Gold Rush: Alaska (2010–…): Season 10, Episode 1 - Crisis in the Klondike - full transcript
A crisis in the Klondike forces Parker, Rick & Tony to take massive gambles to strike it rich and hunt for gold on new grounds. The setback hits just as the price of gold spikes, sparking a...
Narrator: THE KLONDIKE.
AN INHOSPITABLE WILDERNESS.
NORTH AMERICA'S LAST FRONTIER.
FOR OVER A CENTURY,
PIONEERS HAVE COME,
DETERMINED TO STRIKE IT RICH.
10 YEARS AGO,
AS THE PRICE OF GOLD ROSE,
A NEW GOLD RUSH STARTED.
Jack: THERE ISN'T ONE MAN
IN AMERICA...
-YEAH!
-YEAH!
...WOULDN'T WANT TO
BE HERE WITH US.
-WHOO!
-WHOO!
Narrator: NOW, WITH GOLD PRICES
SKYROCKETING...
Parker:
COME ON, LET'S GO.
...ANOTHER GOLD RUSH BEGINS.
YEE-HAW!
THIS YEAR...
HOLY [BLEEP]
...THREE MEN...
...STILL DREAM
OF MAKING THEIR FORTUNE.
PARKER SCHNABEL.
-YEAH!
-YEAH!
IF IT WERE EASY,
EVERYBODY'D BE DOING IT.
Narrator: TONY BEETS.
[ LAUGHS ]
AND RICK NESS.
HOO-WAH.
THERE'S GOLD.
I THINK I ACTUALLY HAVE
GOOSE BUMPS RIGHT NOW. UNREAL.
Together: BREAK!
Narrator: BUT THIS YEAR,
ON THE ALL-NEW SEASON
OF "GOLD RUSH"...
...A CRISIS
HITS THE KLONDIKE...
WE'RE HAVING MASSIVE
PERMITTING ISSUES OUT HERE.
...THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING...
...FORCING EXTREME MEASURES...
WE HAVE TO MINE THE WHOLE PIECE
OF GROUND OUT THIS SEASON.
THE WHOLE THING?
I DON'T GET WHAT THE [BLEEP]
GOING ON HERE, MAN.
[ GRUNTS ]
...AND PUSHING MACHINES
TO THE BREAKING POINT...
Parker: OH [BLEEP]
IS THAT THING ON FIRE?
WHAT THE [BLEEP]
SHUT IT DOWN!
...PITTING ONE MINER
AGAINST ANOTHER...
GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON
NOT TO TELL YOU
TO GO [BLEEP] YOURSELF.
...AND SENDING A THIRD
ON A HIGH-STAKES TREASURE HUNT.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST
GAMBLE I'VE MADE.
HOLY [BLEEP]
THE POTENTIAL IS HUGE.
SOUNDS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪
♪
TELL ME AGAIN
WHERE WE'RE GOING.
A PLACE CALLED
KENO CITY.
AND WHAT DOES KENO CITY
HAVE TO OFFER?
KENO CITY'S GOT GOLD,
AND IT'S NOT THE KLONDIKE.
Narrator:
IN ONLY HIS SECOND SEASON
RUNNING HIS OWN GOLD MINE,
RICK NESS IS ON THE HUNT
FOR A NEW CLAIM,
AND HE'S LOOKING
FOR A BIG SCORE.
FROM THE KLONDIKE,
WHERE HE MINED LAST SEASON,
RICK'S HEADING 125 MILES EAST
IN SEARCH OF A NEW CLAIM
ABOVE KENO CITY.
100 YEARS AGO, PIONEERS
DISCOVERED VAST DEPOSITS
OF GOLD AND SILVER
IN THESE MOUNTAINS.
I DID OKAY LAST YEAR,
AND IT WAS ALL RIGHT.
AND, LIKE, THAT'S JUST NOT
GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
LIKE, I WANT SOMETHING BETTER
THAN OKAY, YOU KNOW.
AND I DON'T THINK I CAN
GET ANYTHING
BETTER THAN OKAY
IN THE KLONDIKE.
MY WORRY IS THAT
YOU'RE STICKING YOUR NECK OUT
WHERE IT COULD BE
FINANCIALLY DEVASTATING TO YOU.
YOU COULD
VERY WELL GO BANKRUPT.
Rick: I GREW UP IN THE MIDWEST,
AND I GUESS
I HAVE THAT HARDWORKING ATTITUDE
THAT WE'RE KNOWN FOR.
I NEVER EXPECTED TO BE
A GOLD MINER.
[ MAN SINGING INDISTINCTLY ]
I WAS PLAYING STAND-UP BASS
IN A BLUEGRASS BAND.
MY BAND ENDED UP
PLAYING IN ALASKA.
AND I MET A 17-YEAR-OLD
MINE BOSS NAMED PARKER SCHNABEL,
AND A YEAR LATER, HE CALLED ME
AND OFFERED ME A JOB.
LAST YEAR, I WAS ABLE
TO PUT MY OWN CREW TOGETHER
ON MY OWN GROUND.
AND WE MINED OVER $1 MILLION
WORTH OF GOLD.
[ GROUP CHEERING ]
THIS YEAR,
I WANT TO DOUBLE THAT.
Narrator: RICK'S HOT TIP IS A
MOUNTAIN CLAIM ON DUNCAN CREEK.
WOW.
HOLY [BLEEP]
THIS IS DIFFERENT, HUH?
IT'S OWNED BY DEAN GRAY
AND HIS SON STUART.
-HOWDY, FELLAS.
-HI, THERE.
HI. RICK.
Stuart: STUART.
STUART, NICE TO MEET YOU.
RICK, AS WELL.
HI, RICK.
I'M DEAN.
DEAN.
GOOD TO MEET YOU, DEAN.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
INTERESTING PLACE
YOU GOT HERE.
THANK YOU.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
YEAH.
YEAH, IT'S A PRETTY COOL VALLEY.
YEAH.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT
OF DIFFERENCE HERE
FROM WHAT I'M USED TO.
WHERE'S THE MUD?
THE MUD?
YEAH, WHERE'S THE MUD?
Stuart: THERE'S BASICALLY
JUST A LAYER OF MOSS,
AND UNDERNEATH THAT'S
GRAVEL.
NO [BLEEP]
YEAH.
WOW.
THERE'S PONDS ALREADY SET UP,
SETTLING PONDS,
AND THERE'S ANOTHER
SET UP THERE.
WELL, I TELL YOU,
TWO BIG THINGS RIGHT THERE.
POTENTIALLY,
I COULD GET SET UP
AND GET GOLD
COMING IN RIGHT AWAY.
Dean G.: MM-HMM.
SOUNDS LIKE
A DREAM COME TRUE.
[ LAUGHS ]
YOU CAN START THERE,
AND THERE WILL BE GOLD THERE.
YEAH.
OUR VALUES ARE ANYWHERE
FROM .3 TO .6 OUNCES AN HOUR
AT 80 to 100 YARDS AN HOUR.
OH, WOW.
YEAH.
SO, THAT'S -- I MEAN...
AND THEN YOU'RE HOPING
FOR A BETTER NUMBER THAN THAT.
I MEAN...
Big Rick: WE'RE NOT GONNA COME
IN HERE AND GO BUST.
YEAH.
YEAH, WE GET THAT.
BUT WE HAVE SOMETHING
THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU
THAT MIGHT
CHANGE YOUR MIND.
HMM.
♪
Rick: WOW.
[ Laughing ]
HOLY [BLEEP]
[ Laughing ] NO WAY.
WHAT THE HELL?
OH [BLEEP]
Narrator:
EACH OF THESE NUGGETS
FROM THE GRAYS'
ADJOINING CLAIMS
IS WORTH THE BEST PART
OF $10,000.
Dean G.: THIS IS JUST PART
OF OUR COLLECTION.
THEY'RE PROBABLY TWICE AS GOOD
WHEN YOU GET DOWN THERE.
NO, THAT'S -- THAT'S...
I WASN'T EXPECTING
THIS TYPE OF...
I WASN'T EITHER.
IT'S, LIKE, FINDING THAT
IN A SLUICE BOX --
LIKE,
THAT'LL DRIVE A GUY NUTS.
SO NOW THAT YOU'VE GOT
MY INTEREST...
[ LAUGHTER ]
WHAT'S THAT PHRASE --
"SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY"?
[ LAUGHTER ]
WELL, IT DRIVES THE HUNT.
YEAH.
AND THE POTENTIAL,
FROM WHAT WE KNOW, IS HUGE.
AND ANY GEOLOGIST WILL TELL YOU,
BY LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT,
THAT WE'RE NOT VERY FAR
FROM THE SOURCE.
SOME OF IT MIGHT NOT
HAVE MOVED 50 FEET.
Stuart: WELL, BASICALLY,
MT. HINTON IS THE MOUNTAIN
AT THE VERY TOPS
OF OUR CLAIMS.
YEAH.
AND IT'S A KNOWN GOLD SOURCE
FOR THIS ENTIRE AREA.
THE THING IS A TREASURE HUNT.
IT'S WORKED BOTH WAYS.
WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT HAULS.
YEAH.
AND WE'VE HAD DUSTERS.
HMM.
AND SO, THOSE OTHER AREAS
ARE OPTIONS FOR HIM,
IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THEN,
THAT HE COULD POSSIBLY GO INTO?
YEAH. YEAH, IN FACT,
WE ENCOURAGE THAT.
Narrator: 150,000 YEARS AGO,
AT THE TOP OF MT. HINTON,
A GLACIER FORMED.
WHEN IT REACHED THE QUARTZ VEIN
CONTAINING THE MOTHER LODE,
IT PLUCKED THE NUGGETS.
THEY TRAVELED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
AND WERE DEPOSITED
IN SPORADIC POCKETS.
IF RICK CAN LOCATE
ONE OF THESE POCKETS,
HE'LL HIT
A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR PAYDAY.
LIKE, I AM, LIKE, WOW,
SUPER-IMPRESSED WITH THAT.
I COULDN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT.
Rick: YEAH.
THAT BIG GOLD
DOES EXCITE ME.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE DREAM.
YOU KNOW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
I GUESS, IT'S COMPLICATED.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WERE DOING,
RIGHT?
I MEAN, IT'S GONNA BE,
LIKE THEY SAY,
A TREASURE HUNT,
HIT AND MISS.
NUGGETS LIKE THAT
DEFINITELY CHANGE THINGS.
WITH THE PRICE OF GOLD
GOING UP,
I JUST THINK NOW IS
THE TIME TO DO THIS.
ABSOLUTELY.
♪
I LIKE THIS AREA, MAN.
I THINK
THERE'S POTENTIAL HERE,
AND I'M HOPING
WE CAN MAKE A DEAL.
YEAH.
I'M JUST KIND OF LOOKING --
KIND OF SIMILAR
TO WHAT I HAD LAST YEAR.
LIKE, MAYBE 10% ROYALTY?
OKAY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GIVEN IT
A LOT OF THOUGHT,
AND I'M ON
THE 15% WAGON.
YEAH. YEAH, WE'VE HAD
A LOT OF INPUT HERE.
WE'VE SPENT HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
ON OUR EXPLORATION.
I MEAN, AT 15%, I THINK
IT'S JUST FAIR THAT I SEE THAT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS
HAVE GOT DATA,
I'M GONNA NEED TO SEE IT.
♪
WE'LL GIVE YOU THE DATA
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
THAT'LL BE INCLUDED,
AND WE'LL SUPPORT YOU WITH IT.
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO GIVE ME THE
GUIDANCE THAT YOU'RE OFFERING,
I THINK THAT WE CAN KNOCK
THIS ONE OUT OF THE PARK.
THAT'S SOUNDING LIKE
A COMMITMENT TO ME.
15%?
OKAY, YOU GOT HER.
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS.
GOOD DEAL.
APPRECIATE IT.
OKAY, MAN.
THANK YOU.
I'LL BE IN TOUCH.
Rick: IT'S A TREASURE HUNT.
IT'S GONNA BE
A TREASURE HUNT.
I'M SUPER-EXCITED.
GOT A PLACE TO MINE.
I'M OUT OF THE KLONDIKE.
♪
♪
NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS.
PRETTY PUMPED FOR IT, ACTUALLY.
Narrator: THE BEETS FAMILY,
ONE OF THE KLONDIKE'S
BIGGEST PRODUCERS,
HAS GOT A JUMP
ON THE SEASON.
HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE YEAR?
MAKE LOTS OF MONEY.
Narrator: THEY'RE ALREADY
SLUICING 100 YARDS
OF GOLD-RICH PAY DIRT AN HOUR.
♪
WE HAD A GREAT START
TO THE SEASON.
WE GOT SO MUCH PAY DIRT OPENED
UP, SO MANY CUTS READY TO GO.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT?
PRETTY GOOD [BLEEP] START.
♪
Narrator: THE KLONDIKE HAS SOME
OF THE RICHEST GOLD FIELDS
IN THE WORLD,
BECAUSE, MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
HEAT AND PRESSURE
COMBINED IN A FAULT LINE.
THIS CHANNEL EVENTUALLY COOLED
INTO A MASSIVE QUARTZ
AND GOLD VEIN.
OVER TIME, STREAMS HAVE ERODED
THIS MOTHER LODE VEIN,
CARRYING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN GOLD DOWN
INTO THE VALLEYS BELOW,
INCLUDING TONY'S
EUREKA CREEK CLAIM.
♪
♪
Minnie:
THIS COULD BE THE END OF IT.
♪
♪
MIKE: Yes.
♪
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
GOT TO SHUT IT DOWN.
♪
WONDER WHAT THE [BLEEP]
HE WANTS.
♪
OKAY.
♪
♪
♪
♪
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE
A WATER LICENSE.
WE HAVE TO LEAVE.
[BLEEP] OKAY.
SO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
FOR THE SEASON, THEN?
♪
NO DREDGES.
NO KIWI PLANT.
NO MONICA'S PLANT.
[BLEEP]
NOTHING.
Narrator: WITHOUT A WATER
LICENSE, TONY CAN'T DRAW WATER
FROM THE INDIAN RIVER OR OPERATE
ANY MACHINERY ON THESE CLAIMS.
IN 5 DAYS, HIS CURRENT PERMIT
RUNS OUT,
AND NOBODY KNOWS
WHEN IT WILL BE RENEWED.
GOLD PRICES ARE CLIMBING, AND
THIS CLAIM IS A SOLID PRODUCER,
BUT WITHOUT WATER,
TONY CAN'T MINE.
THIS IS
[BLEEP] FRUSTRATING.
♪
WELL [BLEEP]
♪
♪
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
IN OVER 30 YEARS
THE BEETS HAVE BEEN FORCED
TO STOP MINING.
♪
♪
♪
UP AHEAD,
ON THE SEASON PREMIERE...
I'VE DONE SOME DUMB STUFF
IN AN EXCAVATOR,
BUT, OH, MY [BLEEP]
THERE'S A BEAR.
THERE'S A BEAR.
RICK DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING
ABOUT BEARS AROUND HERE.
Man:
LET'S TEAR THIS DOWN.
♪
♪
DOZER!
LET'S MINE SOME [BLEEP] GOLD.
♪
YEAH, IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.
I MEAN, IT'S A QUITE
THE LITTLE FAMILY WE HAVE HERE.
Narrator:
24-YEAR-OLD PARKER SCHNABEL
IS STARTING HIS SEVENTH SEASON
MINING IN THE KLONDIKE.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.
-LET'S GO TAKE THE PUPS IN.
-OKAY.
LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT
OF BROKE-DOWN STUFF.
THERE'S SOME.
HI, HAILEY.
HI.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
IT'S GOOD
TO SEE YOU, TOO.
WELL, I GUESS, FIRST OF ALL,
CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU.
THANKS.
YOU'RE GONNA BE A FATHER,
AND YOU'RE GONNA BE A MOTHER.
I KNOW, RIGHT?
THAT'S REALLY SCARY.
DUE DATE'S OCTOBER 13th.
WOW.
COME ON.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING?
-HI.
-HEY, MAN.
-HEY, PARKER.
-WHOO-HOO.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK
YOU ALL FOR COMING THIS SEASON.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE'RE
GONNA BE MINING HERE
ON A PIECE OF GROUND
WE BOUGHT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
AND I ACTUALLY AM PUMPED
FOR THE FIRST TIME
TO NOT BE PAYING
A BOATLOAD OF ROYALTIES.
Narrator:
PARKER WAS 17 WHEN HE FIRST GOT
A FOOTHOLD IN THE KLONDIKE,
LEASING LAND
FROM TONY BEETS.
BUT IT CAME AT A COST.
NOW PARKER IS HIS OWN LANDLORD.
HE CAN KEEP EVERY OUNCE
OF GOLD HE MINES.
THE BAD NEWS IS,
WE'RE HAVING MASSIVE
PERMITTING ISSUES OUT HERE,
AND WE'RE HAVING ISSUES
WITH WATER LICENSES
THAT ALLOW US
TO MINE THE GROUND.
THIS PIECE OF GROUND THAT
WE BOUGHT HAS ONE YEAR LEFT.
JUNE 1st, 2020 --
IT'S UP.
SO WE HAVE TO MINE THE WHOLE
PIECE OF GROUND OUT THIS SEASON.
THE WHOLE THING?
Man: THIS IS
3 YEARS' WORTH OF WORK.
IT'S A LOT OF DIRT.
YEAH.
THAT'S AT LEAST
TWICE THE GROUND
THAT WE MINED
THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
I KNOW IT'S A BIG ASK,
BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET IT DONE,
'CAUSE IT'S JUST -- ONE YEAR
FROM NOW, THIS GROUND
HAS NO LICENSE ON IT.
WHEN DO YOU WANT
TO START SLUICING?
TWO WEEKS.
WE'LL NEVER DO IT.
-THAT'S [BLEEP] CRAZY TALK.
-THAT'S NUTS.
I KNOW
IT'S A LOT OF GROUND.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA
BE DIFFICULT.
BUT WE PAID FOR THESE CLAIMS,
SO WE REALLY CAN'T AFFORD
TO LEAVE ANY GOLD
IN THE GROUND.
IF IT WAS YOUR GUYS' MONEY,
WOULD YOU RISK IT?
Man #2: NOPE.
FOR NOW, WE NEED TO GET SOME
MACHINES GOING AND GET IN THERE,
AND WE GOT TO MINE
THIS GROUND OUT.
LET'S GO.
-COPY THAT.
GOLD MINING IS IN MY BLOOD.
SOME OF MY EARLIEST MEMORIES
ARE WITH MY GRANDPA
DIGGING DIRT AND GOLD PANNING,
AND, YEAH, IT WAS GOOD TIMES.
LOT OF FUN.
♪
I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE...
I LOVE YOU, PARKER.
FINALLY, THIS SEASON, WE OWN
OUR OWN PIECE OF GROUND.
IF WE DON'T DO THINGS RIGHT,
IT COULD GET UGLY.
IF WE DO IT SMART, AND THERE'S
GOOD GOLD IN THE GROUND,
WE COULD HAVE
A HELL OF A SEASON.
I MEAN, THIS IS GONNA BE
A TOUGHER SEASON
THAN ALMOST ANY ONE BEFORE.
WE'VE GOT A MOUNTAIN OF GROUND
TO GET THROUGH.
IT SHOULD BE GOOD.
IT'S IN A GOOD SPOT.
I'VE GOT TOO MUCH MONEY INVESTED
NOT TO GET THROUGH
ALL THIS STUFF.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO FIGURE IT OUT.
♪
Narrator: THE CLAIM PARKER
HAS BOUGHT IS 115 ACRES,
THE SIZE
OF 50 CITY BLOCKS --
MORE THAN TWICE WHAT HE MINED
ALL OF LAST YEAR.
THE DRILL RESULTS ARE PATCHY,
SO PARKER HAS DECIDED TO OPEN
THE 26-ACRE CLUSTER CUT --
THE SECTION
WITH THE MOST GOLD.
TO BE SLUICING IN 2 WEEKS,
PARKER MUST REMOVE
600,000 YARDS
OF WORTHLESS DIRT,
OR OVERBURDEN, TO REACH THE
GOLD-RICH PAY BURIED BENEATH.
