Gold Rush: Alaska (2010–…): Season 10, Episode 13 - Nuggets or Bust - full transcript
The gold miners of the Yukon put everything on the line in the hopes of striking it rich. With new miners, claims and machines, the stakes are higher than ever!
YOU'D CALL THIS
A LAST CHANCE HOLE.
Narrator: ON THIS "GOLD RUSH"...
WE CAME HERE UNDER THE PROMISE
OF BIG NUGGETS.
Narrator:
...RICK NESS GOES HUNTING
FOR KENO'S LEGENDARY
MONSTER NUGGETS...
THE WHOLE [BLEEP] SEASON
IS RIDING ON THIS.
[ CRASHING ]WHOA!
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?!
[ RUMBLING ]HOLY...
TONY, THIS THING IS [BLEEP]!
Narrator:
...TONY FACES A DISASTER
THAT COULD END
HIS MINING SEASON...
Tony: WHOA!
IF WE DON'T GET SOME HELP,
THE WHEELS ARE GONNA
COME OFF THIS THING.
Narrator: ...AND WITH
HIS TEAM STRETCHED THIN,
PARKER SCHNABEL
GAMBLES ON A GREENHORN.
THIS IS ALL VERY,
VERY NEW TO ME.
TRYING TO LINE THIS UP.
[ CRASHING ]
-WHOA!
-[BLEEP]!
EASY, MAN!
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
[ SNEEZES ]
[BLEEP]!
♪♪
JUST ANOTHER GLORIOUS DAY
UP HERE IN THE YUKON.
Narrator: AT DUNCAN CREEK,
RICK NESS FINALLY
HAS MONSTER RED DIALED IN,
THANKS TO EXPERT MINER
GENE CHEESEMAN.
♪♪
TRYING TO GET THE PLANT RUNNING
THE MOST EFFICIENT WE CAN,
THE OPTIMUM AMOUNT OF MATERIAL.
THE MORE UP-TIME WE CAN
HAVE WITH THE PLANT,
THE MORE GOLD
WE'RE GOING TO RECOVER.
♪♪
Narrator: DESPITE GENE'S
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLANT,
RICK'S GROUND HAS SO FAR
YIELDED JUST 265 OUNCES,
LEAVING HIM DISASTROUSLY SHORT
OF HIS 2,000 OUNCE SEASON GOAL.
Rick: I'M PRETTY WORRIED.
WE REALLY NEED BETTER GROUND
IF WE'RE GOING TO HIT
OUR GOAL THIS YEAR.
WHERE WE'VE BEEN DIGGING,
IT'S JUST NOT CUTTING IT.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT
GIVING US THE GOLD
THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED.
WE CAME HERE UNDER THE PROMISE
OF, YOU KNOW,
GOLD-RICH POCKETS
AND BIG NUGGETS.
AND RIGHT NOW,
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED
TO SAVE OUR SEASON.
Narrator:
AT THE START OF THE SEASON,
CLAIM OWNERS
DEAN AND STUART GRAY,
CONVINCED RICK
TO MINE DUNCAN CREEK
WITH A PILE
OF MONSTER GOLD NUGGETS.
[ Chuckling ] NO WAY!
ARE YOU SERIOUS?Stuart: MM-HMM.
MOUNT HINTON IS THE KNOWN SOURCE
OF GOLD IN THE AREA,
AND WE DO HAVE
SOME VERY GOOD RESULTS
ON THOSE OTHER
TRIBUTARIES.
YEP.
AND WE BELIEVE
THAT THESE SAME RESULTS
WILL BE IN UPPER DUNCAN.
Narrator: TO HUNT DOWN
DUNCAN CREEK'S NUGGETS
AND SAVE HIS SEASON,
RICK'S PERSUADED HIS LANDLORD
TO PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT.
MORNING, GUYS.
Dean: RICK.
HEY, THERE, STUART.HOW YOU DOING?
GOOD.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
Narrator: STUART'S
BROUGHT GEOPHYSICIST,
SELENA MAGLE...
NICE TO MEET YOU, BILL.NICE TO MEET YOU, RICK.
