyed having the opportunity to explore new places. Both Duvet and Barnes are looking forward to participating in the hunt again next year, saying they hope to travel farther and find more boxes – organizing camping trips and possibly making the event a part of their future summer holiday plans.
Participation in the Great Trail Treasure Hunt is free. More information about prizes and locations can be found at thegreattrailtreasurehunt.ca