WE'RE GONNA WEAR
EVERYBODY OUT
AND BREAK EVERY PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT WE GOT
TRYING TO DO THIS.
♪
♪
Brennan:
PARKER WANTS TO START SLUICING
IN THE NEXT 2 WEEKS HERE,
SO WE HAVE TO DO 3 YEARS'
WORTH OF MINING IN ONE SEASON,
WHICH IS JUST ABSOLUTELY
CRAZY IN MY EYES.
I'VE SET THIS 2-WEEK DEADLINE
TO GET SLUICING,
AND [BLEEP]
THERE'S SO MUCH WORK TO DO.
I'M ACTUALLY PRETTY
GENUINELY NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
♪
Narrator:
TO HIT HIS 2-WEEK DEADLINE,
PARKER SENDS IN EVERY MACHINE
HE HAS, INCLUDING
HIS MOST EFFICIENT DIRT MOVER,
THE SUPERCONVEYOR.
THIS BEAST CAN MOVE DIRT
TWICE AS FAST AS A ROCK TRUCK.
♪
[ CREAKING ]
HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH
THE SUPERCONVEYOR RIGHT NOW.
IT'S MAKING SOME STRANGE NOISES,
BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD
JUST TO RUN IT,
SO THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE GONNA DO, I GUESS.
[ CREAKING CONTINUES ]
♪
Dean T.: IT'S JUST GOT SOME
WATER IN ITS HYDRAULICS.
I DON'T WANT TO SHUT IT DOWN
WITHOUT TALKING TO PARKER FIRST.
JUST KEEP AN EYE ON IT.
I'LL TALK TO PARKER
ABOUT IT.
Dean T.: I KNOW I SHOULD SHUT
THIS SUPERCONVEYOR DOWN,
BUT WE GOT SO MUCH
TO GET DONE HERE,
I'M GONNA TAKE THE RISK
AND KEEP IT RUNNING.
Zack:
PARKER'S REALLY PUSHING US
AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT
TO THE ABSOLUTE LIMIT,
SO WE GOT TO REALLY RUSH THROUGH
ALL THIS TO GET ALL THIS DONE.
[ CREAKING ]
NOT REALLY SURE.
HOLY [BLEEP]
THAT THING'S STOPPING.
[BLEEP] [BLEEP]
[ CREAKING CONTINUES ]
♪
WHAT'S GOING ON, GUYS?
SHE'S JAMMED UP, MAN.
WHAT? THE [BLEEP]
I DON'T KNOW WHAT
WE'RE GONNA DO.
♪
♪
[ SIGHS ]
♪
I SHOULD'VE [BLEEP]
SHUT IT DOWN.
GOT AN ISSUE OVER THERE
WITH OUR LEFT HYDRAULIC PUMP.
AND WE'VE ALSO FOUND
OUR DRIVE COUPLER
FOR THE SUPERCONVEYOR
HAS COMPLETELY FAILED.
THIS IS LITTLE PIECES
THAT ARE LEFT OF IT.
THIS ISN'T SOMETHING YOU CAN
JUST FIND
AT YOUR LOCAL
CONVENIENCE STORE IN THE YUKON,
SO THIS THING'S
OUT OF THE GAME.
Narrator:
HOURS INTO THE SEASON,
PARKER'S
ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE.
[ SIGHS ]
THAT'S GONNA SLOW THINGS
DOWN BIG-TIME.
♪
IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD'VE
SHUT IT DOWN,
BUT I'M ON A TIMELINE HERE,
AND, UNFORTUNATELY,
I'M UNDER PRESSURE
TO GET THIS OVERBURDEN OFF HERE.
I THOUGHT BUYING OUR OWN GROUND
WOULD MAKE LIFE BETTER
AND EASIER
AND LESS STRESSFUL,
BUT SPENT HALF A MILLION BUCKS
JUST TO GET A MASSIVE PANIC
AND RUSH OF A SEASON
AHEAD OF US HERE.
SOMETIMES I WISH I WAS A DOG.
♪
[ CAWING ]
♪
Narrator: AT EUREKA CREEK,
WITH NO WATER LICENSE,
THE BEETS FAMILY FACES
THE LOSS OF
A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR SEASON.
TONY HAS TO REMOVE
ALL HIS EQUIPMENT
BEFORE THE CURRENT PERMIT
EXPIRES IN 4 DAYS.
HE'S DRAFTED IN
SONS KEVIN AND MIKE
TO TAKE APART
HIS BIGGEST WASH PLANT.
YOUNGEST SON MIKE'S WORKED
IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS
SINCE HE WAS 12.
HE'S THE EXPERT OPERATOR
ON THE 50-TON CRANE.
♪
OLDER BROTHER
AND FAMILY MECHANIC KEVIN
UNCOUPLES THE GANTRY.
♪
♪
♪
THE 50-TON WASH PLANT IS TOO
HEAVY TO MOVE IN ONE PIECE.
TONY'S PLAN --
REMOVE THE TAILING'S CONVEYOR...
THEN THE GANTRY.
NEXT, LIFT OUT THE SPRAY BARS.
AND, FINALLY, THE HEAVIEST PIECE
OF THE PLANT --
THE 10-TON SCREEN DECK.
♪
♪
♪
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
♪
♪
Narrator: THE NEXT PIECE TO COME
OFF IS THE SCREEN DECK,
WHICH SEPARATES ROCKS
FROM THE FINE GOLD.
♪
Tony: NO.
COME ON, YOU [BLEEP]
OH, GEE, HE GOT STUCK
IN A [BLEEP] [BLEEP] POSITION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE [BLEEP]
WE'RE GONNA DO.
THE THREAT OF
A $20,000-A-DAY FINE
MEANS TONY CAN'T AFFORD A DELAY.
♪
THERE WE GO.
♪
♪
Kevin:
SURE YOU GOT THE WEIGHT?
[BLEEP] GOLDEN.
YUP. HAUL UP.
♪
♪
♪
♪
Kevin: HOLY [BLEEP]
[BLEEP] THAT WAS CLOSE.
♪
Narrator: TONY BEETS MUST REMOVE
HIS 50-TON WASH PLANT
FROM EUREKA CREEK
BEFORE HIS PERMIT EXPIRES
OR RISK A $20,000-A-DAY FINE.
♪
♪
♪
♪
THE 700-HORSEPOWER OSHKOSH
WILL REMOVE THE FINAL PIECE
OF THE WASH PLANT.
♪
♪
♪
♪
[BLEEP] THERE'S A BEAR.
THERE'S A BEAR.
RICK DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING
ABOUT BEARS AROUND HERE.
ZEE: Well, there's quite
a good chance of us
"barely" making it
out of here alive.
Ryan:
ZEE, I GOT AN H.R. ISSUE
I NEED TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT IMMEDIATELY.
OKAY, HOLD ON.
YOU WANT TO TALK TO H.R.?
LET ME GET H.R.
HOLD ON.
HELLO.
H.R. DEPARTMENT HERE.
Yeah, are you aware of
the grizzly bear situation
we were just informed of?
SO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT NOW?
CORRECT.
SOUNDS TO ME LIKE
YOU'RE INFORMED. NEXT.
ANY OF YOU GUYS SEEN A PLACE
TO TURN AROUND UP HERE?
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
MILWAUKEE BOYS RYAN AND ZEE
ARE BACK FOR A SECOND SEASON
MINING WITH THEIR BUDDY
RICK NESS.
WITH THEM IS GREENHORN MINER
CHRIS KRUSE.
I THINK, RICK PRETTY MUCH
LIKES ME
THE BEST OUT
OF ALL THESE GUYS ANYWAY.
HE ASKED ME TO GO LAST YEAR,
AND I COULDN'T.
THEN HE TOOK MY OTHER BUDDIES
AWAY FROM ME,
SO I HAD TO COME BACK UP
AND GO THIS YEAR.
[ LAUGHS ]
LAST SUMMER PRETTY MUCH SUCKED.
I HAVE A GRIEVANCE.
KRUSEY, YOU'RE NOT
AN EXPERIENCED MINER
LIKE THE REST OF US,
SO UNTIL YOU GET
A COUPLE DAYS UNDER YOUR BELT
I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU SHOULD
REALLY EVEN HAVE MUCH TO SAY.
A COUPLE DAYS IS ALL I NEED TO
BE A MINER, THEN, YOU'RE SAYING?
ZEE, I HAVE A GRIEVANCE.
HEY, ONE GRIEVANCE AT A TIME.
SORRY. I REALIZE
YOU HAVE PAPERWORK TO DO.
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
PRETTY MUCH, IT'S JUST A MIX
OF EMOTIONS ALL THE WAY AROUND.
LAST YEAR WAS ROUGH.
A ROUGH START.
AND HOPEFULLY, THIS YEAR,
THE NEW GROUND...
A BETTER START.
Narrator:
LAST SEASON, RICK'S CREW
MINED OVER $1.3 MILLION WORTH
OF GOLD.
RICK GAVE HIS GUYS GOLD
WORTH OVER $60,000.
THIS SEASON, THEY WANT TO DOUBLE
THEIR HAUL AND CAPITALIZE
ON RISING GOLD PRICES.
HEY, WE'RE IN KENO.
ANYONE GOT EYES ON RICK?
IS RICK THERE?
♪
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
YEAH, GO FOR RICK.
-WHOO!
-YEAH! WHOO!
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
RICK LEADS HIS GUYS
UP TO THEIR NEW CLAIM
AT DUNCAN CREEK.
AS YOU CAN PROBABLY REALIZE, IT
WAS NOT EASY FINDING THIS PLACE,
SO I'M REALLY HOPING
YOU LIKE IT.
YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF EVERYTHING.
♪
CHRIS:
Nice. Holy cow.
YEP.
PULL HER ON IN, BOYS.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE SPENDING
OUR SUMMER.
WELL, THIS IS HOME
FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS.
♪
♪
WELCOME, GUYS.
♪
SO, THEY CALL
THIS DUNCAN CREEK.
I'VE BEEN CALLING IT
THE RALLY VALLEY.
Chris: YEAH, I'VE NEVER SEEN
NOTHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE.
YEAH, RIGHT?
THIS IS A FIRST FOR YOU.
YOU'VE NEVER EVEN BEEN
EVEN CLOSE TO OUT THIS WAY.
I'VE BEEN TO COLORADO.
YEAH. [ LAUGHS ]
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A SPOT
TO START HERE,
BUT THERE'S
SOMETHING ELSE HERE
WHICH WAS
A REAL BIG THING FOR ME,
AND THAT'S STUFF LIKE THIS.
-WHAT?!
-DAMN.
[ Laughing ] YEAH.
THAT'S FROM
ONE CREEK OVER.
THAT'S WHY I CAME.
I WANTED THE BIG MONEY.
-YEAH. [ LAUGHS ]
-WOW. WELL...
I SEEN MOST OF THE EQUIPMENT,
BUT I DIDN'T SEE
OLD DURT REYNOLDS.
WHERE'S THAT AT?
NO, I THOUGHT WE'D BE
BRINGING IT UP HERE,
AND I TALKED
TO SEVERAL PEOPLE,
AND THEY JUST DON'T SEEM
TO THINK
IT'D BE WELL SUITED
FOR THIS GROUND.
Narrator: RICK'S OLD WASH PLANT,
DURT REYNOLDS,
USED A TROMMEL TO SEPARATE
FINE GOLD FROM GRAVEL,
BUT ITS PERFORATED DRUM
WOULD BE DESTROYED
BY THE MASSIVE BOULDERS
ON HIS NEW MOUNTAIN CLAIM.
WHAT ARE
WE DOING HERE, THEN?
THOUGHT THE WHOLE IDEA WAS
THAT WE WERE COMING UP HERE,
WE'D BE, YOU KNOW,
SLUICING RIGHT AWAY.
YOU GOT A PLAN?
WE JUST MADE THE [BLEEP]
DRIVE AGAIN.
SO, I DO HAVE A PLAN
FOR A PLANT.
YEAH, I ABSOLUTELY DO.
SO, WHEN YOU SAY "PLAN,"
YOU HAVE ONE, OR YOU'RE
JUST STILL LOOKING OR...
WELL, THERE'S A GUY
AROUND THE CORNER.
HE'S GOT A WASH PLANT.
IT SOUNDS PERFECT.
I JUST NEED
TO GO CHECK IT OUT.
JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY,
IF IT FALLS THROUGH,
IS THERE A BACKUP?
♪
♪
♪
Rick: YOU KNOW, HERE, IT'S MORE
OF A TREASURE HUNT,
BUT IT ALSO COULD BE
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE
I'VE MADE IN A LONG TIME.
♪
Narrator:
RICK NESS HAS ROLLED THE DICE
AND MOVED TO A NEW CLAIM
HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS
ON THE HUNT
FOR A MONSTER PILE OF NUGGETS.
QUITE HONESTLY, I'M JUST --
I'M EXCITED
FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
Narrator: BUT UNLESS HE CAN FIND
A NEW WASH PLANT
THAT CAN HANDLE
THE MOUNTAIN BOULDERS,
HE'S DEAD IN THE WATER.
♪
THE WHOLE IDEA THIS YEAR
IS THAT I WAS GONNA HAVE
A WASH PLANT UP HERE
BEFORE MY GUYS GOT HERE,
JUST KIND OF AS A SHOW
OF GOOD FAITH, YOU KNOW?
I'M GOING TO MEET THIS GUY
NAMED TROY TAYLOR.
APPARENTLY HE'S GOT
A BIG OLD WASH PLANT
THAT'S SET UP
TO RUN THIS GROUND,
AND IT'S JUST DOWN
THE ROAD FROM WHERE I'M AT.
I SAY, "JUST DOWN THE ROAD,"
BUT IT'S SEVERAL MILES.
A [BLEEP] ROAD.
THIS IS HIM.
YOU TROY?
HI, RICK.
ALL RIGHT.
GOOD TO MEET YOU.
GOOD TO MEET YOU.
HELL OF A PLACE
YOU GOT HERE.
OH, THANKS.
NICE TO HAVE A NEW NEIGHBOR.
YEAH, WELL,
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE SO FAR,
BUT I GOT A LOT TO LEARN.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
YEAH, I DID HEAR
THAT YOU'VE GOT
A PRETTY SIZABLE WASH PLANT HERE
THAT YOU MIGHT BE NOT USING.
YEAH, WE DO.
WE GOT --
IT'S RIGHT THERE.
WE PARKED IT IN 1999.
IT'S BEEN SITTING
FOR 20 YEARS?
YEAH. YEAH.
[ LAUGHS ]
I CAN SHOW YOU.
WE'VE GOT MOST OF THE PIECES.
OH, YOU DO?
YEAH.
I COULD SHOW YOU THAT.
♪
YEAH.
SO, THIS IS, I MEAN...
UM...
YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULDN'T EVEN
KNOW WHERE TO START HERE.
YOU WANT TO JUST HAVE
A LOOK AROUND AND...
YEAH, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SURE. YEAH.
YEAH.
I MEAN, I [BLEEP]
OH [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
IT'S JUST LIKE A NIGHTMARE.
MY CREW'S GONNA HATE ME.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK,
RICK?
I'M JUST A LITTLE TOO NERVOUS
ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SITTING
AND JUST HOW MUCH WORK
IT WOULD TAKE
TO GET IT READY
FOR A WHOLE SEASON.
IT IS WHAT IT IS.
IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME
TO GET IT GOING.
I SAW ANOTHER PLANT
ON MY WAY IN.
WHAT'S THE DEAL
WITH THAT?
IS THAT...
YEAH, THAT'S THE PLANT
WE'RE USING NOW.
WE JUST...
CAN WE GO TAKE A LOOK AT IT?
SURE.
WE CAN HAVE A LOOK AT IT, YEAH.
DEFINITELY A BIT SMALLER, HUH?
YEAH.
THIS PLANT'S
A 100-YARD-PER-HOUR PLANT.
AND WE'RE REALLY PLEASED
WITH IT, THOUGH.
WE'VE HAD IT TESTED
A COUPLE OF TIMES,
SO WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT
IT'S GONNA CATCH
96% TO 98% OF THE GOLD
IN OUR KIND OF GROUND.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE,
IT'S BOULDERY.
OH, YEAH.
NICE AND SIMPLE.
YEAH, THE PREWASH
WE DUMP IN THERE,
THE MATERIAL GETS SPRAYED,
AND IT JUST SLIDES DOWN,
HITS THE DECK.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS,
IT'S BUILT FOR THE BOULDERS.
Rick: YES, YOU'VE GOT
THAT THICK PUNCH PLATE
RATHER THAN SCREENS.
THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THEN SUPPORTED
ABOUT EVERY SQUARE FOOT,
SO WE COULD PUT
A 3-FOOT BOULDER ON HERE,
AND IT'LL JUST JIGGLE ON THROUGH
AND NOT HURT ANYTHING.
♪
IT'S A NICE,
NEAT LITTLE UNIT.
I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU'D BE LOOKING
TO SELL THIS, WOULD YOU?
[ LAUGHS ]
UH, I...
NO,
WE DON'T WANT TO SELL IT.
IT WOULD COST US A FORTUNE
TO REPLACE IT.
SO, YEAH, SORRY.
I CAN'T SELL IT.
I DON'T KNOW. WE MIGHT
CONSIDER RENTING IT TO YOU.
WE DON'T USUALLY GET SLUICING
FOR THREE OR FOUR WEEKS.
YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE BETTER
THAN NOTHING.
THAT WOULD AT LEAST BUY ME
SOME TIME
AND GETS ME
SOMETHING ON-SITE
THAT I CAN START
RUNNING GROUND WITH.
WELL, HOW ABOUT THIS?
SO, 6 GRAND,
AND WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED
IN HELPING SET IT UP
AND RUNNING IT FOR A WHILE?
I CAN --
COME WORK FOR ME FOR A BIT.
♪
YEAH.
YEAH?
YEAH. COOL.
HELL YEAH.
RIGHT ON.
IT'LL BE FUN TO GO SEE
YOUR GROUND.
YEAH.
YOU KNOW?
AND HOPEFULLY I CAN...
GET THE BIG NUGGETS.
YEAH.
THE BOYS
ARE GONNA BE HAPPY.
I GOT A WASH PLANT, AND
WE'LL BE SLUICING 2 MONTHS
EARLIER THAN LAST YEAR.
♪
♪
Narrator:
KLONDIKE LEGEND TONY BEETS
HAS SPENT 4 YEARS
AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
PREPARING THE GROUND
AT EUREKA CREEK.
♪
HIS WATER PERMIT
RUNS OUT IN 2 DAYS.
SO FAR THIS SEASON, HE'S ONLY
RUN ONE PLANT FOR 1 WEEK.
I MEAN, YOU GET EVERYTHING READY
TO GO,
YOU'RE ALL SET
TO START SLUICING
AND PUMPED TO BE
MAKING MONEY AGAIN,
HAVE EVERYBODY
WITH A STEADY JOB,
AND NO WATER LICENSE, NO LUCK.
NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
Narrator: MONICA CLEANS UP THE
CONCENTRATE FROM THE SHORT RUN
ON THE NEW ZEALANDER.
YOU'RE ALL DOLLED UP
AND READY TO GO TO PROM,
BUT NOBODY ASKED YOU.
THERE REALLY BETTER
BE ENOUGH GOLD IN HERE TO LAST,
BECAUSE IT'S ALL
WE'VE GOT THIS SEASON,
AND IF WE DON'T GET MORE,
WE'RE [BLEEP]
Narrator: THE BEETS FAMILY
NEEDS A SOLUTION --
AND FAST.
I'M WORKING WITH TONY.
BEEN DOING IT FOR 18 YEARS NOW.
HE'S GOT HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
SO YOU JUST GOT TO [BLEEP]
MEET UP WITH THEM.
HEY, TONY.
SO, YOU WANTED US...
YOU WANTED US TO COME UP
WITH A PLAN
FOR WHAT THE [BLEEP] TO DO,
RIGHT? COOL.
WHAT ABOUT THE STUFF WE BRUSHED
BY THE AIRSTRIP?
♪
GOT IT?
OH!
OH, WAY OVER THERE.