...AND ONE OF THE YUKON'S
TOP GEOLOGISTS,
WILLIAM LeBARGE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING AROUND HERE
FOR A LOT OF YEARS.
THIS IS THE AREA DIRECTLY ACROSS
FROM THE PLANT.
MM-HMM.
AND I REALLY THINK
IT HAS GREAT POTENTIAL
BECAUSE IT'S OUTSIDE
OF THE LIMITS
OF THE MOST RECENT
GLACIATION,
WHICH WAS 28,000
TO ABOUT 10,000 YEARS AGO.
OKAY.
Narrator: 150,000 YEARS AGO,
AT THE TOP OF MOUNT HINTON,
A GLACIER FORMED.
WHEN IT REACHED
THE QUARTZ VEIN
CONTAINING THE MOTHER LODE,
IT PLUCKED NUGGETS
THAT TRAVELED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
AND WERE DEPOSITED
IN SPORADIC POCKETS.
IF THE GEOLOGISTS CAN LOCATE
ONE OF THESE POCKETS,
RICK COULD TURN
HIS SEASON AROUND
AND PRODUCE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN GOLD.
FIRST,
I THINK WE SHOULD
DO SOME SURVEYS
HERE ON THIS AREA,
THIS TRIBUTARY...
YEAH.
...AND THEN I THINK
WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK
AT THE NEXT ONE OVER.
THEY HAVE SOME
SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT
A REALLY GOOD SPOT
TO START HERE, SO...OKAY, RICK.
WE'RE GONNA GO
FIND IT FOR YOU.
AWESOME!
LET'S DO IT!
♪♪
Gene: EXCITED
TO SEE THIS.
I JUST WANT
TO FIND SOME GOLD.
Rick: [BLEEP] YEAH!
HOPEFULLY IT WORKS.
♪♪
♪♪
SOME THICK MOSS.
YOU BROUGHT SOME
OF YOUR EQUIPMENT AND
STUFF WITH YOU OR...?
William: YEAH, WE BROUGHT
OUR RESISTIVITY GEAR TODAY.
♪♪
Narrator: RESISTIVITY TESTING
IS A 100-YEAR-OLD
PROSPECTING TECHNIQUE
THAT IS NOW COMBINED
WITH COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY.
Rick: RESISTIVITY
IS ACTUALLY REALLY COOL.
IT'S A WAY TO SEE
WHAT'S UNDER THE GROUND
WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING
TO DIG DOWN THERE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK,
JUST GO STRAIGHT UP FROM HERE?
KEEP IT STRAIGHT.
YEAH?
AND THESE BOXES,
THEY'RE CALLED ELECTRODES,
AND THEY GET CONNECTED
INTO THE GROUND WITH THESE PEGS,
AND THAT'S WHAT
CARRIES THE CURRENTS.
AND FROM THAT, WE GET
READINGS OF THE RESISTIVITY,
AND WE CAN MAKE
A CROSS SECTION.
Narrator: RESISTIVITY TESTING
USES ELECTRODES
TO PASS AN ELECTRIC CURRENT
THROUGH THE EARTH.
AS THE CURRENT HITS DIFFERENT
TYPES OF DIRT OR ROCK,
THE RESISTANCE CHANGES.
THIS ALLOWS THEM
TO MAP THE BEDROCK
AND DETECT DEPRESSIONS,
OR CHANNELS,
WHERE NUGGETS
COULD HAVE SETTLED.
♪♪
SO, CAN YOU TOUCH IT
WHILE IT'S TESTING
OR WILL IT SHOCK YOU?
IT WILL SHOCK YOU.
REALLY?
[ Laughing ] YEAH.
I WON'T TOUCH IT.YOU CAN TOUCH IT IF YOU WANT.
NAH, I'M GOOD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT TAKES JUST MINUTES
TO PROCESS THE DATA.
Selena: OKAY.
SO HERE'S OUR FINAL IMAGE.
WE CAN SEE ON HERE THERE'S LOTS
OF DIFFERENT COLORS.
