Hello, my name is Mike McChesney. I have been a part-time treasure hunter for many years. I have gathered a lot of knowledge that I would like to share with all the budding Treasure Hunters as well as old timers.

I was going to use this page to talk about what I am planning for this website, but since the page is titled "About Me", I guess I will make it about me.

I spent several years of my young adult life travelling the world first in the US Navy, then the US Army. I have been many places and seen many things. I always loved to read stories about lost treasures and hidden bandit loot. I just never knew where to start looking or anything about the process, so I got a late start with my obsession.

After moving to Southern California in 1995, I realized that there were a huge number of stories about Lost Mines, Lost Treasures, Hidden Caches, and Hidden Bandit Loot that occurred right around here. I also quickly learned that civilization had encroached upon many of the places talked about in the Treasure Books and Magazines. I started skipping over all the stories around modern cities, and devoured all the tales that happened way out in the desert and mountains (that are to this day desolate and vast). I figured that since these places were so inhospitable, that most people would never venture too deep into them. That meant that if the original stories were true, I stood a better chance of actually finding something good. I was right!

I didn't start by looking for any of the loot from those treasure stories. I started out by looking for Spanish Mine Monuments in the desert. When I found my first set, I was hooked. Since then, I have made it a point to spend as much time as possible in the hardest to reach places. It has been a very informative and sometimes rewarding experience. I don't recommend it to everyone, unless you have a good working knowledge of how to live and work in harsh climates. It can kill you if you are not careful.