Narrator: KEVIN'S PROPOSED
AIRSTRIP CUT IS A 100-ACRE AREA
JUST UPSTREAM FROM TONY'S CAMP
THAT COULD CONTAIN $3 MILLION.
YEAH, YEAH.
NO GOOD IF IT RUNS OUT.
YEAH?
OKAY. YES.
JUST A SEC.
♪
MM-HMM.
YEAH.
YEAH.
WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK.
YEP.
OKAY.
OKAY.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
4 YEARS.
IT'S GOOD
TILL FEBRUARY 4, '23,
BUT IT'S ON THE LITTLE FLAKE.
Kevin: LITTLE FLAKE.
ISN'T THAT PARKER?
YES, IT IS.
YOU DID THAT
PERSONALLY YOURSELF.
WELL,
YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DID IT.
MM-HMM.
Narrator: TONY HAS ONLY MINED
GROUND DOWNSTREAM OF HIS CAMP.
HE ALSO OWNS CLAIMS UPSTREAM,
CLOSE TO A NEIGHBOR'S AIRSTRIP.
OVER THE LAST 6 YEARS,
HE'S LEASED A NUMBER
OF CLAIMS TO PARKER,
AND WITH THESE CLAIMS, HE HANDED
OVER THE WATER LICENSE,
WHICH GOES ALL THE WAY
TO HIS CAMP.
Kevin: YEAH.
MAKE IT WORK.
AND YOU HAVE TO BE NICE,
SERIOUSLY.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GET
YOUR PERMISSION
TO PULL WATER
FROM YOUR PROPERTY?
Narrator: LAST SEASON,
TONY DENIED PARKER
ACCESS TO WATER,
STOPPING HIM FROM
MINING HIS OWN GROUND.
THIS YEAR, TONY'S ONLY OPTION
DEPENDS ON PARKER
AGREEING TO SHARE
HIS WATER LICENSE.
Parker: NOT TOO BAD.
COFFEE?
HOW WAS YOUR WINTER?
WE'RE DEFINITELY UP AGAINST IT
WITH THESE LICENSING ISSUES.
♪
YEAH.
♪
OH,
NOW WE'RE BUDDYING UP?
WHAT HAPPENED LAST SPRING,
TONY?
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING
IS THAT THAT...
BASICALLY, I'VE GOT CONTROL
WHETHER YOU CAN MINE OR NOT.
GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON
NOT TO TELL YOU TO GO
[BLEEP] YOURSELF.
♪
♪
Narrator: TO RESCUE
HIS MINING SEASON,
TONY BEETS MUST PERSUADE
PARKER SCHNABEL
TO SHARE HIS WATER LICENSE.
WAIT, SO YOU COME HERE,
YOU FLIP ME OFF,
AND YOU WANT SOMETHING?
WELL, IT APPEARS THE SHOE
IS ON THE OTHER HOOF.
NO. WHEN I NEEDED SOMETHING
WAS LAST SPRING, TONY.
♪
THERE'S BEEN SOME BAD BLOOD
AT TIMES, TONY,
BUT I'M GONNA BE CALLING
IN A FAVOR ONE OF THESE DAYS,
AND SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW
WE MIGHT NOT NEED ANYTHING,
BUT DOWN THE ROAD HERE
THIS SEASON,
I VERY WELL COULD...
AND SO I'M FINE WITH IT.
WHAT I DON'T WANT IS I DON'T
WANT TO BE LIABLE
FOR ANY MESSES YOU MAKE.
YEAH.
NOT AN ISSUE.
HAVE A GOOD ONE, TONY.
TONY HAS DONE SOME THINGS
THAT ARE TOUGH TO FORGIVE
IN THE LAST 6 YEARS,
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE'VE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD,
AND I THINK THIS IS
THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
HOPEFULLY, WE'VE GOT A FAVOR
IN OUR BACK POCKET,
AND THAT COMES IN HANDY
DOWN THE ROAD.
♪
Narrator: PARKER HAS SET
HIS CREW
TWO NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TASKS --
MINE HIS WHOLE CLAIM
IN ONE SEASON
AND START SLUICING
IN JUST 2 WEEKS.
THIS SEASON IS GOING
TO BE WAY MORE INTENSE
THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER YEAR
WE'VE HAD
JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE
SO MUCH GROUND TO GET THROUGH.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET GOING
EARLY AND MOVING OVERBURDEN,
THE KEY TO GETTING
THROUGH ALL THIS GROUND.
Man: YEAH, YOU KNOW,
WE'VE NEVER MOVED
THIS MUCH DIRT
IN THIS AMOUNT OF TIME
AND HAD THIS MUCH PRESSURE
TO GET IT DONE.
WE'RE ALREADY FALLING
BEHIND THIS SEASON.
Narrator: PARKER'S SUPER
CONVEYOR IS OUT OF ACTION,
PUTTING HIM WAY
BEHIND SCHEDULE.
HE STILL HAS TO REMOVE ANOTHER
200,000 YARDS OF WORTHLESS
OVERBURDEN BEFORE REACHING
THE GOLD-RICH PAY DIRT BENEATH.
Parker: WE'RE JUST
UP AGAINST THE CLOCK,
AND THIS OBVIOUSLY
AIN'T GONNA WORK.
YOU KNOW, THE NICEST PLACE TO
PUT IT WOULD BE ON TONY'S SIDE.
HE'S STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT OF
TIME LEFT ON HIS WATER LICENSE,
AND THEN HE NEEDS
OUR WATER LICENSE AFTER THAT,
SO HE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE
PRETTY FRIENDLY.
Narrator: NO ONE DUMPS DIRT
ON A NEIGHBOR'S CLAIM
WITHOUT PERMISSION,
BUT PARKER'S READY TO TEST
TONY'S PROMISE TO BUDDY UP.
MAKE A DEAL
WITH THE DEVIL?
Parker: WELL, IT'S NOT MUCH OF
A DEAL TO BE MADE.
WE'VE KIND OF GOT
MOST OF THE CARDS.
WE'VE GOT HIM BY THE GONADS
RIGHT NOW.
IT WOULD BE SO SIMPLE
FOR US.
THAT WOULD SOLVE
THIS PROBLEM FOR NOW.
IT'S A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION,
BUT IT'LL GET US WAY
AHEAD, WON'T IT?
YEP.
DEFINITELY.
WE'RE KIND OF DEAD IN THE WATER,
SO WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.
Narrator:
PARKER HAS ALREADY REMOVED
TWO-THIRDS OF THE OVERBURDEN
FROM THE CLUSTER CUT.
THE REMAINING THIRD IS AT
THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE CUT,
BORDERING THE CLAIMS TONY IS
BEING FORCED TO ABANDON.
IF PARKER PUSHES ALL HIS
REMAINING OVERBURDEN
ONTO TONY'S GROUND,
HE COULD STILL HIT HIS
2-WEEK SLUICING DEADLINE.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA PUSH ON
TONY'S SIDE ONTO HIS GROUND,
BUT ONLY UNTIL HIS LICENSE
EXPIRES AT MIDNIGHT.
I DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE
IN THE WATER.
I DON'T CARE IF IT'S SOUP.
GET IT OVER THE LINE.
IF WE CAN GET, LIKE, 100 FEET
ACROSS THAT WHOLE SECTION, LIKE,
DOWN TO PAY AND ALL BAILED
IN THERE, THEN WE'RE LAUGHING.
WELL,
SHOULD WE DO THIS?
YEAH.
LET'S DO IT.
HAVE A GOOD SHIFT, GUYS.
THANKS.
PARKER'S CREW HAS 12 HOURS
UNTIL TONY'S WATER LICENSE
EXPIRES AT MIDNIGHT.
WHAT?
WHAT?
I GOT TO WORK THERE, MAN.
WE'RE GONNA ATTACK THIS
BY PUSHING IT WITH THE DOZERS
AND THROWING IT WITH THE HOSE
AND EVEN HAULING IT
WITH THE TRUCKS.
WE'RE GONNA HIT
AT EVERY ANGLE WE CAN.
Aaron: PARKER'S GOT US MOVING
THIS OVERBURDEN
ONTO TONY BEETS' LAND.
I DON'T THINK
HE HAS PERMISSION.
GOT TO GIVE IT TO HIM,
THOUGH.
IT'S A PRETTY BALLSY MOVE.
THIS REALLY SOLVES
ALL THE PROBLEMS
WE'VE GOT DOWN
IN THE CLUSTER CUT,
AND WE'RE GONNA BE
GETTING GOLD
A LOT SOONER
THAN I THOUGHT.
♪
HEY, HEY.
HEY.
HOW'S SHE GOING?
CONSTANT BATTLE,
BUT IT'S COMING.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO LEAVE IT
AS OPEN
AS WE CAN TO FLOP
THIS STUFF BACK INTO
BECAUSE TONY IS GONNA GO
RAGE MODE ONE DAY
AND WE'LL HAVE TO, LIKE,
HURRY UP AND PUSH IT ALL BACK.
IT'D BE NICE NOT TO HAVE
A MOUNTAIN THAT HAS TO GO OVER.
Bree: I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
BECAUSE MY EXCAVATOR
IS CURRENTLY
SITTING PRETTY MUCH
RIGHT ON THE MIDDLE
OF THE BOUNDARY
BETWEEN TONY AND PARKER'S LAND.
SO I'M DIGGING OFF OF PARKER'S
AND PUTTING THE DIRT
ONTO TONY'S GROUND.
♪
♪
WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?
♪
♪
♪
Narrator: TO HIT HIS 2-WEEK
SLUICING DEADLINE,
PARKER SCHNABEL IS DUMPING
200,000 YARDS OF OVERBURDEN
ONTO TONY'S GROUND.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
BUT TONY IS DEPENDING
ON PARKER'S WATER LICENSE
TO MINE THIS SEASON.
HEY.
YOU MADE AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE GUY, RIGHT?
HONOR IT.
BE A NICE NEIGHBOR.
THAT'S IT.
HEY,
YOU MADE THE AGREEMENT.
HONOR IT.
LET IT BE GOOD.
♪
WHEN YOU'VE ONLY GOT
A COUPLE HOURS LEFT
TO GET ALL THIS DIRT MOVED,
YOU DON'T GO BACK FOR DINNER.
YOU JUST HAVE SOME TAILGATE
TACOS, MOBILE MEALS.
PRETTY BADASS.
Bree: DIRTY HANDS, CLEAN MONEY?
[ LAUGHTER ]
GOING TO SMASH DOWN SOME DINNER
AND GET BACK TO WORK.
Narrator: TWO HOURS BEFORE
THE MIDNIGHT DEADLINE,
PARKER STILL HAS NEARLY 50,000
YARDS OF OVERBURDEN TO MOVE.
Man: WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY
DOWN HERE WORKING.
THEY EVEN GOT THE MECHANICS
IN THE CAT.
SO I'M ALL FOR IT.
I LIKE SITTING IN THE SEAT
A LOT BETTER
THAN LAYING
UNDERNEATH THESE THINGS.
GO, GO, GO, GO, GO,
GO, GO.
♪
COME ON.
LET'S [BLEEP] GO.
WE HAVE A COUPLE HOURS LEFT
TO GET ALL THIS MATERIAL MOVED,
SO WE'RE GOING FULL TILT
TO GET THIS DONE.
Narrator: PARKER USES
THE 480 EXCAVATOR
TO MOVE THE OVERBURDEN
ONTO TONY'S GROUND.
Parker: THAT ORANGE FLAG RIGHT
IN FRONT OF ME IS TONY'S LINE.
AS SOON AS THE OLD CLOCK HITS
MIDNIGHT HERE, WE HAVE TO BE OFF
TONY'S GROUND
AND HIS LICENSE IS UP, SO.
BUT WE'RE JUST RUNNING
OUT OF TIME.
WE'VE ONLY GOT ABOUT
AN HOUR HERE.
OH, MY [BLEEP]
JUST THREW A [BLEEP] TRACK.
I MEAN, WITH ONLY ONE TRACK,
BEING CLOSE TO AN EDGE
IS NOT THE PLACE TO BE
BECAUSE IF YOU START GOING
THE WRONG WAY,
THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO
TO SAVE YOURSELF.
Man: Are you gonna bail that
thing off the edge?
I [BLEEP] SLID DOWN OFF THE BANK
AND I CAN'T WALK UPWARDS.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET THESE
THINGS TO POP RIGHT BACK ON.
SOME PEOPLE CAN DO IT
LIKE THEY'RE PROS.
I AM NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.
I AM TOTALLY STUCK IN THIS SPOT,
ON TONY'S GROUND WITH NO TRACK,
AND THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO GO.
Narrator: PARKER MUST MANEUVER
THE 58-TON EXCAVATOR
ONTO HIS SIDE OF THE LINE
BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
[BLEEP] NO.
[BLEEP]
OH, BOY.
SO RIGHT NOW THE ONLY THING
HOLDING ME UP HERE
IS THE BUCKET,
AND IF I GO THAT WAY,
I'M GONNA ROLL
THE EXCAVATOR OVER.
I'VE DONE SOME DUMB STUFF
IN AN EXCAVATOR,
BUT THIS PROBABLY
TAKES THE CAKE.
I'M GOING FOR IT.
♪
[BLEEP]
♪
[BLEEP]
♪
♪
[ SIGHS ]
TIME'S UP.
I'M ON MY SIDE OF THE LINE.
I'M MISSING A LEG.
LIKE, HOW DOES THAT
EVEN HAPPEN, SERIOUSLY?
Good job, guys.
We [bleep] nailed it.
I WASN'T SURE WE WERE GOING
TO MAKE IT,
BUT I THINK WE'VE DONE IT,
and I don't know
if we've ever moved
that much dirt
in 12 hours before.
YIPPEE KI YAY [BLEEP]
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL
FOR STICKING IT OUT,
AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT,
AND WE [BLEEP]
NAILED SOME DIRT IN THAT.
I THINK WE ACTUALLY
GOT MORE OFF
THAN WHAT WE FIGURED
WE WERE GONNA.
WE'RE DOWN TO PAY,
AND THE CLUSTER CUT
IS FINALLY OPEN
FOR BUSINESS.
ALL RIGHT.
THANKS, GUYS.
OKAY.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
Narrator: PARKER STRIPPED
THE CLUSTER CUT IN RECORD TIME.
AFTER 6 YEARS AS A TENANT,
HE'S ALMOST READY TO MINE
HIS OWN ROYALTY-FREE GOLD.
Parker: GOOD DAYS.
TIME TO GET SLUICING
BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
♪
♪
-THERE SHE IS, BUDDY.
-OH, THAT SHOULD WORK.
Narrator: RICK NESS IS LEASING
A WASH PLANT
DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND
ROCKY GROUND.
HE'S COUNTING ON IT
TO DOUBLE HIS GOLD TOTAL,
BUT FIRST HE MUST HAUL IT
12 MILES UP A MOUNTAIN ROAD
TO HIS CLAIM.
I'VE CALLED A TON OF PEOPLE
TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY
THAT WOULD HAUL
TROY'S WASH PLANT.
NATHAN SAID HE'D DO IT,
SO EITHER HE'S REALLY GOOD
AT WHAT HE DOES,
OR HE HAS NO IDEA
WHAT HE'S DOING.
ONE OR THE OTHER.
I DON'T BABY ANYTHING.
IF YOU'RE NOT WRECKING [BLEEP]
YOU'RE NOT WORKING.
HEY, TROY.
HI.
LOOKS LIKE
YOU'RE GETTING THERE.
WELL, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED
ON SOME SIMPLE STUFF HERE.
NICE.
ALL WE GOT TO DO IS PULL
THE SLUICE BOXES OFF.
WE'LL DRAG IT RIGHT
THROUGH HERE,
AND GET IT TO A SPOT
WHERE WE CAN GET IT ON A TRUCK.
IF WE CAN JUST PULL IT DOWN
THROUGH THIS LOW AREA.
COOL. YEAH.
I'LL JUST GET A NICE LITTLE SPOT
WITH THE EXCAVATOR, THEN.
Narrator: RICK CREATES A RAMP
TO DRAG THE 25-TON PLANT
FROM ITS PAD.
Rick: BUT IT AIN'T GOING TO BE
EASY GETTING IT OUT OF HERE,
BUT IF WE DO,
AND WE GET IT TO MY SITE,
WE COULD BE UP AND GETTING
GOLD DAMN NEAR 2 MONTHS
EARLIER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR,
AND I'D CALL THAT ONE HELL
OF A HEAD START.
YOU READY TO TRY THIS OUT?
SO JUST RIGHT IN HERE?
I THINK
THAT WOULD BE FINE.
Narrator: WASH PLANT OWNER TROY
ATTACHES
THE 12-FOOT SLUICE
TO THE EXCAVATOR.
♪
WHOO!
OH [BLEEP]
OH, NO, NO, NO.
EVERYBODY
WATCH THEIRSELF.
I'M FLYING BLIND HERE.
YOU'VE GOT TO TELL ME
WHERE TO GO.
ALL RIGHT.
COME ALONG
ON ONE OF THE CORNERS.
KIND OF KEEP IT FROM...
YEAH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO...
GET UP OUT OF YOUR WAY.
YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN UP HERE.
I THINK IT WILL BE OKAY.
-OH!
-OH, WHOA!
[BLEEP]
♪
Troy: WATCH OUT!
[BLEEP]
OKAY.
Man: HEY, SHE'S FREE!
FUN AND GAMES.
MIGHT WANT TO PAN THEM
ROCKS HERE.
YEAH!
A BIT OF GOLD IN THERE.
Narrator: RICK NESS IS MOVING
HIS RENTED WASH PLANT
TO HIS CLAIM UP
DUNCAN CREEK.
CHECK IT OUT. I CAN
PULL THIS WHOLE THING MYSELF.
THE HIGH CENTER OF GRAVITY
MEANS ONE FALSE MOVE
AND THE 25-TON WASH PLANT
COULD TIP OVER,
COSTING RICK TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
EASY, EASY.
OKAY!
YOU'RE GOOD!
YEAH, YEAH.
Nathan:
I'M GONNA WINCH IT NOW.
IF THIS WINCH LINE BREAKS,
IT'LL COME RIGHT OVER
THE HOOD OF MY TRUCK.
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
♪
WHOA! WHOA!
Rick: OH, BOY.
HE'S ALREADY OFF ON THAT SIDE.
WE JUST MISSED ON THAT SIDE.
IT'S TOO WIDE.
[ LAUGHS ]
WE'VE GOT NO MARGIN FOR ERROR
LOADING THIS ON,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
THIS ONE'S LIKE 9-4.
BECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS ONLY 8-6,
LIKE, IN BETWEEN,
BUT IT'S WIDER THAN THAT.
OH.
YEAH, IT SEEMS THAT WAY.
WELL, WHEN I MEASURED
THE INSIDE,
IT WAS 8-6 ON THE OTHER END,
AND THIS SIDE IS LIKE 9 FEET.
I MEASURED THE WRONG SIDE.
Narrator: THE GAP
BETWEEN THE SKIDS
IS WIDER AT ONE END
THAN THE OTHER,
MEANING IT HAS JUST 2 INCHES
RESTING ON THE LOWBOY.
THAT SIDE HAS GOT ABOUT
THAT MUCH ON IT,
AND THIS SIDE
HAS GOT THAT MUCH.
A WIDER TRAILER IS NOT AN OPTION
AT THIS POINT.
I MEAN, THIS ONE IS HERE.
THERE'S JUST NOT ANY ROOM
FOR ERROR HERE.
Nathan:
KEEP THE PRESSURE ON IT,
AND I'M GONNA TRY
WINCHING IT.
[BLEEP]
IF YOU SEE IT START
GOING OVER,
JUST TRY AND FOLLOW IT A BIT.
Narrator: PLANT OWNER TROY
IN HIS EXCAVATOR
AND RYAN
IN THE LOADER
WILL ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE PLANT
FROM TIPPING.
♪
♪
-YEAH, YEAH.
-OH.
♪
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
YEAH.
♪
[ HORN HONKS ]
♪
THAT'S ABOUT AS GOOD
AS WE CAN GET HER.
[BLEEP]
IT'S LEGITIMATE 2 INCHES
ON EACH SIDE OF...
YEAH.
[BLEEP] YEAH, YEAH.