YOU CAN SEE DOWN HERE,
THAT'S THE CREEK
THAT WE CROSSED.
AND THEN RIGHT DOWN IN HERE,
WHERE IT DIPS DOWN?
YEAH?THAT'S ABOUT 50 FEET DOWN.
SO YEAH, THIS WILL BE THE TARGET
THAT WE'D WANT TO DRILL.
OKAY.
AND WE CAN MARK THAT OFF
CLEARLY, IN THE GROUND.
YEAH.
WOW!
I GUESS
IT'S LIKE A TREASURE HUNT,
BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY
NO GUARANTEE
THERE'S TREASURE
DOWN THERE.
WE CAN SEE THE PLACE
WHERE THE PIRATES
WOULD HAVE BURIED IT,
IF THERE WAS...
YEAH.[ SELENA CHUCKLES ]
Narrator:
BY THE END OF THE DAY,
THE GEOLOGISTS IDENTIFIED TWO
PRIME TARGETS FOR BIG NUGGETS,
WITH THE POTENTIAL
TO SAVE RICK'S SEASON.
Rick: THE NEXT STEP IS
TO GET AN EXCAVATOR UP THERE
AND START DIGGING DOWN,
SEE WHAT'S UNDER THERE.
♪♪
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: AFTER SHUTTING DOWN
HIS ENTIRE OPERATION
AT THE START OF THE SEASON,
TONY BEETS NOW HAS THREE
WASH PLANTS UP AND RUNNING.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: DAUGHTER, MONICA,
IS AT HUNKER CUT.
AND SONS, KEVIN AND MIKE,
ARE RUNNING WASH PLANTS
UP ON PARADISE HILL.
THEY'VE FINALLY PUT TONY AHEAD
OF WHERE HE WAS THIS TIME
LAST SEASON,
BANKING $2.28 MILLION
WORTH OF GOLD.
YEAH,
COULD YOU COME DOWN TO THE DIKE
FOR A SECOND HERE, PLEASE?
[ ENGINE TURNS OFF ]
Mike: YEP!
♪♪
Narrator: MIKE AND KEVIN'S
TWO PLANTS HAVE BEEN PUMPING
OVER 25,000 GALLONS
OF WATER A MINUTE
INTO THE MASSIVE SETTLING PONDS.
NOW THEY'RE ON THE BRINK...
OF BUSTING WIDE OPEN.
MONICA: This is so
[bleep] frustrating!
[ WHIRRING SLOWS, STOPS ]
TONY JUST RADIOED.
WE HAVE TO SHUT DOWN.
HE NEEDS ALL HANDS ON DECK.
Kevin: SHUTTING DOWN SLUICING.
EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.
SO...
[BLEEP].
AND OUR ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS...
THE WATER IS SO HIGH THAT
IT'S ABOUT TO GO ONTO THE ROAD
AND START WASHING
ALL THAT WATER AND SILT
DIRECTLY INTO THE CREEK,
WHICH IS A BIG NO-NO.
Narrator:
IF THE DIKE ROAD BREAKS,
THOUSANDS OF TONS OF SILT
WOULD POLLUTE THE CREEK,
SHUTTING DOWN
THE BEETS OPERATION
FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON.
YOU AIN'T GOT MUCH SPACE
TO WORK WITH HERE.
SO WHY DON'T WE GET
THAT SIDE DUMP AND WIDEN IT,
AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT UP?
YEAH.
TONY'S PLAN --
USE A SIDE-DUMPING TRUCK
TO WIDEN THE DIKE ROAD.
THEN BRING IN HIS FLEET
OF BELLY DUMPERS
TO BUILD UP
THE HEIGHT OF THE DIKE
BY ANOTHER 5 FEET,
WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE WATER
SAFELY IN THE SETTLING POND.
♪♪
♪♪
Len: SIDE DUMP THE DIKE.
WHAT WILL BE MY DAY TODAY?
♪♪
Narrator: THE SIDE DUMP TRUCK
USES TWO HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS
TO TILT THE BOX,
DUMPING 17 TONS OF TAILINGS.
