 Poster: A snowHead
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Well, this has become a bit of a tradition now. Welcome to this upcoming season's Van Kleist Treasure Hunt!
A little background: A few years ago, after something I did at work made its way to a confession on Simon Mayo's radio programme, I made up a spoof artist, Van Kleist. Pre-pandemic I did a treasure hunt for a laugh, The Hunt For The Golden FOKERs (Friend Of Kleist, Evocative Recogniser). The hunt prizes were medals, on gold ribbons, put in small black plastic boxes and hidden around the UK. Cost me a couple of quid to put together, and some time to drive to wherever to hide them, but it was well worth it. Six Golden FOKERs were hidden, and by working out a fiendishly clever and complicated clue, they could be found (think geocaching, but you keep what you find). It was totally free, no subscriptions, no personal details needed, nothing. Just find it, and it was yours. It got really popular, and then.... pandemic.
So, with that in mind, a couple of years ago I got back into skiing, and thought that for poops and giggles Van Kleist would set up a new treasure hunt, The Hunt For The Wild FOKERs. More spoof medals, put in plastic boxes with labels on, hidden around Saalbach/Hinterglemm in Austria. I'd ski to somewhere interesting, attach the box to a post, or tree, or something, with a big zip tie, get a ‘what3words’ reference, and a photo of the location and put it online. It was something different for people to do than just ski, get on a lift, get off, ski to the next lift, get on, get off, ski... rinse and repeat. It was the same as before: free of charge, no names, details, or data to be harvested. You find it, it's all yours to be taken off the mountain. It turned out to be as popular as the ones in the UK. I put four out, and each one was found pretty quickly.
Last season's hunt, 'Well That Takes The Biscuit!' was in Söll, Austria, and again, was really popular. This time, however, the last one wasn't found until the end of April, by someone on a hiking holiday. They had to dodge traffic and mountain bikers on the mountain tracks by then, but they were rewarded with the 'Custard Cream of Excellence' medal!
Without further ado, this coming season I'm going to do three hunts, four medals for each one, at three different resorts, and this season's hunt name is 'Time For Some Thrilling Heroics'. 10 points if you recognise what that's from. I think the medals look pretty cool, and just like Dave Allen and his missing finger, the idea is that if someone asks, you've got to make up a story of how you got awarded it, a different one every time. That's why they're called the Super Hero Improbable Tales of Excellence medals. I'm already looking forward to hiding them on the slopes, and seeing how fast they get found. Again, the boxes will be attached using reusable zip ties, so when found please take everything with you. Just remember to post that it’s been found, with a picture, using the QR code supplied to find the Van Kleist FB page. Wear your Van Kleist with pride at apres ski and elsewhere, and you never know, Van Kleist might make a personal appearance, although I doubt they'll be hanging around till snowsports season turns into hiking/MBT season!
And if you want to listen to the original confession:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p062v235
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Following
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Not mundane at all. Truly evocative
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The Artist must be congratulated on His forthcoming heroic endeavours.
"Art’s ability to facilitate collective empowerment makes it a powerful tool for creating radical transformation."
So true.....
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Most excellent!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@MajorQ,
Listened to the confession - haven't stopped laughing yet 
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and whatever the "admiration emoticon" is.
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Just finished, packed and labelled the prizes for the first hunt. Four weeks to go!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Here we go! The first treasure hunt will be on the mountains from Sunday. It's in Obergurgl, near Solden. Four prizes in all, clues given to find each one separately over the coming week. All you need is the what3words app on your phone, and a ski pass!
You don't need to register anywhere.
It's totally free.
There's no data gathering.
Find it, it's yours.
All I ask is that you take everything with you, and have fun!
And if you miss this one, there's another one in four weeks time.
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I'll be on the slopes in Obergurgl from Tuesday. Hoping no one scoops them up too quickly!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Herbstein, Good Luck !!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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following with interest, do you "announce" anything or just say from sunday it's live in the Obergurgl area?
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I assume clues are left on the "artists" facebook page?
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You know it makes sense.
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I put a link to the directions and pics of prize placement on here for each one, normally the evening after I've gone out and put them in place. I don't put them out all together, but hopefully the first one will be in situ as soon as possible.
But yes, as soon as it's live, I'll put it on here.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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What fun!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@MajorQ, Don't know where you're based, but it would be fun if there was one somewhere on the Sella Ronda for the Birthday bash.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Watching with interest as I have just arrived in Obergurgl
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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There's a happy face! Well done @DCG.
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@DCG, well played, how many trees did you check before finding it?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| kitenski wrote: |
| @DCG, well played, how many trees did you check before finding it? |
I identified the broad area last night and as it happened we were skiing not far from there this morning. So, with the help of someone in my group who knew how to use W3W we narrowed it down to a copse of fir trees just a short way off the piste. I looked for tracks but couldn’t see any so just looked closely at the trees - maybe about 6 - and there it was
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Great find @DCG, well done
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| mozwold wrote: |
| Great find @DCG, well done |
Thanks. Was great fun.
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You know it makes sense.
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The fourth and final prize in Obergurgl/Hochgurgl has been found! Congratulations to the appropriately named Jo Snow on finding it, and a massive thank you to everyone who took part.
So, how about another one?
In three weeks time, if you're in the Arlberg area, you too might be able to find a prize...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@MajorQ, Thank you for all your hard work on this. I am in the same group as Andy and we wore our medals with pride at dinner last night.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Cool idea, I love a good treasure hunt
| DCG wrote: |
| we wore our medals with pride at dinner last night |
Haha! I love it!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Scarlet wrote: |
| Cool idea, I love a good treasure hunt |
I like the idea of a treasure hunt, but the WhatThreeWords thing sounds more like cheating!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I really like this idea … thank you MajorQ for making the world just a little bit more fun
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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PS. There is indeed a real artist called Von Kleist though …
Von Kleinst … I guess he didn’t have a van to distribute his work more widely 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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What a cool idea
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Just currently getting the final preparations done, for the final stage of the Treasure Hunt, 'Time For Some Thrilling Heroics'. The last four 'Super Heroic Improbable Tales of Excellence' medals are packed, and will be put in place for discovery as the week progresses. To date, no-one has claimed any of the medals placed around The Arlberg area in Austria, but have any of them been discovered?
And if anyone is heading to Andorra next week, and fancies something different to do, keep your eyes peeled on here!
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FAQ