THAT'S THE SCARIEST
[BLEEP] AIN'T IT?
OH, MY [BLEEP]
Narrator: THE PLANT
IS WAY TOO WIDE
FOR THE LOWBOY
AND BARELY BALANCED.
THE ROAD TO THE CLAIM
IS FULL OF SWITCHBACKS,
BUT NATHAN IS NOT
ABOUT TO QUIT.
Nathan: SENSELESS TO GO
ANY FASTER
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN
YOU START BREAKING [BLEEP]
A BIT OF A SHARP CORNER
COMING UP.
♪
WANT ME TO GUIDE YOU?
RUN THAT DITCH.
YEAH.
[BLEEP] YEAH.
[BLEEP] YEAH.
LET'S GET THEM MOVING.
PIECE OF PISS.
I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GOING
TO MAKE IT PAST THAT.
HOLY [BLEEP]
LOOKS LIKE SHE'S GONNA GET
PRETTY TIGHT
TREE-WISE
AROUND THIS CORNER.
WHEW.
AW [BLEEP]
OH [BLEEP]
THAT'S TIGHT.
OH, YOU'RE GONNA
HIT IT...
YOU'RE GONNA
HIT IT IN THE...
I THINK WE SHOULD GET RID
OF THOSE BECAUSE
THEY'RE LEANING WAY OVER,
AND I CAN'T GO OVER.
I GOT TO GO INTO THAT MUCK.
Narrator:
OUT IN THIS WILDERNESS,
EVERY TRUCK DRIVER
NEEDS TO COME PREPARED.
YEAH.
PERFECT.
YEAH.
I MEAN [BLEEP] WIDE.
I DON'T REMEMBER EVER HAVING
TO CHOP TREES DOWN
TO MAKE IT DOWN A ROAD,
BUT...
♪
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
OH, YEAH.
AH, THIS WILL BE TRICKY TOO,
SO STILL HOLDING MY BREATH.
WE GOT TO PULL IT
THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE DECK.
IT'S ALL
IN RICK'S HANDS NOW.
HE'S THE ONE WHO'S GOT TO PULL
IT OFF
STRAIGHT WITHOUT IT GOING...
WE ALL KNOW HOW IT
WENT LOADING IT.
♪
OH, STOP!
STOP, STOP, STOP.
Nathan: YOU GOT TO GET ON
THAT CORNER AND PUSH IT.
THAT... THE [BLEEP] PLANT
IS BARELY ON THAT TRAILER.
IF IT GOES ONE SIDE
OR THE OTHER, IT'S GOING OVER.
YOU JUST BE ON THAT SIDE JUST
IN CASE SOMETHING GOES WRONG.
HE'S PULLING.
HE'S PULLING.
HE'S PULLING.
WE WANT TO GO BACK MORE?
WE'RE LOOKING GOOD THERE.
Come on. Come on.
Come on, Rick.
♪
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
OH, BOY.
Almost there, Rick,
almost there.
♪
[BLEEP]
[ LAUGHS ]
YEAH!
MADE IT LOOK EASY, RIGHT?
HOLY [BLEEP]
HOLY [BLEEP] IS RIGHT.
THANKS FOR TODAY.
YOU WERE THE MAN
FOR THE JOB, MAN.
YOU BETCHA.
APPRECIATE IT, NATHAN.
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT.
NO PROBLEM, MAN.
♪
Rick: GOT HER HERE.
IT'S HERE
AND IT'S SAFE, SO...
TWO WEEKS AGO WE DIDN'T
EVEN HAVE A CLAIM,
AND NOW WE'VE GOT
A PLANT ON-SITE,
AND WE CAN SLUICE TOMORROW.
WE CAN PUT IT TO WORK NOW.
WE'RE STILL DAMN NEAR
2 MONTHS
AHEAD OF WHERE
WE WERE LAST YEAR.
THAT'S HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT.
LAST YEAR, I PRETTY MUCH BROKE
EVEN, BUT THIS YEAR,
I HAVE TO DO BETTER,
NOT JUST FOR ME,
BUT ALSO FOR MY GUYS,
YOU KNOW?
THEY HAVE SACRIFICED A LOT
TO BE HERE,
AND IF WE CAN GET INTO
THAT BIG GOLD,
MAKE SURE THEY GO HOME
WITH A BIG BONUS.
Together: RAY!
♪
♪
THIS FIRST CUT HAS TO HAVE
ALL THE PAY MUCKED OUT OF IT.
Narrator: IN HIS NEW CLAIM,
PARKER SCHNABEL HAS REMOVED
ALL THE OVERBURDEN AND
REACHED GOLD-RICH PAY GRAVEL.
EVERY DAY WE'RE NOT SLUICING
IS POTENTIALLY A DAY OF GROUND
THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO MINE.
Narrator: WITH 3 DAYS LEFT
TO HIT HIS 2-WEEK TARGET,
HE'S IN A RUSH
TO DIG UP THE PAY DIRT,
BRING IN THE WASH PLANT,
AND START SLUICING.
Parker: YEAH, I MEAN, THE WHOLE
CUT HAS TO GET DOWN TO BEDROCK,
AND...
SHE'S FROZEN
PRETTY DAMN HARD.
♪
IF THE WHOLE CUT IS GONNA BE
LIKE THIS,
THEN WE'RE IN TROUBLE.
Narrator:
PARKER HAS HIT PERMAFROST,
GROUND THAT HAS BEEN FROZEN
FOR OVER 10,000 YEARS.
TO TEST ITS DEPTH,
PARKER SWITCHES THE BUCKET
ON HIS 700 EXCAVATOR FOR
HIS CUSTOM-BUILT RIPPING TOOL,
THE DEVIL'S FINGER.
♪
Parker:
WE'RE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT.
[BLEEP]
Narrator: TO DIG OUT
THE GOLD-RICH PAY DIRT
ON HIS TIME LINE,
PARKER NEEDS TO FIND A WAY
TO SPEED UP THE THAW.
Parker: YEAH, EVERYTHING
IS PRETTY [BLEEP] FROZEN.
WE CAN'T JUMP THE GUN
ON THIS.
A LOT OF IT DEPENDS
ON THE WEATHER.
I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING
TO RICK NESS.
HE USED LITTLE SPRINKLERS,
LIKE, FOR GROUND-THAWING.
MAYBE WE'LL LUCK OUT.
EITHER WAY, WE'VE GOT
TO GET GOING, SO...
Man: I'M SKEPTICAL.
HE'S JUST GONNA END UP
FLOODING THE CUT,
AND I DON'T LIKE DOING THAT.
YO.
YOU GOT SOME TIME
FOR A LITTLE PROJECT?
WHAT'RE YOU THINKING?
Narrator: PARKER'S PLAN --
PLACE TWO WATER-JETS
KNOWN AS MONITORS IN THE CUT,
EACH SPRAYING 1,000 GALLONS
OF WATER A MINUTE.
HEAT FROM THE WATER
WILL TRANSFER TO THE GROUND
AND SHOULD THAW THE PERMAFROST.
♪
LEADING THE BUILD IS PARKER'S
HEAD MECHANIC, MITCH BLASCHKE.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE USING ONE
OF OUR OLD WATER PUMP TRAILERS
TO TRY AND KIND OF BUILD
THE STAND HERE.
THE IDEA IS, WATER IS GOING
TO BE COMING IN
FROM OUR DEWATERING PUMP HERE.
IT'S GONNA GO UP THIS TUBE,
GO INTO OUR SPRAY NOZZLE.
THAT'S GOING TO SPIN AROUND,
HOPEFULLY THAW OUT THE CUT.
YOU READY, DENNIS?
YEP.
IT'S THE THAWMINATOR.
THAWMINATOR?
YEAH.
OH, YEAH.
[BLEEP] COOL.
ALL RIGHT.
I'LL MEET YOU GUYS DOWN THERE.
OKAY.
♪
Mitch: I DON'T THINK
IT'S GONNA WORK.
HE'S JUST GOING TO END UP
MAKING A MESS IN HERE.
KID SHOULD HAVE WENT TO COLLEGE.
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
WELL, SHOULD WE TRY IT?
♪
OH!
I ALMOST BLEW OVER!
THAT'S FULL FLOW!
WHOO!
GOOD JOB, GUYS.
RIG UP ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE
AND USE THE BIG
12-INCH PUMP IN THE YARD
AND RUN TWO OF THEM.
YEAH.
I MEAN, WATER IS THE BEST WAY
TO THAW THINGS OUT, YOU KNOW,
AND WITH THIS GOOD,
STEADY FLOW THROUGH THE CUT,
IT'S GONNA THAW
SOME GROUND DOWN IN A HURRY.
♪
Narrator: AFTER 48 HOURS
OF SPRAYING
MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER,
PARKER CHECKS
THE THAWMINATOR'S PROGRESS.
OH, MAN, I DON'T EVEN SEE
THE THAWMINATOR GOING.
THAT'S NOT GOOD.
HOW'S IT GOING?
SHUT IT OFF THIS MORNING
AND LET THE SUN BEAT DOWN ON IT
TO DRY IT OUT A BIT,
BUT WE ONLY GOT WHAT LOOKS
LIKE INCHES OF THAW HERE.
NOT LOOKING GOOD,
PARKER.
MOST OF IT'S 8,
10 INCHES OF THAW.
Narrator: USING THE THAWMINATOR
WAS SLOWER THAN DOING NOTHING
AND LETTING THE SUN
THAW THE GROUND.
SO IT DIDN'T WORK WORTH
A [BLEEP] YOU'RE SAYING.
NO, I THINK WE SHOT OURSELVES
IN THE FOOT.
WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO
LEAVE IT FOR A WEEK,
AND HOPEFULLY
THE SUN DOES ITS JOB.
ANOTHER WEEK, HUH?
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER OPTIONS
WE GOT.
Narrator: HAVING FAILED TO THAW
THE GROUND IN TIME,
PARKER WILL NOW MISS
HIS SLUICING DEADLINE.
WELL, THAT SUCKS.
WE JUST HAVE SO MUCH GROUND
TO GET THROUGH DOWN HERE,
AND WE'RE UNDER SUCH A [BLEEP]
DEADLINE FOR THE SEASON,
YOU KNOW?
I WOULD SAY "SWING AND A MISS,"
BUT IT'S MORE LIKE
A FULL-ON STRIKEOUT.
WE LOST THE WEEK.
THAT'S A WEEK SLUICING,
A GOOD 300,
500 OUNCES THAT WE'RE NOT
GONNA GET THIS YEAR.
WE'LL NEVER GET THAT BACK.
Narrator: THAT'S OVER
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS
PARKER HAS JUST LOST.
Parker: WOW.
GUESS I'LL KEEP THE DUMB [BLEEP]
IDEAS TO MYSELF THEN.
IT'S A PRETTY [BLEEP]
WAY TO START A SEASON.
YEAH, NOT REAL PUMPED ABOUT IT.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?
♪
♪
Narrator: THE BEETS' OPERATIONS
ON EUREKA CREEK ARE SHUT DOWN,
BUT BEFORE THE LICENSE EXPIRED,
THEY MANAGED 5 DAYS SLUICING
WITH THE NEW ZEALAND PLANT.
-HEY, FAM.
-HI, GUYS.
I'VE GOT STUFF.
Narrator: RUNNING COSTS AVERAGE
AROUND 100 OUNCES PER WEEK.
Minnie: 10.
45.
50.
70.
90.
98.40.
Narrator: WORTH NEARLY $140,000,
ONLY ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM GOING
FOR THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.
THAT IT'LL BE
THE LAST BIT WE GET...
YEAH.
MM-HMM.
KEVIN, THEIR STRIP IS GOING TO
TAKE A WHILE STRIPPING.
MM-HMM.
AND WE HAVEN'T DECIDED
WHERE WE'RE GOING YET.
Narrator:
THE BEETS FACE DISASTER
IF THEY DON'T GET MINING
ON A NEW CLAIM FAST.
YES.
WELL,
NOT MY FIRST RODEO.
IT'LL [BLEEP] HAPPEN.
WELL, I KNOW. WE GOT TO MAKE IT
[BLEEP] HAPPEN.
YOU GUYS HAVE ANY IDEAS
WHERE YOU'RE HEADING?
OH, I HAVE SOME SCHEMES,
JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING PANS THROUGH.
Monica: I'M PLOTTING.
OH, THAT'S DANGEROUS.
Minnie: AND QUICK.
OKAY, GUYS, OUT OF HERE.
GET BACK TO WORK.
RIGHT NOW MONICA AND MIKE
DON'T HAVE ANYTHING CONCRETE,
SO THE ONLY THING HAPPENING
IS THE AIRSTRIP CUT.
THE PRESSURE IS ON TO GET IT
[BLEEP] GOING.
♪
Narrator: THE NESS CREW TAKES
A SHORT BREAK TO BUILD
A VITAL PIECE
OF INFRASTRUCTURE --
THE BEER DECK.
OH, DO YOU NEED A HAND?
HOLD ON, LET ME GET MY ASS
CRACK OUT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
OKAY, NOW I'M READY.
YEAH.
LOOK HOW STRAIGHT
ALL THIS IS.
Man: WE'RE GONNA GET
THIS FINISHED,
AND RUBY IS GOING TO WALK ON IT,
AND IT'S JUST GOING TO COLLAPSE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
♪
BEST DECK EVER, GUYS.
HEY, THANKS.
CHEERS, FELLAS.
All: RAY!
♪
Narrator: TWO WEEKS
INTO THE SEASON,
THE BEETS FAMILY
IS STILL NOT MINING FOR GOLD,
BUT KEVIN HAS A PLAN --
MINE THE 100-ACRE AIRSTRIP
CUT UPSTREAM FROM THE CAMP.
TONY AND PARKER
WORKED OUT A DEAL,
SO WE GET TO STAY,
MADE MY [BLEEP] DAY.
SO NOW WE GOT TO MAKE UP FOR
LOST TIME, GET ALL OUR [BLEEP]
DOWN TO THE AIRSTRIP
AND GET [BLEEP] PRODUCING.
♪
Narrator: TONY NEEDS GOLD
COMING IN WITHIN 2 WEEKS.
TONY'S KLONDIKE EMPIRE DEPENDS
ON HIM FINDING THAWED GROUND.
HERE IT'S FROZEN, SO WE GOT
A BIT OF A PROBLEM.
AS IT STANDS, WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO MINE ON THIS GROUND.
♪
♪
This is Kevin.
Cool, cool, cool.
Narrator: NOW TONY HAS FOUND
THAWED GROUND,
IT'S TIME TO RALLY THE TROOPS.
HEY, MONICA.
YOU GOT A COPY?
Monica: Kevin?
Yeah, the Airstrip Cut
is good to go.
IF YOU CAN GRAB MIKE,
WE CAN START STRIPPING.
WHOO!
WE GOT THE D10 OVER HERE.
TONY IS GONNA DO
THAT HIMSELF PERSONALLY,
THEN WE'LL HAVE
ROUTE TRUCKS.
BANG, BANG, BANG.
♪
TONY PUT IT TO THREE OF US
TO MAKE THIS YEAR [BLEEP] WORK.
SO MIKE HAS BEEN AROUND
FOR A WHILE,
BUT HE'S MOSTLY ON EQUIPMENT,
SAME THING WITH MONICA.
BESIDES TONY, THERE ISN'T
ANYONE ON THE CLAIM
WITH AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AS ME,
AND WITH INDIAN RIVER SHUT DOWN,
I NEED TO HAVE
MY OWN OPERATION.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT
PRETTY [BLEEP] GOOD.
Monica: BEEN A [BLEEP]
COUPLE WEEKS,
SO IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK
TO DOING WHAT WE DO BEST,
BUT I GOT TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT I'M DOING
BECAUSE DEFINITELY CAN'T HAVE
KEVIN BRINGING IN GOLD
BEFORE I AM.
IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK AT IT.
I'M JUST GLAD EVERYTHING
HAS WORKED OUT
AND WE'RE GOING AGAIN.
Narrator: THE BEETS FAMILY
IS BACK IN BUSINESS.
♪
♪
YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE SEASON
IS JUST NOT GOING OFF
TO THE RIGHT START
THAT IT SHOULD BE.
WE'RE OUT OF CONTROL, REALLY.
Narrator: PARKER SET HIMSELF
A GOAL --
REMOVE ALL THE OVERBURDEN
FROM THE CLUSTER CUT
AND GET SLUICING
WITHIN 2 WEEKS.
BAD DECISIONS SAW HIM DESTROY
HIS SUPER-CONVEYOR
AND DELAY THE THAWING PROCESS.
THESE UNFORCED ERRORS
ARE COSTING HIM
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK.
THE MOST IRRITATING THING
ABOUT IT WAS THAT BUYING GROUND
WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE
THE PRESSURE OFF, RIGHT?
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WERE
GETTING OURSELVES INTO, REALLY.
RIGHT NOW I'M JUST HEADING
HOME TO SEE MY FOLKS.
Narrator: PARKER HAS MADE
THE 600-MILE JOURNEY
TO HAINES, ALASKA.
REALLY I JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN
WITH MY DAD
AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE ON HERE.
♪
HEY, DAD.
-PARKER!
-HOW'S IT GOING?
I'M DOING GREAT.
I'M DOING BETTER NOW
THAT YOU'RE HERE.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU,
PARKER.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
THE CALLS HAVE BEEN FEW
AND FAR BETWEEN, PARKER.
YEAH, WE'VE BEEN BUSY.
HAVE YOU?
YEAH, WE'VE BEEN BUSY,
AND, I MEAN,
THAT'S PART OF THE REASON
WHY I'M HERE ACTUALLY IS,
IT'S JUST, THIS PIECE OF GROUND
WE BOUGHT,
THE WATER LICENSE ON IT
EXPIRES IN JUNE OF NEXT YEAR...
AND WHICH IS TOO LATE
TO DO ANYTHING NEXT YEAR,
SO BASICALLY WE HAVE THIS YEAR
TO MINE IT OUT.
SO YOU GOT TO GET
YOUR ACT TOGETHER.
RIGHT. AND WE'VE SPENT
$1.5 MILLION ALREADY
THIS SPRING.
IF YOU SPENT THAT KIND OF MONEY,
YOU'VE COMMITTED YOURSELF.
YOU'RE TAKING A HUGE RISK.
WELL, PARKER, YOU'RE NOT
PLAYING A GAME HERE.
YOU'VE GOT
TO GET PROFESSIONAL.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT A HODINKY
LITTLE MINING OUTFIT ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE TASKS ARE,
YOU KNOW, WHAT IT TAKES FOR YOU
TO PUT THE MINE TOGETHER
AND WHAT MAKES IT WORK.
NOW IT'S AN ISSUE OF MISSION
OPERATION
TO MAKE SURE ALL THOSE TASKS
GEL, THEY'RE LINKED TOGETHER
AND THEY'RE ALL WORKING
LIKE A SMOOTH MACHINE.
RIGHT.
IT'S DO-OR-DIE FOR YOU, SO TO
SPEAK, ON THAT PIECE OF LAND.
IS THAT CORRECT?
YEAH.
LOOK AT ALL YOUR ISSUES THAT
YOU'VE GOT THERE AND BUCK UP.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO CHANGE,
PARKER?
ARE YOU PREPARED
TO CHANGE?
Narrator: ON THE NEW SEASON
OF "GOLD RUSH"...
WHOA!
...PARKER STARTS SWINGING
FOR THE FENCES...
350.
Narrator: ...PUSHING HIS TEAM
TO THE LIMIT IN A RACE
TO MINE OUT HIS CUT.
I DON'T GET WHAT THE [BLEEP]
GOING ON HERE.
IF YOU GOT A BETTER PLAN,
PARKER, I'M GAME.
I'LL MEET YOU BACK
IN MY OFFICE.
DEAN IS DONE.
RICK DOUBLES DOWN...
OH, RICK.
HOLY [BLEEP]
...IN HIS SEARCH
FOR MONSTER NUGGETS.
OKAY, I'M STARTING
TO FEEL BETTER.
TONY BEETS GOES ON
A TREASURE HUNT...
THERE DEFINITELY HAS GOT
TO BE GOLD DOWN THERE.
...CHASING THE GOLD LEFT
BY THE PIONEERS
OF THE ORIGINAL GOLD RUSH.