♪♪
LEN WILL HAVE TO MAKE
OVER 300 RUNS
TO FORTIFY THE DIKE
BEFORE IT BURSTS.
♪♪
[ LOUD CLANG, THUDDING ]
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?
♪♪
HOW THE [BLEEP]
IS THAT POSSIBLE?
♪♪
[ LOUD CLANG, THUDDING ]
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?
Narrator: THE BEETS
MINING OPERATION
HAS GROUND TO A HALT.
TONY HAS SHUT DOWN
ALL THREE WASH PLANTS
SO HIS CREW CAN RAISE THE DIKES
BEFORE THE SETTLING PONDS BURST.
BUT HIS ONLY SIDE DUMP TRUCK
IS DOWN.
LEN: Tony.
Do you have a copy?
THIS THING IS [BLEEP].
The whole cylinder hangs
out the side.
Juan: OH, MAN!
WELL, THERE SHOULD HAVE
BEEN A FLANGE HERE
WITH A HOLE FOR THE PIN.
BUT APPARENTLY THAT'S GONE.
HOW QUICK
DO YOU NEED THIS?
YESTERDAY.
OKAY.
I'M GONNA USE THE C&C TO CUT OUT
OUR PIECES THAT WE NEED
FOR THAT DUMP TRAILER.
Narrator: FIRST, JUAN DESIGNS
THE PARTS HE NEEDS
USING A CAD PROGRAM.
HE CUTS STEEL PLATES
WITH A PLASMA CUTTER...
♪♪
...TO SUPPORT THE PIN THAT HOLDS
THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDER IN PLACE.
♪♪
Juan: THIS STEEL PLATE IS
GONNA BOLT
TO THE ALUMINUM SIDEWALL
AND THEN IT'S GONNA WELD
TO THIS TOP STEEL SUPPORT.
AND THAT WAY,
WE'RE ABLE TO GET THIS
BACK UP AND RUNNING TODAY.
THAT'S THE WAY WE DO IT
HERE IN THE YUKON.
JUST WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.
I'M GOING TO TIGHTEN IT UP NOW
AND PUT THE CYLINDER IN IT
AND SEE WHAT IT DOES.
♪♪
THAT'S PERFECT!
YEAH, THAT'S IT!
♪♪
LEN!
LOOK AT THIS!
SHE'S ALL BACK
TOGETHER, MAN.
IT'S READY
TO GO TO WORK.
THANK YOU, JUAN!
Narrator: THE BEETS STILL
HAVE 2 MILES OF DIKE ROAD
TO WIDEN AND RAISE
BEFORE THEY CAN GET BACK
ON THE GOLD.
♪♪
WE ARE BACK IN BUSINESS!
♪♪
♪♪
Parker: RIGHT NOW,
WE'RE RUNNING TWO PLANTS
AND TRYING TO KEEP THEM
BOTH GOING 24/7.
IT'S PRETTY TOUGH.
I AM A BIT WORRIED ABOUT
BURNING EVERYBODY OUT HERE,
LIKE, BEFORE THE END
OF THE SEASON.
♪♪
Narrator: THIS YEAR,
PARKER SCHNABEL
SET THE HUGE GOAL
OF MINING OUT HIS ENTIRE CLAIM
IN ONE SEASON.
LAST WEEK, HE DECIDED
TO SPLIT HIS FORCES
AND MINE A SECOND CLAIM
AT THE LAST CUT,
IN THE HOPES
OF MAKING HIS 1,000 OUNCES
IN JUST THREE WEEKS.
BUT NOW, HIS TEAM
IS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP.
♪♪
THIS IS STRETCHING US
TO THE POINT OF NO RETURN
BY TAKING CREW BACK UP
TO THE LAST CUT.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD WAY
TO RUN TWO OPERATIONS POORLY
INSTEAD OF ONE WELL.
IT'S JUST SO HARD TO FIND
GOOD PEOPLE THIS TIME OF YEAR.
BUT I'VE INVITED A FRIEND UP
THAT HAS NO EXPERIENCE,
BUT SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP.