THIS KEEPS
THE COMPANY ALIVE.
THAT IS REAL
YUKON HISTORY.
AN INHOSPITABLE WILDERNESS.
NORTH AMERICA'S LAST FRONTIER.
FOR OVER A CENTURY,
PIONEERS HAVE COME,
DETERMINED TO STRIKE IT RICH.
10 YEARS AGO,
AS THE PRICE OF GOLD ROSE,
A NEW GOLD RUSH STARTED.
Jack: THERE ISN'T ONE MAN
IN AMERICA...
-YEAH!
-YEAH!
...WOULDN'T WANT TO
BE HERE WITH US.
-WHOO!
-WHOO!
Narrator: NOW, WITH GOLD PRICES
SKYROCKETING...
Parker:
COME ON, LET'S GO.
...ANOTHER GOLD RUSH BEGINS.
YEE-HAW!
THIS YEAR...
HOLY [BLEEP]
...THREE MEN...
...STILL DREAM
OF MAKING THEIR FORTUNE.
PARKER SCHNABEL.
-YEAH!
-YEAH!
IF IT WERE EASY,
EVERYBODY'D BE DOING IT.
Narrator: TONY BEETS.
[ LAUGHS ]
AND RICK NESS.
HOO-WAH.
THERE'S GOLD.
I THINK I ACTUALLY HAVE
GOOSE BUMPS RIGHT NOW. UNREAL.
Together: BREAK!
Narrator: BUT THIS YEAR,
ON THE ALL-NEW SEASON
OF "GOLD RUSH"...
...A CRISIS
HITS THE KLONDIKE...
WE'RE HAVING MASSIVE
PERMITTING ISSUES OUT HERE.
...THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING...
...FORCING EXTREME MEASURES...
WE HAVE TO MINE THE WHOLE PIECE
OF GROUND OUT THIS SEASON.
THE WHOLE THING?
I DON'T GET WHAT THE [BLEEP]
GOING ON HERE, MAN.
[ GRUNTS ]
...AND PUSHING MACHINES
TO THE BREAKING POINT...
Parker: OH [BLEEP]
IS THAT THING ON FIRE?
WHAT THE [BLEEP]
SHUT IT DOWN!
...PITTING ONE MINER
AGAINST ANOTHER...
GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON
NOT TO TELL YOU
TO GO [BLEEP] YOURSELF.
...AND SENDING A THIRD
ON A HIGH-STAKES TREASURE HUNT.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST
GAMBLE I'VE MADE.
HOLY [BLEEP]
THE POTENTIAL IS HUGE.
SOUNDS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪
♪
TELL ME AGAIN
WHERE WE'RE GOING.
A PLACE CALLED
KENO CITY.
AND WHAT DOES KENO CITY
HAVE TO OFFER?
KENO CITY'S GOT GOLD,
AND IT'S NOT THE KLONDIKE.
Narrator:
IN ONLY HIS SECOND SEASON
RUNNING HIS OWN GOLD MINE,
RICK NESS IS ON THE HUNT
FOR A NEW CLAIM,
AND HE'S LOOKING
FOR A BIG SCORE.
FROM THE KLONDIKE,
WHERE HE MINED LAST SEASON,
RICK'S HEADING 125 MILES EAST
IN SEARCH OF A NEW CLAIM
ABOVE KENO CITY.
100 YEARS AGO, PIONEERS
DISCOVERED VAST DEPOSITS
OF GOLD AND SILVER
IN THESE MOUNTAINS.
I DID OKAY LAST YEAR,
AND IT WAS ALL RIGHT.
AND, LIKE, THAT'S JUST NOT
GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
LIKE, I WANT SOMETHING BETTER
THAN OKAY, YOU KNOW.
AND I DON'T THINK I CAN
GET ANYTHING
BETTER THAN OKAY
IN THE KLONDIKE.
MY WORRY IS THAT
YOU'RE STICKING YOUR NECK OUT
WHERE IT COULD BE
FINANCIALLY DEVASTATING TO YOU.
YOU COULD
VERY WELL GO BANKRUPT.
Rick: I GREW UP IN THE MIDWEST,
AND I GUESS
I HAVE THAT HARDWORKING ATTITUDE
THAT WE'RE KNOWN FOR.
I NEVER EXPECTED TO BE
A GOLD MINER.
[ MAN SINGING INDISTINCTLY ]
I WAS PLAYING STAND-UP BASS
IN A BLUEGRASS BAND.
MY BAND ENDED UP
PLAYING IN ALASKA.
AND I MET A 17-YEAR-OLD
MINE BOSS NAMED PARKER SCHNABEL,
AND A YEAR LATER, HE CALLED ME
AND OFFERED ME A JOB.
LAST YEAR, I WAS ABLE
TO PUT MY OWN CREW TOGETHER
ON MY OWN GROUND.
AND WE MINED OVER $1 MILLION
WORTH OF GOLD.
[ GROUP CHEERING ]
THIS YEAR,
I WANT TO DOUBLE THAT.
Narrator: RICK'S HOT TIP IS A
MOUNTAIN CLAIM ON DUNCAN CREEK.
WOW.
HOLY [BLEEP]
THIS IS DIFFERENT, HUH?
IT'S OWNED BY DEAN GRAY
AND HIS SON STUART.
-HOWDY, FELLAS.
-HI, THERE.
HI. RICK.
Stuart: STUART.
STUART, NICE TO MEET YOU.
RICK, AS WELL.
HI, RICK.
I'M DEAN.
DEAN.
GOOD TO MEET YOU, DEAN.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
INTERESTING PLACE
YOU GOT HERE.
THANK YOU.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
YEAH.
YEAH, IT'S A PRETTY COOL VALLEY.
YEAH.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT
OF DIFFERENCE HERE
FROM WHAT I'M USED TO.
WHERE'S THE MUD?
THE MUD?
YEAH, WHERE'S THE MUD?
Stuart: THERE'S BASICALLY
JUST A LAYER OF MOSS,
AND UNDERNEATH THAT'S
GRAVEL.
NO [BLEEP]
YEAH.
WOW.
THERE'S PONDS ALREADY SET UP,
SETTLING PONDS,
AND THERE'S ANOTHER
SET UP THERE.
WELL, I TELL YOU,
TWO BIG THINGS RIGHT THERE.
POTENTIALLY,
I COULD GET SET UP
AND GET GOLD
COMING IN RIGHT AWAY.
Dean G.: MM-HMM.
SOUNDS LIKE
A DREAM COME TRUE.
[ LAUGHS ]
YOU CAN START THERE,
AND THERE WILL BE GOLD THERE.
YEAH.
OUR VALUES ARE ANYWHERE
FROM .3 TO .6 OUNCES AN HOUR
AT 80 to 100 YARDS AN HOUR.
OH, WOW.
YEAH.
SO, THAT'S -- I MEAN...
AND THEN YOU'RE HOPING
FOR A BETTER NUMBER THAN THAT.
I MEAN...
Big Rick: WE'RE NOT GONNA COME
IN HERE AND GO BUST.
YEAH.
YEAH, WE GET THAT.
BUT WE HAVE SOMETHING
THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU
THAT MIGHT
CHANGE YOUR MIND.
HMM.
♪
Rick: WOW.
[ Laughing ]
HOLY [BLEEP]
[ Laughing ] NO WAY.
WHAT THE HELL?
OH [BLEEP]
Narrator:
EACH OF THESE NUGGETS
FROM THE GRAYS'
ADJOINING CLAIMS
IS WORTH THE BEST PART
OF $10,000.
Dean G.: THIS IS JUST PART
OF OUR COLLECTION.
THEY'RE PROBABLY TWICE AS GOOD
WHEN YOU GET DOWN THERE.
NO, THAT'S -- THAT'S...
I WASN'T EXPECTING
THIS TYPE OF...
I WASN'T EITHER.
IT'S, LIKE, FINDING THAT
IN A SLUICE BOX --
LIKE,
THAT'LL DRIVE A GUY NUTS.
SO NOW THAT YOU'VE GOT
MY INTEREST...
[ LAUGHTER ]
WHAT'S THAT PHRASE --
"SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY"?
[ LAUGHTER ]
WELL, IT DRIVES THE HUNT.
YEAH.
AND THE POTENTIAL,
FROM WHAT WE KNOW, IS HUGE.
AND ANY GEOLOGIST WILL TELL YOU,
BY LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT,
THAT WE'RE NOT VERY FAR
FROM THE SOURCE.
SOME OF IT MIGHT NOT
HAVE MOVED 50 FEET.
Stuart: WELL, BASICALLY,
MT. HINTON IS THE MOUNTAIN
AT THE VERY TOPS
OF OUR CLAIMS.
YEAH.
AND IT'S A KNOWN GOLD SOURCE
FOR THIS ENTIRE AREA.
THE THING IS A TREASURE HUNT.
IT'S WORKED BOTH WAYS.
WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT HAULS.
YEAH.
AND WE'VE HAD DUSTERS.
HMM.
AND SO, THOSE OTHER AREAS
ARE OPTIONS FOR HIM,
IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THEN,
THAT HE COULD POSSIBLY GO INTO?
YEAH. YEAH, IN FACT,
WE ENCOURAGE THAT.
Narrator: 150,000 YEARS AGO,
AT THE TOP OF MT. HINTON,
A GLACIER FORMED.
WHEN IT REACHED THE QUARTZ VEIN
CONTAINING THE MOTHER LODE,
IT PLUCKED THE NUGGETS.
THEY TRAVELED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
AND WERE DEPOSITED
IN SPORADIC POCKETS.
IF RICK CAN LOCATE
ONE OF THESE POCKETS,
HE'LL HIT
A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR PAYDAY.
LIKE, I AM, LIKE, WOW,
SUPER-IMPRESSED WITH THAT.
I COULDN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT.
Rick: YEAH.
THAT BIG GOLD
DOES EXCITE ME.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE DREAM.
YOU KNOW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
I GUESS, IT'S COMPLICATED.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WERE DOING,
RIGHT?
I MEAN, IT'S GONNA BE,
LIKE THEY SAY,
A TREASURE HUNT,
HIT AND MISS.
NUGGETS LIKE THAT
DEFINITELY CHANGE THINGS.
WITH THE PRICE OF GOLD
GOING UP,
I JUST THINK NOW IS
THE TIME TO DO THIS.
ABSOLUTELY.
♪
I LIKE THIS AREA, MAN.
I THINK
THERE'S POTENTIAL HERE,
AND I'M HOPING
WE CAN MAKE A DEAL.
YEAH.
I'M JUST KIND OF LOOKING --
KIND OF SIMILAR
TO WHAT I HAD LAST YEAR.
LIKE, MAYBE 10% ROYALTY?
OKAY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GIVEN IT
A LOT OF THOUGHT,
AND I'M ON
THE 15% WAGON.
YEAH. YEAH, WE'VE HAD
A LOT OF INPUT HERE.
WE'VE SPENT HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
ON OUR EXPLORATION.
I MEAN, AT 15%, I THINK
IT'S JUST FAIR THAT I SEE THAT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS
HAVE GOT DATA,
I'M GONNA NEED TO SEE IT.
♪
WE'LL GIVE YOU THE DATA
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
THAT'LL BE INCLUDED,
AND WE'LL SUPPORT YOU WITH IT.
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO GIVE ME THE
GUIDANCE THAT YOU'RE OFFERING,
I THINK THAT WE CAN KNOCK
THIS ONE OUT OF THE PARK.
THAT'S SOUNDING LIKE
A COMMITMENT TO ME.
15%?
OKAY, YOU GOT HER.
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS.
GOOD DEAL.
APPRECIATE IT.
OKAY, MAN.
THANK YOU.
I'LL BE IN TOUCH.
Rick: IT'S A TREASURE HUNT.
IT'S GONNA BE
A TREASURE HUNT.
I'M SUPER-EXCITED.
GOT A PLACE TO MINE.
I'M OUT OF THE KLONDIKE.
♪
♪
NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS.
PRETTY PUMPED FOR IT, ACTUALLY.
Narrator: THE BEETS FAMILY,
ONE OF THE KLONDIKE'S
BIGGEST PRODUCERS,
HAS GOT A JUMP
ON THE SEASON.
HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE YEAR?
MAKE LOTS OF MONEY.
Narrator: THEY'RE ALREADY
SLUICING 100 YARDS
OF GOLD-RICH PAY DIRT AN HOUR.
♪
WE HAD A GREAT START
TO THE SEASON.
WE GOT SO MUCH PAY DIRT OPENED
UP, SO MANY CUTS READY TO GO.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT?
PRETTY GOOD [BLEEP] START.
♪
Narrator: THE KLONDIKE HAS SOME
OF THE RICHEST GOLD FIELDS
IN THE WORLD,
BECAUSE, MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
HEAT AND PRESSURE
COMBINED IN A FAULT LINE.
THIS CHANNEL EVENTUALLY COOLED
INTO A MASSIVE QUARTZ
AND GOLD VEIN.
OVER TIME, STREAMS HAVE ERODED
THIS MOTHER LODE VEIN,
CARRYING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN GOLD DOWN
INTO THE VALLEYS BELOW,
INCLUDING TONY'S
EUREKA CREEK CLAIM.
♪
♪
Minnie:
THIS COULD BE THE END OF IT.
♪
♪
MIKE: Yes.
♪
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
GOT TO SHUT IT DOWN.
♪
WONDER WHAT THE [BLEEP]
HE WANTS.
♪
OKAY.
♪
♪
♪
♪
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE
A WATER LICENSE.
WE HAVE TO LEAVE.
[BLEEP] OKAY.
SO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
FOR THE SEASON, THEN?
♪
NO DREDGES.
NO KIWI PLANT.
NO MONICA'S PLANT.
[BLEEP]
NOTHING.
Narrator: WITHOUT A WATER
LICENSE, TONY CAN'T DRAW WATER
FROM THE INDIAN RIVER OR OPERATE
ANY MACHINERY ON THESE CLAIMS.
IN 5 DAYS, HIS CURRENT PERMIT
RUNS OUT,
AND NOBODY KNOWS
WHEN IT WILL BE RENEWED.
GOLD PRICES ARE CLIMBING, AND
THIS CLAIM IS A SOLID PRODUCER,
BUT WITHOUT WATER,
TONY CAN'T MINE.
THIS IS
[BLEEP] FRUSTRATING.
♪
WELL [BLEEP]
♪
♪
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
IN OVER 30 YEARS
THE BEETS HAVE BEEN FORCED
TO STOP MINING.
♪
♪
♪
UP AHEAD,
ON THE SEASON PREMIERE...
I'VE DONE SOME DUMB STUFF
IN AN EXCAVATOR,
BUT, OH, MY [BLEEP]
THERE'S A BEAR.
THERE'S A BEAR.
RICK DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING
ABOUT BEARS AROUND HERE.
Man:
LET'S TEAR THIS DOWN.
♪
♪
DOZER!
LET'S MINE SOME [BLEEP] GOLD.
♪
YEAH, IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.
I MEAN, IT'S A QUITE
THE LITTLE FAMILY WE HAVE HERE.
Narrator:
24-YEAR-OLD PARKER SCHNABEL
IS STARTING HIS SEVENTH SEASON
MINING IN THE KLONDIKE.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.
-LET'S GO TAKE THE PUPS IN.
-OKAY.
LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT
OF BROKE-DOWN STUFF.
THERE'S SOME.
HI, HAILEY.
HI.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
IT'S GOOD
TO SEE YOU, TOO.
WELL, I GUESS, FIRST OF ALL,
CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU.
THANKS.
YOU'RE GONNA BE A FATHER,
AND YOU'RE GONNA BE A MOTHER.
I KNOW, RIGHT?
THAT'S REALLY SCARY.
DUE DATE'S OCTOBER 13th.
WOW.
COME ON.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING?
-HI.
-HEY, MAN.
-HEY, PARKER.
-WHOO-HOO.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK
YOU ALL FOR COMING THIS SEASON.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE'RE
GONNA BE MINING HERE
ON A PIECE OF GROUND
WE BOUGHT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
AND I ACTUALLY AM PUMPED
FOR THE FIRST TIME
TO NOT BE PAYING
A BOATLOAD OF ROYALTIES.
Narrator:
PARKER WAS 17 WHEN HE FIRST GOT
A FOOTHOLD IN THE KLONDIKE,
LEASING LAND
FROM TONY BEETS.
BUT IT CAME AT A COST.
NOW PARKER IS HIS OWN LANDLORD.
HE CAN KEEP EVERY OUNCE
OF GOLD HE MINES.
THE BAD NEWS IS,
WE'RE HAVING MASSIVE
PERMITTING ISSUES OUT HERE,
AND WE'RE HAVING ISSUES
WITH WATER LICENSES
THAT ALLOW US
TO MINE THE GROUND.
THIS PIECE OF GROUND THAT
WE BOUGHT HAS ONE YEAR LEFT.
JUNE 1st, 2020 --
IT'S UP.
SO WE HAVE TO MINE THE WHOLE
PIECE OF GROUND OUT THIS SEASON.
THE WHOLE THING?
Man: THIS IS
3 YEARS' WORTH OF WORK.
IT'S A LOT OF DIRT.
YEAH.
THAT'S AT LEAST
TWICE THE GROUND
THAT WE MINED
THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
I KNOW IT'S A BIG ASK,
BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET IT DONE,
'CAUSE IT'S JUST -- ONE YEAR
FROM NOW, THIS GROUND
HAS NO LICENSE ON IT.
WHEN DO YOU WANT
TO START SLUICING?
TWO WEEKS.
WE'LL NEVER DO IT.
-THAT'S [BLEEP] CRAZY TALK.
-THAT'S NUTS.
I KNOW
IT'S A LOT OF GROUND.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA
BE DIFFICULT.
BUT WE PAID FOR THESE CLAIMS,
SO WE REALLY CAN'T AFFORD
TO LEAVE ANY GOLD
IN THE GROUND.
IF IT WAS YOUR GUYS' MONEY,
WOULD YOU RISK IT?
Man #2: NOPE.
FOR NOW, WE NEED TO GET SOME
MACHINES GOING AND GET IN THERE,
AND WE GOT TO MINE
THIS GROUND OUT.
LET'S GO.
-COPY THAT.
GOLD MINING IS IN MY BLOOD.
SOME OF MY EARLIEST MEMORIES
ARE WITH MY GRANDPA
DIGGING DIRT AND GOLD PANNING,
AND, YEAH, IT WAS GOOD TIMES.
LOT OF FUN.
♪
I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE...
I LOVE YOU, PARKER.
FINALLY, THIS SEASON, WE OWN
OUR OWN PIECE OF GROUND.
IF WE DON'T DO THINGS RIGHT,
IT COULD GET UGLY.
IF WE DO IT SMART, AND THERE'S
GOOD GOLD IN THE GROUND,
WE COULD HAVE
A HELL OF A SEASON.
I MEAN, THIS IS GONNA BE
A TOUGHER SEASON
THAN ALMOST ANY ONE BEFORE.
WE'VE GOT A MOUNTAIN OF GROUND
TO GET THROUGH.
IT SHOULD BE GOOD.
IT'S IN A GOOD SPOT.
I'VE GOT TOO MUCH MONEY INVESTED
NOT TO GET THROUGH
ALL THIS STUFF.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO FIGURE IT OUT.
♪
Narrator: THE CLAIM PARKER
HAS BOUGHT IS 115 ACRES,
THE SIZE
OF 50 CITY BLOCKS --
MORE THAN TWICE WHAT HE MINED
ALL OF LAST YEAR.
THE DRILL RESULTS ARE PATCHY,
SO PARKER HAS DECIDED TO OPEN
THE 26-ACRE CLUSTER CUT --
THE SECTION
WITH THE MOST GOLD.
TO BE SLUICING IN 2 WEEKS,
PARKER MUST REMOVE
600,000 YARDS
OF WORTHLESS DIRT,
OR OVERBURDEN, TO REACH THE
GOLD-RICH PAY BURIED BENEATH.
WE'RE GONNA WEAR
EVERYBODY OUT
AND BREAK EVERY PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT WE GOT
TRYING TO DO THIS.
♪
♪
Brennan:
PARKER WANTS TO START SLUICING
IN THE NEXT 2 WEEKS HERE,
SO WE HAVE TO DO 3 YEARS'
WORTH OF MINING IN ONE SEASON,
WHICH IS JUST ABSOLUTELY
CRAZY IN MY EYES.
I'VE SET THIS 2-WEEK DEADLINE
TO GET SLUICING,
AND [BLEEP]
THERE'S SO MUCH WORK TO DO.
I'M ACTUALLY PRETTY
GENUINELY NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
♪
Narrator:
TO HIT HIS 2-WEEK DEADLINE,
PARKER SENDS IN EVERY MACHINE
HE HAS, INCLUDING
HIS MOST EFFICIENT DIRT MOVER,
THE SUPERCONVEYOR.
THIS BEAST CAN MOVE DIRT
TWICE AS FAST AS A ROCK TRUCK.
♪
[ CREAKING ]
HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH
THE SUPERCONVEYOR RIGHT NOW.
IT'S MAKING SOME STRANGE NOISES,
BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD
JUST TO RUN IT,
SO THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE GONNA DO, I GUESS.
[ CREAKING CONTINUES ]
♪
Dean T.: IT'S JUST GOT SOME
WATER IN ITS HYDRAULICS.
I DON'T WANT TO SHUT IT DOWN
WITHOUT TALKING TO PARKER FIRST.
JUST KEEP AN EYE ON IT.
I'LL TALK TO PARKER
ABOUT IT.
Dean T.: I KNOW I SHOULD SHUT
THIS SUPERCONVEYOR DOWN,
BUT WE GOT SO MUCH
TO GET DONE HERE,
I'M GONNA TAKE THE RISK
AND KEEP IT RUNNING.
Zack:
PARKER'S REALLY PUSHING US
AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT
TO THE ABSOLUTE LIMIT,
SO WE GOT TO REALLY RUSH THROUGH
ALL THIS TO GET ALL THIS DONE.
[ CREAKING ]
NOT REALLY SURE.
HOLY [BLEEP]
THAT THING'S STOPPING.
[BLEEP] [BLEEP]
[ CREAKING CONTINUES ]
♪
WHAT'S GOING ON, GUYS?
SHE'S JAMMED UP, MAN.
WHAT? THE [BLEEP]
I DON'T KNOW WHAT
WE'RE GONNA DO.
♪
♪
[ SIGHS ]
♪
I SHOULD'VE [BLEEP]
SHUT IT DOWN.
GOT AN ISSUE OVER THERE
WITH OUR LEFT HYDRAULIC PUMP.
AND WE'VE ALSO FOUND
OUR DRIVE COUPLER
FOR THE SUPERCONVEYOR
HAS COMPLETELY FAILED.
THIS IS LITTLE PIECES
THAT ARE LEFT OF IT.
THIS ISN'T SOMETHING YOU CAN
JUST FIND
AT YOUR LOCAL
CONVENIENCE STORE IN THE YUKON,
SO THIS THING'S
OUT OF THE GAME.
Narrator:
HOURS INTO THE SEASON,
PARKER'S
ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE.
[ SIGHS ]
THAT'S GONNA SLOW THINGS
DOWN BIG-TIME.
♪
IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD'VE
SHUT IT DOWN,
BUT I'M ON A TIMELINE HERE,
AND, UNFORTUNATELY,
I'M UNDER PRESSURE
TO GET THIS OVERBURDEN OFF HERE.
I THOUGHT BUYING OUR OWN GROUND
WOULD MAKE LIFE BETTER
AND EASIER
AND LESS STRESSFUL,
BUT SPENT HALF A MILLION BUCKS
JUST TO GET A MASSIVE PANIC
AND RUSH OF A SEASON
AHEAD OF US HERE.
SOMETIMES I WISH I WAS A DOG.
♪
[ CAWING ]
♪
Narrator: AT EUREKA CREEK,
WITH NO WATER LICENSE,
THE BEETS FAMILY FACES
THE LOSS OF
A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR SEASON.
TONY HAS TO REMOVE
ALL HIS EQUIPMENT
BEFORE THE CURRENT PERMIT
EXPIRES IN 4 DAYS.
HE'S DRAFTED IN
SONS KEVIN AND MIKE
TO TAKE APART
HIS BIGGEST WASH PLANT.
YOUNGEST SON MIKE'S WORKED
IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS
SINCE HE WAS 12.
HE'S THE EXPERT OPERATOR
ON THE 50-TON CRANE.
♪
OLDER BROTHER
AND FAMILY MECHANIC KEVIN
UNCOUPLES THE GANTRY.
♪
♪
♪
THE 50-TON WASH PLANT IS TOO
HEAVY TO MOVE IN ONE PIECE.
TONY'S PLAN --
REMOVE THE TAILING'S CONVEYOR...
THEN THE GANTRY.
NEXT, LIFT OUT THE SPRAY BARS.
AND, FINALLY, THE HEAVIEST PIECE
OF THE PLANT --
THE 10-TON SCREEN DECK.
♪
♪
♪
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
♪
♪
Narrator: THE NEXT PIECE TO COME
OFF IS THE SCREEN DECK,
WHICH SEPARATES ROCKS
FROM THE FINE GOLD.
♪
Tony: NO.
COME ON, YOU [BLEEP]
OH, GEE, HE GOT STUCK
IN A [BLEEP] [BLEEP] POSITION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE [BLEEP]
WE'RE GONNA DO.
THE THREAT OF
A $20,000-A-DAY FINE
MEANS TONY CAN'T AFFORD A DELAY.
♪
THERE WE GO.
♪
♪
Kevin:
SURE YOU GOT THE WEIGHT?
[BLEEP] GOLDEN.
YUP. HAUL UP.
♪
♪
♪
♪
Kevin: HOLY [BLEEP]
[BLEEP] THAT WAS CLOSE.
♪
Narrator: TONY BEETS MUST REMOVE
HIS 50-TON WASH PLANT
FROM EUREKA CREEK
BEFORE HIS PERMIT EXPIRES
OR RISK A $20,000-A-DAY FINE.
♪
♪
♪
♪
THE 700-HORSEPOWER OSHKOSH
WILL REMOVE THE FINAL PIECE
OF THE WASH PLANT.
♪
♪
♪
♪
[BLEEP] THERE'S A BEAR.
THERE'S A BEAR.
RICK DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING
ABOUT BEARS AROUND HERE.
ZEE: Well, there's quite
a good chance of us
"barely" making it
out of here alive.
Ryan:
ZEE, I GOT AN H.R. ISSUE
I NEED TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT IMMEDIATELY.
OKAY, HOLD ON.
YOU WANT TO TALK TO H.R.?
LET ME GET H.R.
HOLD ON.
HELLO.
H.R. DEPARTMENT HERE.
Yeah, are you aware of
the grizzly bear situation
we were just informed of?
SO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT NOW?
CORRECT.
SOUNDS TO ME LIKE
YOU'RE INFORMED. NEXT.
ANY OF YOU GUYS SEEN A PLACE
TO TURN AROUND UP HERE?
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
MILWAUKEE BOYS RYAN AND ZEE
ARE BACK FOR A SECOND SEASON
MINING WITH THEIR BUDDY
RICK NESS.
WITH THEM IS GREENHORN MINER
CHRIS KRUSE.
I THINK, RICK PRETTY MUCH
LIKES ME
THE BEST OUT
OF ALL THESE GUYS ANYWAY.
HE ASKED ME TO GO LAST YEAR,
AND I COULDN'T.
THEN HE TOOK MY OTHER BUDDIES
AWAY FROM ME,
SO I HAD TO COME BACK UP
AND GO THIS YEAR.
[ LAUGHS ]
LAST SUMMER PRETTY MUCH SUCKED.
I HAVE A GRIEVANCE.
KRUSEY, YOU'RE NOT
AN EXPERIENCED MINER
LIKE THE REST OF US,
SO UNTIL YOU GET
A COUPLE DAYS UNDER YOUR BELT
I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU SHOULD
REALLY EVEN HAVE MUCH TO SAY.
A COUPLE DAYS IS ALL I NEED TO
BE A MINER, THEN, YOU'RE SAYING?
ZEE, I HAVE A GRIEVANCE.
HEY, ONE GRIEVANCE AT A TIME.
SORRY. I REALIZE
YOU HAVE PAPERWORK TO DO.
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
PRETTY MUCH, IT'S JUST A MIX
OF EMOTIONS ALL THE WAY AROUND.
LAST YEAR WAS ROUGH.
A ROUGH START.
AND HOPEFULLY, THIS YEAR,
THE NEW GROUND...
A BETTER START.
Narrator:
LAST SEASON, RICK'S CREW
MINED OVER $1.3 MILLION WORTH
OF GOLD.
RICK GAVE HIS GUYS GOLD
WORTH OVER $60,000.
THIS SEASON, THEY WANT TO DOUBLE
THEIR HAUL AND CAPITALIZE
ON RISING GOLD PRICES.
HEY, WE'RE IN KENO.
ANYONE GOT EYES ON RICK?
IS RICK THERE?
♪
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
YEAH, GO FOR RICK.
-WHOO!
-YEAH! WHOO!
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
RICK LEADS HIS GUYS
UP TO THEIR NEW CLAIM
AT DUNCAN CREEK.
AS YOU CAN PROBABLY REALIZE, IT
WAS NOT EASY FINDING THIS PLACE,
SO I'M REALLY HOPING
YOU LIKE IT.
YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF EVERYTHING.
♪
CHRIS:
Nice. Holy cow.
YEP.
PULL HER ON IN, BOYS.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE SPENDING
OUR SUMMER.
WELL, THIS IS HOME
FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS.
♪
♪
WELCOME, GUYS.
♪
SO, THEY CALL
THIS DUNCAN CREEK.
I'VE BEEN CALLING IT
THE RALLY VALLEY.
Chris: YEAH, I'VE NEVER SEEN
NOTHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE.
YEAH, RIGHT?
THIS IS A FIRST FOR YOU.
YOU'VE NEVER EVEN BEEN
EVEN CLOSE TO OUT THIS WAY.
I'VE BEEN TO COLORADO.
YEAH. [ LAUGHS ]
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A SPOT
TO START HERE,
BUT THERE'S
SOMETHING ELSE HERE
WHICH WAS
A REAL BIG THING FOR ME,
AND THAT'S STUFF LIKE THIS.
-WHAT?!
-DAMN.
[ Laughing ] YEAH.
THAT'S FROM
ONE CREEK OVER.
THAT'S WHY I CAME.
I WANTED THE BIG MONEY.
-YEAH. [ LAUGHS ]
-WOW. WELL...
I SEEN MOST OF THE EQUIPMENT,
BUT I DIDN'T SEE
OLD DURT REYNOLDS.
WHERE'S THAT AT?
NO, I THOUGHT WE'D BE
BRINGING IT UP HERE,
AND I TALKED
TO SEVERAL PEOPLE,
AND THEY JUST DON'T SEEM
TO THINK
IT'D BE WELL SUITED
FOR THIS GROUND.
Narrator: RICK'S OLD WASH PLANT,
DURT REYNOLDS,
USED A TROMMEL TO SEPARATE
FINE GOLD FROM GRAVEL,
BUT ITS PERFORATED DRUM
WOULD BE DESTROYED
BY THE MASSIVE BOULDERS
ON HIS NEW MOUNTAIN CLAIM.
WHAT ARE
WE DOING HERE, THEN?
THOUGHT THE WHOLE IDEA WAS
THAT WE WERE COMING UP HERE,
WE'D BE, YOU KNOW,
SLUICING RIGHT AWAY.
YOU GOT A PLAN?
WE JUST MADE THE [BLEEP]
DRIVE AGAIN.
SO, I DO HAVE A PLAN
FOR A PLANT.
YEAH, I ABSOLUTELY DO.
SO, WHEN YOU SAY "PLAN,"
YOU HAVE ONE, OR YOU'RE
JUST STILL LOOKING OR...
WELL, THERE'S A GUY
AROUND THE CORNER.
HE'S GOT A WASH PLANT.
IT SOUNDS PERFECT.
I JUST NEED
TO GO CHECK IT OUT.
JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY,
IF IT FALLS THROUGH,
IS THERE A BACKUP?
♪
♪
♪
Rick: YOU KNOW, HERE, IT'S MORE
OF A TREASURE HUNT,
BUT IT ALSO COULD BE
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE
I'VE MADE IN A LONG TIME.
♪
Narrator:
RICK NESS HAS ROLLED THE DICE
AND MOVED TO A NEW CLAIM
HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS
ON THE HUNT
FOR A MONSTER PILE OF NUGGETS.
QUITE HONESTLY, I'M JUST --
I'M EXCITED
FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
Narrator: BUT UNLESS HE CAN FIND
A NEW WASH PLANT
THAT CAN HANDLE
THE MOUNTAIN BOULDERS,
HE'S DEAD IN THE WATER.
♪
THE WHOLE IDEA THIS YEAR
IS THAT I WAS GONNA HAVE
A WASH PLANT UP HERE
BEFORE MY GUYS GOT HERE,
JUST KIND OF AS A SHOW
OF GOOD FAITH, YOU KNOW?
I'M GOING TO MEET THIS GUY
NAMED TROY TAYLOR.
APPARENTLY HE'S GOT
A BIG OLD WASH PLANT
THAT'S SET UP
TO RUN THIS GROUND,
AND IT'S JUST DOWN
THE ROAD FROM WHERE I'M AT.
I SAY, "JUST DOWN THE ROAD,"
BUT IT'S SEVERAL MILES.
A [BLEEP] ROAD.
THIS IS HIM.
YOU TROY?
HI, RICK.
ALL RIGHT.
GOOD TO MEET YOU.
GOOD TO MEET YOU.
HELL OF A PLACE
YOU GOT HERE.
OH, THANKS.
NICE TO HAVE A NEW NEIGHBOR.
YEAH, WELL,
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE SO FAR,
BUT I GOT A LOT TO LEARN.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
YEAH, I DID HEAR
THAT YOU'VE GOT
A PRETTY SIZABLE WASH PLANT HERE
THAT YOU MIGHT BE NOT USING.
YEAH, WE DO.
WE GOT --
IT'S RIGHT THERE.
WE PARKED IT IN 1999.
IT'S BEEN SITTING
FOR 20 YEARS?
YEAH. YEAH.
[ LAUGHS ]
I CAN SHOW YOU.
WE'VE GOT MOST OF THE PIECES.
OH, YOU DO?
YEAH.
I COULD SHOW YOU THAT.
♪
YEAH.
SO, THIS IS, I MEAN...
UM...
YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULDN'T EVEN
KNOW WHERE TO START HERE.
YOU WANT TO JUST HAVE
A LOOK AROUND AND...
YEAH, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SURE. YEAH.
YEAH.
I MEAN, I [BLEEP]
OH [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
IT'S JUST LIKE A NIGHTMARE.
MY CREW'S GONNA HATE ME.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK,
RICK?
I'M JUST A LITTLE TOO NERVOUS
ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SITTING
AND JUST HOW MUCH WORK
IT WOULD TAKE
TO GET IT READY
FOR A WHOLE SEASON.
IT IS WHAT IT IS.
IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME
TO GET IT GOING.
I SAW ANOTHER PLANT
ON MY WAY IN.
WHAT'S THE DEAL
WITH THAT?
IS THAT...
YEAH, THAT'S THE PLANT
WE'RE USING NOW.
WE JUST...
CAN WE GO TAKE A LOOK AT IT?
SURE.
WE CAN HAVE A LOOK AT IT, YEAH.
DEFINITELY A BIT SMALLER, HUH?
YEAH.
THIS PLANT'S
A 100-YARD-PER-HOUR PLANT.
AND WE'RE REALLY PLEASED
WITH IT, THOUGH.
WE'VE HAD IT TESTED
A COUPLE OF TIMES,
SO WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT
IT'S GONNA CATCH
96% TO 98% OF THE GOLD
IN OUR KIND OF GROUND.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE,
IT'S BOULDERY.
OH, YEAH.
NICE AND SIMPLE.
YEAH, THE PREWASH
WE DUMP IN THERE,
THE MATERIAL GETS SPRAYED,
AND IT JUST SLIDES DOWN,
HITS THE DECK.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS,
IT'S BUILT FOR THE BOULDERS.
Rick: YES, YOU'VE GOT
THAT THICK PUNCH PLATE
RATHER THAN SCREENS.
THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THEN SUPPORTED
ABOUT EVERY SQUARE FOOT,
SO WE COULD PUT
A 3-FOOT BOULDER ON HERE,
AND IT'LL JUST JIGGLE ON THROUGH
AND NOT HURT ANYTHING.
♪
IT'S A NICE,
NEAT LITTLE UNIT.
I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU'D BE LOOKING
TO SELL THIS, WOULD YOU?
[ LAUGHS ]
UH, I...
NO,
WE DON'T WANT TO SELL IT.
IT WOULD COST US A FORTUNE
TO REPLACE IT.
SO, YEAH, SORRY.
I CAN'T SELL IT.
I DON'T KNOW. WE MIGHT
CONSIDER RENTING IT TO YOU.
WE DON'T USUALLY GET SLUICING
FOR THREE OR FOUR WEEKS.
YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE BETTER
THAN NOTHING.
THAT WOULD AT LEAST BUY ME
SOME TIME
AND GETS ME
SOMETHING ON-SITE
THAT I CAN START
RUNNING GROUND WITH.
WELL, HOW ABOUT THIS?
SO, 6 GRAND,
AND WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED
IN HELPING SET IT UP
AND RUNNING IT FOR A WHILE?
I CAN --
COME WORK FOR ME FOR A BIT.
♪
YEAH.
YEAH?
YEAH. COOL.
HELL YEAH.
RIGHT ON.
IT'LL BE FUN TO GO SEE
YOUR GROUND.
YEAH.
YOU KNOW?
AND HOPEFULLY I CAN...
GET THE BIG NUGGETS.
YEAH.
THE BOYS
ARE GONNA BE HAPPY.
I GOT A WASH PLANT, AND
WE'LL BE SLUICING 2 MONTHS
EARLIER THAN LAST YEAR.
♪
♪
Narrator:
KLONDIKE LEGEND TONY BEETS
HAS SPENT 4 YEARS
AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
PREPARING THE GROUND
AT EUREKA CREEK.
♪
HIS WATER PERMIT
RUNS OUT IN 2 DAYS.
SO FAR THIS SEASON, HE'S ONLY
RUN ONE PLANT FOR 1 WEEK.
I MEAN, YOU GET EVERYTHING READY
TO GO,
YOU'RE ALL SET
TO START SLUICING
AND PUMPED TO BE
MAKING MONEY AGAIN,
HAVE EVERYBODY
WITH A STEADY JOB,
AND NO WATER LICENSE, NO LUCK.
NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
Narrator: MONICA CLEANS UP THE
CONCENTRATE FROM THE SHORT RUN
ON THE NEW ZEALANDER.
YOU'RE ALL DOLLED UP
AND READY TO GO TO PROM,
BUT NOBODY ASKED YOU.
THERE REALLY BETTER
BE ENOUGH GOLD IN HERE TO LAST,
BECAUSE IT'S ALL
WE'VE GOT THIS SEASON,
AND IF WE DON'T GET MORE,
WE'RE [BLEEP]
Narrator: THE BEETS FAMILY
NEEDS A SOLUTION --
AND FAST.
I'M WORKING WITH TONY.
BEEN DOING IT FOR 18 YEARS NOW.
HE'S GOT HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
SO YOU JUST GOT TO [BLEEP]
MEET UP WITH THEM.
HEY, TONY.
SO, YOU WANTED US...
YOU WANTED US TO COME UP
WITH A PLAN
FOR WHAT THE [BLEEP] TO DO,
RIGHT? COOL.
WHAT ABOUT THE STUFF WE BRUSHED
BY THE AIRSTRIP?
♪
GOT IT?
OH!
OH, WAY OVER THERE.
Narrator: KEVIN'S PROPOSED
AIRSTRIP CUT IS A 100-ACRE AREA
JUST UPSTREAM FROM TONY'S CAMP
THAT COULD CONTAIN $3 MILLION.
YEAH, YEAH.
NO GOOD IF IT RUNS OUT.
YEAH?
OKAY. YES.
JUST A SEC.
♪
MM-HMM.
YEAH.
YEAH.
WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK.
YEP.
OKAY.
OKAY.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
4 YEARS.
IT'S GOOD
TILL FEBRUARY 4, '23,
BUT IT'S ON THE LITTLE FLAKE.
Kevin: LITTLE FLAKE.
ISN'T THAT PARKER?
YES, IT IS.
YOU DID THAT
PERSONALLY YOURSELF.
WELL,
YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DID IT.
MM-HMM.
Narrator: TONY HAS ONLY MINED
GROUND DOWNSTREAM OF HIS CAMP.
HE ALSO OWNS CLAIMS UPSTREAM,
CLOSE TO A NEIGHBOR'S AIRSTRIP.
OVER THE LAST 6 YEARS,
HE'S LEASED A NUMBER
OF CLAIMS TO PARKER,
AND WITH THESE CLAIMS, HE HANDED
OVER THE WATER LICENSE,
WHICH GOES ALL THE WAY
TO HIS CAMP.
Kevin: YEAH.
MAKE IT WORK.
AND YOU HAVE TO BE NICE,
SERIOUSLY.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GET
YOUR PERMISSION
TO PULL WATER
FROM YOUR PROPERTY?
Narrator: LAST SEASON,
TONY DENIED PARKER
ACCESS TO WATER,
STOPPING HIM FROM
MINING HIS OWN GROUND.
THIS YEAR, TONY'S ONLY OPTION
DEPENDS ON PARKER
AGREEING TO SHARE
HIS WATER LICENSE.
Parker: NOT TOO BAD.
COFFEE?
HOW WAS YOUR WINTER?
WE'RE DEFINITELY UP AGAINST IT
WITH THESE LICENSING ISSUES.
♪
YEAH.
♪
OH,
NOW WE'RE BUDDYING UP?
WHAT HAPPENED LAST SPRING,
TONY?
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING
IS THAT THAT...
BASICALLY, I'VE GOT CONTROL
WHETHER YOU CAN MINE OR NOT.
GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON
NOT TO TELL YOU TO GO
[BLEEP] YOURSELF.
♪
♪
Narrator: TO RESCUE
HIS MINING SEASON,
TONY BEETS MUST PERSUADE
PARKER SCHNABEL
TO SHARE HIS WATER LICENSE.
WAIT, SO YOU COME HERE,
YOU FLIP ME OFF,
AND YOU WANT SOMETHING?
WELL, IT APPEARS THE SHOE
IS ON THE OTHER HOOF.
NO. WHEN I NEEDED SOMETHING
WAS LAST SPRING, TONY.
♪
THERE'S BEEN SOME BAD BLOOD
AT TIMES, TONY,
BUT I'M GONNA BE CALLING
IN A FAVOR ONE OF THESE DAYS,
AND SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW
WE MIGHT NOT NEED ANYTHING,
BUT DOWN THE ROAD HERE
THIS SEASON,
I VERY WELL COULD...
AND SO I'M FINE WITH IT.
WHAT I DON'T WANT IS I DON'T
WANT TO BE LIABLE
FOR ANY MESSES YOU MAKE.
YEAH.
NOT AN ISSUE.
HAVE A GOOD ONE, TONY.
TONY HAS DONE SOME THINGS
THAT ARE TOUGH TO FORGIVE
IN THE LAST 6 YEARS,
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE'VE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD,
AND I THINK THIS IS
THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
HOPEFULLY, WE'VE GOT A FAVOR
IN OUR BACK POCKET,
AND THAT COMES IN HANDY
DOWN THE ROAD.
♪
Narrator: PARKER HAS SET
HIS CREW
TWO NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TASKS --
MINE HIS WHOLE CLAIM
IN ONE SEASON
AND START SLUICING
IN JUST 2 WEEKS.
THIS SEASON IS GOING
TO BE WAY MORE INTENSE
THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER YEAR
WE'VE HAD
JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE
SO MUCH GROUND TO GET THROUGH.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET GOING
EARLY AND MOVING OVERBURDEN,
THE KEY TO GETTING
THROUGH ALL THIS GROUND.
Man: YEAH, YOU KNOW,
WE'VE NEVER MOVED
THIS MUCH DIRT
IN THIS AMOUNT OF TIME
AND HAD THIS MUCH PRESSURE
TO GET IT DONE.
WE'RE ALREADY FALLING
BEHIND THIS SEASON.
Narrator: PARKER'S SUPER
CONVEYOR IS OUT OF ACTION,
PUTTING HIM WAY
BEHIND SCHEDULE.
HE STILL HAS TO REMOVE ANOTHER
200,000 YARDS OF WORTHLESS
OVERBURDEN BEFORE REACHING
THE GOLD-RICH PAY DIRT BENEATH.
Parker: WE'RE JUST
UP AGAINST THE CLOCK,
AND THIS OBVIOUSLY
AIN'T GONNA WORK.
YOU KNOW, THE NICEST PLACE TO
PUT IT WOULD BE ON TONY'S SIDE.
HE'S STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT OF
TIME LEFT ON HIS WATER LICENSE,
AND THEN HE NEEDS
OUR WATER LICENSE AFTER THAT,
SO HE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE
PRETTY FRIENDLY.
Narrator: NO ONE DUMPS DIRT
ON A NEIGHBOR'S CLAIM
WITHOUT PERMISSION,
BUT PARKER'S READY TO TEST
TONY'S PROMISE TO BUDDY UP.
MAKE A DEAL
WITH THE DEVIL?
Parker: WELL, IT'S NOT MUCH OF
A DEAL TO BE MADE.
WE'VE KIND OF GOT
MOST OF THE CARDS.
WE'VE GOT HIM BY THE GONADS
RIGHT NOW.
IT WOULD BE SO SIMPLE
FOR US.
THAT WOULD SOLVE
THIS PROBLEM FOR NOW.
IT'S A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION,
BUT IT'LL GET US WAY
AHEAD, WON'T IT?
YEP.
DEFINITELY.
WE'RE KIND OF DEAD IN THE WATER,
SO WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.
Narrator:
PARKER HAS ALREADY REMOVED
TWO-THIRDS OF THE OVERBURDEN
FROM THE CLUSTER CUT.
THE REMAINING THIRD IS AT
THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE CUT,
BORDERING THE CLAIMS TONY IS
BEING FORCED TO ABANDON.
IF PARKER PUSHES ALL HIS
REMAINING OVERBURDEN
ONTO TONY'S GROUND,
HE COULD STILL HIT HIS
2-WEEK SLUICING DEADLINE.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA PUSH ON
TONY'S SIDE ONTO HIS GROUND,
BUT ONLY UNTIL HIS LICENSE
EXPIRES AT MIDNIGHT.
I DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE
IN THE WATER.
I DON'T CARE IF IT'S SOUP.
GET IT OVER THE LINE.
IF WE CAN GET, LIKE, 100 FEET
ACROSS THAT WHOLE SECTION, LIKE,
DOWN TO PAY AND ALL BAILED
IN THERE, THEN WE'RE LAUGHING.
WELL,
SHOULD WE DO THIS?
YEAH.
LET'S DO IT.
HAVE A GOOD SHIFT, GUYS.
THANKS.
PARKER'S CREW HAS 12 HOURS
UNTIL TONY'S WATER LICENSE
EXPIRES AT MIDNIGHT.
WHAT?
WHAT?
I GOT TO WORK THERE, MAN.
WE'RE GONNA ATTACK THIS
BY PUSHING IT WITH THE DOZERS
AND THROWING IT WITH THE HOSE
AND EVEN HAULING IT
WITH THE TRUCKS.
WE'RE GONNA HIT
AT EVERY ANGLE WE CAN.
Aaron: PARKER'S GOT US MOVING
THIS OVERBURDEN
ONTO TONY BEETS' LAND.
I DON'T THINK
HE HAS PERMISSION.
GOT TO GIVE IT TO HIM,
THOUGH.
IT'S A PRETTY BALLSY MOVE.
THIS REALLY SOLVES
ALL THE PROBLEMS
WE'VE GOT DOWN
IN THE CLUSTER CUT,
AND WE'RE GONNA BE
GETTING GOLD
A LOT SOONER
THAN I THOUGHT.
♪
HEY, HEY.
HEY.
HOW'S SHE GOING?
CONSTANT BATTLE,
BUT IT'S COMING.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO LEAVE IT
AS OPEN
AS WE CAN TO FLOP
THIS STUFF BACK INTO
BECAUSE TONY IS GONNA GO
RAGE MODE ONE DAY
AND WE'LL HAVE TO, LIKE,
HURRY UP AND PUSH IT ALL BACK.
IT'D BE NICE NOT TO HAVE
A MOUNTAIN THAT HAS TO GO OVER.
Bree: I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
BECAUSE MY EXCAVATOR
IS CURRENTLY
SITTING PRETTY MUCH
RIGHT ON THE MIDDLE
OF THE BOUNDARY
BETWEEN TONY AND PARKER'S LAND.
SO I'M DIGGING OFF OF PARKER'S
AND PUTTING THE DIRT
ONTO TONY'S GROUND.
♪
♪
WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?
♪
♪
♪
Narrator: TO HIT HIS 2-WEEK
SLUICING DEADLINE,
PARKER SCHNABEL IS DUMPING
200,000 YARDS OF OVERBURDEN
ONTO TONY'S GROUND.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
BUT TONY IS DEPENDING
ON PARKER'S WATER LICENSE
TO MINE THIS SEASON.
HEY.
YOU MADE AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE GUY, RIGHT?
HONOR IT.
BE A NICE NEIGHBOR.
THAT'S IT.
HEY,
YOU MADE THE AGREEMENT.
HONOR IT.
LET IT BE GOOD.
♪
WHEN YOU'VE ONLY GOT
A COUPLE HOURS LEFT
TO GET ALL THIS DIRT MOVED,
YOU DON'T GO BACK FOR DINNER.
YOU JUST HAVE SOME TAILGATE
TACOS, MOBILE MEALS.
PRETTY BADASS.
Bree: DIRTY HANDS, CLEAN MONEY?
[ LAUGHTER ]
GOING TO SMASH DOWN SOME DINNER
AND GET BACK TO WORK.
Narrator: TWO HOURS BEFORE
THE MIDNIGHT DEADLINE,
PARKER STILL HAS NEARLY 50,000
YARDS OF OVERBURDEN TO MOVE.
Man: WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY
DOWN HERE WORKING.
THEY EVEN GOT THE MECHANICS
IN THE CAT.
SO I'M ALL FOR IT.
I LIKE SITTING IN THE SEAT
A LOT BETTER
THAN LAYING
UNDERNEATH THESE THINGS.
GO, GO, GO, GO, GO,
GO, GO.
♪
COME ON.
LET'S [BLEEP] GO.
WE HAVE A COUPLE HOURS LEFT
TO GET ALL THIS MATERIAL MOVED,
SO WE'RE GOING FULL TILT
TO GET THIS DONE.
Narrator: PARKER USES
THE 480 EXCAVATOR
TO MOVE THE OVERBURDEN
ONTO TONY'S GROUND.
Parker: THAT ORANGE FLAG RIGHT
IN FRONT OF ME IS TONY'S LINE.
AS SOON AS THE OLD CLOCK HITS
MIDNIGHT HERE, WE HAVE TO BE OFF
TONY'S GROUND
AND HIS LICENSE IS UP, SO.
BUT WE'RE JUST RUNNING
OUT OF TIME.
WE'VE ONLY GOT ABOUT
AN HOUR HERE.
OH, MY [BLEEP]
JUST THREW A [BLEEP] TRACK.
I MEAN, WITH ONLY ONE TRACK,
BEING CLOSE TO AN EDGE
IS NOT THE PLACE TO BE
BECAUSE IF YOU START GOING
THE WRONG WAY,
THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO
TO SAVE YOURSELF.
Man: Are you gonna bail that
thing off the edge?
I [BLEEP] SLID DOWN OFF THE BANK
AND I CAN'T WALK UPWARDS.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET THESE
THINGS TO POP RIGHT BACK ON.
SOME PEOPLE CAN DO IT
LIKE THEY'RE PROS.
I AM NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.
I AM TOTALLY STUCK IN THIS SPOT,
ON TONY'S GROUND WITH NO TRACK,
AND THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO GO.
Narrator: PARKER MUST MANEUVER
THE 58-TON EXCAVATOR
ONTO HIS SIDE OF THE LINE
BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
[BLEEP] NO.
[BLEEP]
OH, BOY.
SO RIGHT NOW THE ONLY THING
HOLDING ME UP HERE
IS THE BUCKET,
AND IF I GO THAT WAY,
I'M GONNA ROLL
THE EXCAVATOR OVER.
I'VE DONE SOME DUMB STUFF
IN AN EXCAVATOR,
BUT THIS PROBABLY
TAKES THE CAKE.
I'M GOING FOR IT.
♪
[BLEEP]
♪
[BLEEP]
♪
♪
[ SIGHS ]
TIME'S UP.
I'M ON MY SIDE OF THE LINE.
I'M MISSING A LEG.
LIKE, HOW DOES THAT
EVEN HAPPEN, SERIOUSLY?
Good job, guys.
We [bleep] nailed it.
I WASN'T SURE WE WERE GOING
TO MAKE IT,
BUT I THINK WE'VE DONE IT,
and I don't know
if we've ever moved
that much dirt
in 12 hours before.
YIPPEE KI YAY [BLEEP]
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL
FOR STICKING IT OUT,
AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT,
AND WE [BLEEP]
NAILED SOME DIRT IN THAT.
I THINK WE ACTUALLY
GOT MORE OFF
THAN WHAT WE FIGURED
WE WERE GONNA.
WE'RE DOWN TO PAY,
AND THE CLUSTER CUT
IS FINALLY OPEN
FOR BUSINESS.
ALL RIGHT.
THANKS, GUYS.
OKAY.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
Narrator: PARKER STRIPPED
THE CLUSTER CUT IN RECORD TIME.
AFTER 6 YEARS AS A TENANT,
HE'S ALMOST READY TO MINE
HIS OWN ROYALTY-FREE GOLD.
Parker: GOOD DAYS.
TIME TO GET SLUICING
BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
♪
♪
-THERE SHE IS, BUDDY.
-OH, THAT SHOULD WORK.
Narrator: RICK NESS IS LEASING
A WASH PLANT
DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND
ROCKY GROUND.
HE'S COUNTING ON IT
TO DOUBLE HIS GOLD TOTAL,
BUT FIRST HE MUST HAUL IT
12 MILES UP A MOUNTAIN ROAD
TO HIS CLAIM.
I'VE CALLED A TON OF PEOPLE
TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY
THAT WOULD HAUL
TROY'S WASH PLANT.
NATHAN SAID HE'D DO IT,
SO EITHER HE'S REALLY GOOD
AT WHAT HE DOES,
OR HE HAS NO IDEA
WHAT HE'S DOING.
ONE OR THE OTHER.
I DON'T BABY ANYTHING.
IF YOU'RE NOT WRECKING [BLEEP]
YOU'RE NOT WORKING.
HEY, TROY.
HI.
LOOKS LIKE
YOU'RE GETTING THERE.
WELL, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED
ON SOME SIMPLE STUFF HERE.
NICE.
ALL WE GOT TO DO IS PULL
THE SLUICE BOXES OFF.
WE'LL DRAG IT RIGHT
THROUGH HERE,
AND GET IT TO A SPOT
WHERE WE CAN GET IT ON A TRUCK.
IF WE CAN JUST PULL IT DOWN
THROUGH THIS LOW AREA.
COOL. YEAH.
I'LL JUST GET A NICE LITTLE SPOT
WITH THE EXCAVATOR, THEN.
Narrator: RICK CREATES A RAMP
TO DRAG THE 25-TON PLANT
FROM ITS PAD.
Rick: BUT IT AIN'T GOING TO BE
EASY GETTING IT OUT OF HERE,
BUT IF WE DO,
AND WE GET IT TO MY SITE,
WE COULD BE UP AND GETTING
GOLD DAMN NEAR 2 MONTHS
EARLIER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR,
AND I'D CALL THAT ONE HELL
OF A HEAD START.
YOU READY TO TRY THIS OUT?
SO JUST RIGHT IN HERE?
I THINK
THAT WOULD BE FINE.
Narrator: WASH PLANT OWNER TROY
ATTACHES
THE 12-FOOT SLUICE
TO THE EXCAVATOR.
♪
WHOO!
OH [BLEEP]
OH, NO, NO, NO.
EVERYBODY
WATCH THEIRSELF.
I'M FLYING BLIND HERE.
YOU'VE GOT TO TELL ME
WHERE TO GO.
ALL RIGHT.
COME ALONG
ON ONE OF THE CORNERS.
KIND OF KEEP IT FROM...
YEAH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO...
GET UP OUT OF YOUR WAY.
YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN UP HERE.
I THINK IT WILL BE OKAY.
-OH!
-OH, WHOA!
[BLEEP]
♪
Troy: WATCH OUT!
[BLEEP]
OKAY.
Man: HEY, SHE'S FREE!
FUN AND GAMES.
MIGHT WANT TO PAN THEM
ROCKS HERE.
YEAH!
A BIT OF GOLD IN THERE.
Narrator: RICK NESS IS MOVING
HIS RENTED WASH PLANT
TO HIS CLAIM UP
DUNCAN CREEK.
CHECK IT OUT. I CAN
PULL THIS WHOLE THING MYSELF.
THE HIGH CENTER OF GRAVITY
MEANS ONE FALSE MOVE
AND THE 25-TON WASH PLANT
COULD TIP OVER,
COSTING RICK TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
EASY, EASY.
OKAY!
YOU'RE GOOD!
YEAH, YEAH.
Nathan:
I'M GONNA WINCH IT NOW.
IF THIS WINCH LINE BREAKS,
IT'LL COME RIGHT OVER
THE HOOD OF MY TRUCK.
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
♪
WHOA! WHOA!
Rick: OH, BOY.
HE'S ALREADY OFF ON THAT SIDE.
WE JUST MISSED ON THAT SIDE.
IT'S TOO WIDE.
[ LAUGHS ]
WE'VE GOT NO MARGIN FOR ERROR
LOADING THIS ON,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
THIS ONE'S LIKE 9-4.
BECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS ONLY 8-6,
LIKE, IN BETWEEN,
BUT IT'S WIDER THAN THAT.
OH.
YEAH, IT SEEMS THAT WAY.
WELL, WHEN I MEASURED
THE INSIDE,
IT WAS 8-6 ON THE OTHER END,
AND THIS SIDE IS LIKE 9 FEET.
I MEASURED THE WRONG SIDE.
Narrator: THE GAP
BETWEEN THE SKIDS
IS WIDER AT ONE END
THAN THE OTHER,
MEANING IT HAS JUST 2 INCHES
RESTING ON THE LOWBOY.
THAT SIDE HAS GOT ABOUT
THAT MUCH ON IT,
AND THIS SIDE
HAS GOT THAT MUCH.
A WIDER TRAILER IS NOT AN OPTION
AT THIS POINT.
I MEAN, THIS ONE IS HERE.
THERE'S JUST NOT ANY ROOM
FOR ERROR HERE.
Nathan:
KEEP THE PRESSURE ON IT,
AND I'M GONNA TRY
WINCHING IT.
[BLEEP]
IF YOU SEE IT START
GOING OVER,
JUST TRY AND FOLLOW IT A BIT.
Narrator: PLANT OWNER TROY
IN HIS EXCAVATOR
AND RYAN
IN THE LOADER
WILL ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE PLANT
FROM TIPPING.
♪
♪
-YEAH, YEAH.
-OH.
♪
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
YEAH.
♪
[ HORN HONKS ]
♪
THAT'S ABOUT AS GOOD
AS WE CAN GET HER.
[BLEEP]
IT'S LEGITIMATE 2 INCHES
ON EACH SIDE OF...
YEAH.
[BLEEP] YEAH, YEAH.
THAT'S THE SCARIEST
[BLEEP] AIN'T IT?
OH, MY [BLEEP]
Narrator: THE PLANT
IS WAY TOO WIDE
FOR THE LOWBOY
AND BARELY BALANCED.
THE ROAD TO THE CLAIM
IS FULL OF SWITCHBACKS,
BUT NATHAN IS NOT
ABOUT TO QUIT.
Nathan: SENSELESS TO GO
ANY FASTER
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN
YOU START BREAKING [BLEEP]
A BIT OF A SHARP CORNER
COMING UP.
♪
WANT ME TO GUIDE YOU?
RUN THAT DITCH.
YEAH.
[BLEEP] YEAH.
[BLEEP] YEAH.
LET'S GET THEM MOVING.
PIECE OF PISS.
I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GOING
TO MAKE IT PAST THAT.
HOLY [BLEEP]
LOOKS LIKE SHE'S GONNA GET
PRETTY TIGHT
TREE-WISE
AROUND THIS CORNER.
WHEW.
AW [BLEEP]
OH [BLEEP]
THAT'S TIGHT.
OH, YOU'RE GONNA
HIT IT...
YOU'RE GONNA
HIT IT IN THE...
I THINK WE SHOULD GET RID
OF THOSE BECAUSE
THEY'RE LEANING WAY OVER,
AND I CAN'T GO OVER.
I GOT TO GO INTO THAT MUCK.
Narrator:
OUT IN THIS WILDERNESS,
EVERY TRUCK DRIVER
NEEDS TO COME PREPARED.
YEAH.
PERFECT.
YEAH.
I MEAN [BLEEP] WIDE.
I DON'T REMEMBER EVER HAVING
TO CHOP TREES DOWN
TO MAKE IT DOWN A ROAD,
BUT...
♪
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
OH, YEAH.
AH, THIS WILL BE TRICKY TOO,
SO STILL HOLDING MY BREATH.
WE GOT TO PULL IT
THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE DECK.
IT'S ALL
IN RICK'S HANDS NOW.
HE'S THE ONE WHO'S GOT TO PULL
IT OFF
STRAIGHT WITHOUT IT GOING...
WE ALL KNOW HOW IT
WENT LOADING IT.
♪
OH, STOP!
STOP, STOP, STOP.
Nathan: YOU GOT TO GET ON
THAT CORNER AND PUSH IT.
THAT... THE [BLEEP] PLANT
IS BARELY ON THAT TRAILER.
IF IT GOES ONE SIDE
OR THE OTHER, IT'S GOING OVER.
YOU JUST BE ON THAT SIDE JUST
IN CASE SOMETHING GOES WRONG.
HE'S PULLING.
HE'S PULLING.
HE'S PULLING.
WE WANT TO GO BACK MORE?
WE'RE LOOKING GOOD THERE.
Come on. Come on.
Come on, Rick.
♪
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
OH, BOY.
Almost there, Rick,
almost there.
♪
[BLEEP]
[ LAUGHS ]
YEAH!
MADE IT LOOK EASY, RIGHT?
HOLY [BLEEP]
HOLY [BLEEP] IS RIGHT.
THANKS FOR TODAY.
YOU WERE THE MAN
FOR THE JOB, MAN.
YOU BETCHA.
APPRECIATE IT, NATHAN.
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT.
NO PROBLEM, MAN.
♪
Rick: GOT HER HERE.
IT'S HERE
AND IT'S SAFE, SO...
TWO WEEKS AGO WE DIDN'T
EVEN HAVE A CLAIM,
AND NOW WE'VE GOT
A PLANT ON-SITE,
AND WE CAN SLUICE TOMORROW.
WE CAN PUT IT TO WORK NOW.
WE'RE STILL DAMN NEAR
2 MONTHS
AHEAD OF WHERE
WE WERE LAST YEAR.
THAT'S HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT.
LAST YEAR, I PRETTY MUCH BROKE
EVEN, BUT THIS YEAR,
I HAVE TO DO BETTER,
NOT JUST FOR ME,
BUT ALSO FOR MY GUYS,
YOU KNOW?
THEY HAVE SACRIFICED A LOT
TO BE HERE,
AND IF WE CAN GET INTO
THAT BIG GOLD,
MAKE SURE THEY GO HOME
WITH A BIG BONUS.
Together: RAY!
♪
♪
THIS FIRST CUT HAS TO HAVE
ALL THE PAY MUCKED OUT OF IT.
Narrator: IN HIS NEW CLAIM,
PARKER SCHNABEL HAS REMOVED
ALL THE OVERBURDEN AND
REACHED GOLD-RICH PAY GRAVEL.
EVERY DAY WE'RE NOT SLUICING
IS POTENTIALLY A DAY OF GROUND
THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO MINE.
Narrator: WITH 3 DAYS LEFT
TO HIT HIS 2-WEEK TARGET,
HE'S IN A RUSH
TO DIG UP THE PAY DIRT,
BRING IN THE WASH PLANT,
AND START SLUICING.
Parker: YEAH, I MEAN, THE WHOLE
CUT HAS TO GET DOWN TO BEDROCK,
AND...
SHE'S FROZEN
PRETTY DAMN HARD.
♪
IF THE WHOLE CUT IS GONNA BE
LIKE THIS,
THEN WE'RE IN TROUBLE.
Narrator:
PARKER HAS HIT PERMAFROST,
GROUND THAT HAS BEEN FROZEN
FOR OVER 10,000 YEARS.
TO TEST ITS DEPTH,
PARKER SWITCHES THE BUCKET
ON HIS 700 EXCAVATOR FOR
HIS CUSTOM-BUILT RIPPING TOOL,
THE DEVIL'S FINGER.
♪
Parker:
WE'RE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT.
[BLEEP]
Narrator: TO DIG OUT
THE GOLD-RICH PAY DIRT
ON HIS TIME LINE,
PARKER NEEDS TO FIND A WAY
TO SPEED UP THE THAW.
Parker: YEAH, EVERYTHING
IS PRETTY [BLEEP] FROZEN.
WE CAN'T JUMP THE GUN
ON THIS.
A LOT OF IT DEPENDS
ON THE WEATHER.
I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING
TO RICK NESS.
HE USED LITTLE SPRINKLERS,
LIKE, FOR GROUND-THAWING.
MAYBE WE'LL LUCK OUT.
EITHER WAY, WE'VE GOT
TO GET GOING, SO...
Man: I'M SKEPTICAL.
HE'S JUST GONNA END UP
FLOODING THE CUT,
AND I DON'T LIKE DOING THAT.
YO.
YOU GOT SOME TIME
FOR A LITTLE PROJECT?
WHAT'RE YOU THINKING?
Narrator: PARKER'S PLAN --
PLACE TWO WATER-JETS
KNOWN AS MONITORS IN THE CUT,
EACH SPRAYING 1,000 GALLONS
OF WATER A MINUTE.
HEAT FROM THE WATER
WILL TRANSFER TO THE GROUND
AND SHOULD THAW THE PERMAFROST.
♪
LEADING THE BUILD IS PARKER'S
HEAD MECHANIC, MITCH BLASCHKE.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE USING ONE
OF OUR OLD WATER PUMP TRAILERS
TO TRY AND KIND OF BUILD
THE STAND HERE.
THE IDEA IS, WATER IS GOING
TO BE COMING IN
FROM OUR DEWATERING PUMP HERE.
IT'S GONNA GO UP THIS TUBE,
GO INTO OUR SPRAY NOZZLE.
THAT'S GOING TO SPIN AROUND,
HOPEFULLY THAW OUT THE CUT.
YOU READY, DENNIS?
YEP.
IT'S THE THAWMINATOR.
THAWMINATOR?
YEAH.
OH, YEAH.
[BLEEP] COOL.
ALL RIGHT.
I'LL MEET YOU GUYS DOWN THERE.
OKAY.
♪
Mitch: I DON'T THINK
IT'S GONNA WORK.
HE'S JUST GOING TO END UP
MAKING A MESS IN HERE.
KID SHOULD HAVE WENT TO COLLEGE.
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
WELL, SHOULD WE TRY IT?
♪
OH!
I ALMOST BLEW OVER!
THAT'S FULL FLOW!
WHOO!
GOOD JOB, GUYS.
RIG UP ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE
AND USE THE BIG
12-INCH PUMP IN THE YARD
AND RUN TWO OF THEM.
YEAH.
I MEAN, WATER IS THE BEST WAY
TO THAW THINGS OUT, YOU KNOW,
AND WITH THIS GOOD,
STEADY FLOW THROUGH THE CUT,
IT'S GONNA THAW
SOME GROUND DOWN IN A HURRY.
♪
Narrator: AFTER 48 HOURS
OF SPRAYING
MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER,
PARKER CHECKS
THE THAWMINATOR'S PROGRESS.
OH, MAN, I DON'T EVEN SEE
THE THAWMINATOR GOING.
THAT'S NOT GOOD.
HOW'S IT GOING?
SHUT IT OFF THIS MORNING
AND LET THE SUN BEAT DOWN ON IT
TO DRY IT OUT A BIT,
BUT WE ONLY GOT WHAT LOOKS
LIKE INCHES OF THAW HERE.
NOT LOOKING GOOD,
PARKER.
MOST OF IT'S 8,
10 INCHES OF THAW.
Narrator: USING THE THAWMINATOR
WAS SLOWER THAN DOING NOTHING
AND LETTING THE SUN
THAW THE GROUND.
SO IT DIDN'T WORK WORTH
A [BLEEP] YOU'RE SAYING.
NO, I THINK WE SHOT OURSELVES
IN THE FOOT.
WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO
LEAVE IT FOR A WEEK,
AND HOPEFULLY
THE SUN DOES ITS JOB.
ANOTHER WEEK, HUH?
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER OPTIONS
WE GOT.
Narrator: HAVING FAILED TO THAW
THE GROUND IN TIME,
PARKER WILL NOW MISS
HIS SLUICING DEADLINE.
WELL, THAT SUCKS.
WE JUST HAVE SO MUCH GROUND
TO GET THROUGH DOWN HERE,
AND WE'RE UNDER SUCH A [BLEEP]
DEADLINE FOR THE SEASON,
YOU KNOW?
I WOULD SAY "SWING AND A MISS,"
BUT IT'S MORE LIKE
A FULL-ON STRIKEOUT.
WE LOST THE WEEK.
THAT'S A WEEK SLUICING,
A GOOD 300,
500 OUNCES THAT WE'RE NOT
GONNA GET THIS YEAR.
WE'LL NEVER GET THAT BACK.
Narrator: THAT'S OVER
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS
PARKER HAS JUST LOST.
Parker: WOW.
GUESS I'LL KEEP THE DUMB [BLEEP]
IDEAS TO MYSELF THEN.
IT'S A PRETTY [BLEEP]
WAY TO START A SEASON.
YEAH, NOT REAL PUMPED ABOUT IT.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?
♪
♪
Narrator: THE BEETS' OPERATIONS
ON EUREKA CREEK ARE SHUT DOWN,
BUT BEFORE THE LICENSE EXPIRED,
THEY MANAGED 5 DAYS SLUICING
WITH THE NEW ZEALAND PLANT.
-HEY, FAM.
-HI, GUYS.
I'VE GOT STUFF.
Narrator: RUNNING COSTS AVERAGE
AROUND 100 OUNCES PER WEEK.
Minnie: 10.
45.
50.
70.
90.
98.40.
Narrator: WORTH NEARLY $140,000,
ONLY ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM GOING
FOR THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.
THAT IT'LL BE
THE LAST BIT WE GET...
YEAH.
MM-HMM.
KEVIN, THEIR STRIP IS GOING TO
TAKE A WHILE STRIPPING.
MM-HMM.
AND WE HAVEN'T DECIDED
WHERE WE'RE GOING YET.
Narrator:
THE BEETS FACE DISASTER
IF THEY DON'T GET MINING
ON A NEW CLAIM FAST.
YES.
WELL,
NOT MY FIRST RODEO.
IT'LL [BLEEP] HAPPEN.
WELL, I KNOW. WE GOT TO MAKE IT
[BLEEP] HAPPEN.
YOU GUYS HAVE ANY IDEAS
WHERE YOU'RE HEADING?
OH, I HAVE SOME SCHEMES,
JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING PANS THROUGH.
Monica: I'M PLOTTING.
OH, THAT'S DANGEROUS.
Minnie: AND QUICK.
OKAY, GUYS, OUT OF HERE.
GET BACK TO WORK.
RIGHT NOW MONICA AND MIKE
DON'T HAVE ANYTHING CONCRETE,
SO THE ONLY THING HAPPENING
IS THE AIRSTRIP CUT.
THE PRESSURE IS ON TO GET IT
[BLEEP] GOING.
♪
Narrator: THE NESS CREW TAKES
A SHORT BREAK TO BUILD
A VITAL PIECE
OF INFRASTRUCTURE --
THE BEER DECK.
OH, DO YOU NEED A HAND?
HOLD ON, LET ME GET MY ASS
CRACK OUT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
OKAY, NOW I'M READY.
YEAH.
LOOK HOW STRAIGHT
ALL THIS IS.
Man: WE'RE GONNA GET
THIS FINISHED,
AND RUBY IS GOING TO WALK ON IT,
AND IT'S JUST GOING TO COLLAPSE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
♪
BEST DECK EVER, GUYS.
HEY, THANKS.
CHEERS, FELLAS.
All: RAY!
♪
Narrator: TWO WEEKS
INTO THE SEASON,
THE BEETS FAMILY
IS STILL NOT MINING FOR GOLD,
BUT KEVIN HAS A PLAN --
MINE THE 100-ACRE AIRSTRIP
CUT UPSTREAM FROM THE CAMP.
TONY AND PARKER
WORKED OUT A DEAL,
SO WE GET TO STAY,
MADE MY [BLEEP] DAY.
SO NOW WE GOT TO MAKE UP FOR
LOST TIME, GET ALL OUR [BLEEP]
DOWN TO THE AIRSTRIP
AND GET [BLEEP] PRODUCING.
♪
Narrator: TONY NEEDS GOLD
COMING IN WITHIN 2 WEEKS.
TONY'S KLONDIKE EMPIRE DEPENDS
ON HIM FINDING THAWED GROUND.
HERE IT'S FROZEN, SO WE GOT
A BIT OF A PROBLEM.
AS IT STANDS, WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO MINE ON THIS GROUND.
♪
♪
This is Kevin.
Cool, cool, cool.
Narrator: NOW TONY HAS FOUND
THAWED GROUND,
IT'S TIME TO RALLY THE TROOPS.
HEY, MONICA.
YOU GOT A COPY?
Monica: Kevin?
Yeah, the Airstrip Cut
is good to go.
IF YOU CAN GRAB MIKE,
WE CAN START STRIPPING.
WHOO!
WE GOT THE D10 OVER HERE.
TONY IS GONNA DO
THAT HIMSELF PERSONALLY,
THEN WE'LL HAVE
ROUTE TRUCKS.
BANG, BANG, BANG.
♪
TONY PUT IT TO THREE OF US
TO MAKE THIS YEAR [BLEEP] WORK.
SO MIKE HAS BEEN AROUND
FOR A WHILE,
BUT HE'S MOSTLY ON EQUIPMENT,
SAME THING WITH MONICA.
BESIDES TONY, THERE ISN'T
ANYONE ON THE CLAIM
WITH AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AS ME,
AND WITH INDIAN RIVER SHUT DOWN,
I NEED TO HAVE
MY OWN OPERATION.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT
PRETTY [BLEEP] GOOD.
Monica: BEEN A [BLEEP]
COUPLE WEEKS,
SO IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK
TO DOING WHAT WE DO BEST,
BUT I GOT TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT I'M DOING
BECAUSE DEFINITELY CAN'T HAVE
KEVIN BRINGING IN GOLD
BEFORE I AM.
IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK AT IT.
I'M JUST GLAD EVERYTHING
HAS WORKED OUT
AND WE'RE GOING AGAIN.
Narrator: THE BEETS FAMILY
IS BACK IN BUSINESS.
♪
♪
YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE SEASON
IS JUST NOT GOING OFF
TO THE RIGHT START
THAT IT SHOULD BE.
WE'RE OUT OF CONTROL, REALLY.
Narrator: PARKER SET HIMSELF
A GOAL --
REMOVE ALL THE OVERBURDEN
FROM THE CLUSTER CUT
AND GET SLUICING
WITHIN 2 WEEKS.
BAD DECISIONS SAW HIM DESTROY
HIS SUPER-CONVEYOR
AND DELAY THE THAWING PROCESS.
THESE UNFORCED ERRORS
ARE COSTING HIM
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK.
THE MOST IRRITATING THING
ABOUT IT WAS THAT BUYING GROUND
WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE
THE PRESSURE OFF, RIGHT?
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WERE
GETTING OURSELVES INTO, REALLY.
RIGHT NOW I'M JUST HEADING
HOME TO SEE MY FOLKS.
Narrator: PARKER HAS MADE
THE 600-MILE JOURNEY
TO HAINES, ALASKA.
REALLY I JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN
WITH MY DAD
AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE ON HERE.
♪
HEY, DAD.
-PARKER!
-HOW'S IT GOING?
I'M DOING GREAT.
I'M DOING BETTER NOW
THAT YOU'RE HERE.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU,
PARKER.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
THE CALLS HAVE BEEN FEW
AND FAR BETWEEN, PARKER.
YEAH, WE'VE BEEN BUSY.
HAVE YOU?
YEAH, WE'VE BEEN BUSY,
AND, I MEAN,
THAT'S PART OF THE REASON
WHY I'M HERE ACTUALLY IS,
IT'S JUST, THIS PIECE OF GROUND
WE BOUGHT,
THE WATER LICENSE ON IT
EXPIRES IN JUNE OF NEXT YEAR...
AND WHICH IS TOO LATE
TO DO ANYTHING NEXT YEAR,
SO BASICALLY WE HAVE THIS YEAR
TO MINE IT OUT.
SO YOU GOT TO GET
YOUR ACT TOGETHER.
RIGHT. AND WE'VE SPENT
$1.5 MILLION ALREADY
THIS SPRING.
IF YOU SPENT THAT KIND OF MONEY,
YOU'VE COMMITTED YOURSELF.
YOU'RE TAKING A HUGE RISK.
WELL, PARKER, YOU'RE NOT
PLAYING A GAME HERE.
YOU'VE GOT
TO GET PROFESSIONAL.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT A HODINKY
LITTLE MINING OUTFIT ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE TASKS ARE,
YOU KNOW, WHAT IT TAKES FOR YOU
TO PUT THE MINE TOGETHER
AND WHAT MAKES IT WORK.
NOW IT'S AN ISSUE OF MISSION
OPERATION
TO MAKE SURE ALL THOSE TASKS
GEL, THEY'RE LINKED TOGETHER
AND THEY'RE ALL WORKING
LIKE A SMOOTH MACHINE.
RIGHT.
IT'S DO-OR-DIE FOR YOU, SO TO
SPEAK, ON THAT PIECE OF LAND.
IS THAT CORRECT?
YEAH.
LOOK AT ALL YOUR ISSUES THAT
YOU'VE GOT THERE AND BUCK UP.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO CHANGE,
PARKER?
ARE YOU PREPARED
TO CHANGE?
Narrator: ON THE NEW SEASON
OF "GOLD RUSH"...
WHOA!
...PARKER STARTS SWINGING
FOR THE FENCES...
350.
Narrator: ...PUSHING HIS TEAM
TO THE LIMIT IN A RACE
TO MINE OUT HIS CUT.
I DON'T GET WHAT THE [BLEEP]
GOING ON HERE.
IF YOU GOT A BETTER PLAN,
PARKER, I'M GAME.
I'LL MEET YOU BACK
IN MY OFFICE.
DEAN IS DONE.
RICK DOUBLES DOWN...
OH, RICK.
HOLY [BLEEP]
...IN HIS SEARCH
FOR MONSTER NUGGETS.
OKAY, I'M STARTING
TO FEEL BETTER.
TONY BEETS GOES ON
A TREASURE HUNT...
THERE DEFINITELY HAS GOT
TO BE GOLD DOWN THERE.
...CHASING THE GOLD LEFT
BY THE PIONEERS
OF THE ORIGINAL GOLD RUSH.
THIS KEEPS
THE COMPANY ALIVE.
THAT IS REAL
YUKON HISTORY.