♪♪
THIS IS ALL VERY,
VERY NEW TO ME.
I'M JUST KIND OF ALONG
FOR THE ADVENTURE
AND TRYING TO LEARN.
♪♪
[ ENGINE TURNS OFF ]Parker: I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU WERE GONNA FIND
YOUR WAY OUT HERE.
IT WAS NOT EASY.HOW'S IT GOING?
HOW YOU DOING?GOOD TO SEE YOU!
THE GPS STOPS WORKING,
LIKE, SIX HOURS THAT WAY.
THANKS FOR THE INVITE!YEAH.
I WAS SURPRISED THAT,
LIKE, YOU JUMPED
AT THE CHANCE
TO COME UP HERE.
KARA WAS LIKE,
HMM, OKAY, GO.
READY FOR YOU TO BE
OUT OF THE HOUSE?
RIGHT!
SHE HASN'T GOTTEN RID OF ME
IN A WHILE.
NOT SINCE PNG, HUH?
THAT'S RIGHT.
Narrator: LAST YEAR,
PARKER MET FRED LEWIS
ON AN EXPEDITION TO THE JUNGLE'S
OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA.
OH, YEAH!
FOR FIVE WEEKS,
THE VETERAN SPECIAL FORCES MEDIC
KEPT PARKER SAFE.
♪♪
-[BLEEP]!
-PARKER!
♪♪
ARE YOU OKAY?
Parker: OW!
THAT HURTS, FRED!
AND PARKER'S HOPING
HIS TRUSTED FRIEND
CAN PROVIDE EXTRA FIREPOWER
IN THE KLONDIKE.
ALL RIGHT,
YOU CAN GET SETTLED IN,
AND CHRIS WILL GET YOU GOING
ON SOME EQUIPMENT
AS SOON AS YOU'RE READY.SOUNDS GOOD!
Fred: PARKER,
ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.
AND I KNOW THAT HE TRUSTS ME.
SO I'M HERE FOR HIM.
BUT I'M ALSO HERE FOR ME, TOO.
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FUN.
AND I REALLY WANT TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT GOLD.
I DON'T LIKE BEING
THE GOLD DUMMY.
[ LAUGHS ]
Parker: FRED'S ABOUT
AS GREEN AS IT GETS --
PROBABLY NEVER SAT IN A LOADER
IN HIS LIFE.
BUT ONE THING I DO KNOW IS,
IF WE DON'T GET SOME HELP,
THE WHEELS ARE GONNA
COME OFF THIS THING.
♪♪
THERE YOU GO.
L220 LOADER.
FRED, DO YOU HAVE
ANY EQUIPMENT EXPERIENCE?
A TRACTOR THAT COULD FIT
UNDERNEATH THIS.
OKAY.
LIKE A FARM TRACTOR?
MM-HMM.
WELL, DON'T LET THE SIZE
INTIMIDATE YOU.
♪♪
THIS IS YOUR STEERING WHEEL.OOH!
BECAUSE WE HAVE
HYDRAULIC STEERING.
OKAY.
IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT
OF GETTING ACCUSTOMED TO,
BUT ONCE YOU GET
THE FEEL FOR THIS,
YOU'LL NEVER TOUCH
THAT STEERING WHEEL AGAIN.
THESE TWO LEVERS,
THIS RAISES AND LOWERS
THE BUCKET,
THIS TILTS THE BUCKET
FORWARD AND BACK.
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
Chris: OKAY, FREDDY, WHY DON'T
YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT UP.
I'LL WALK UP BEHIND YOU
AND I'LL MEET YOU UP ON TOP.
HERE WE GO!
♪♪
AAH.
OH, [BLEEP]!
I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF!
♪♪
AW, THIS IS AWKWARD!
I WANT TO GRAB THE WHEEL!
IT'D BEEN REALLY NICE IF HE WAS
FULLY EXPERIENCED YESTERDAY.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE
TO PUSH ON HIM A LITTLE BIT
AND GET HIM GOING.
AS YOU GET CLOSER,
LOWER THE BUCKET.
YOUR TILTING.
DON'T TILT.
LOWER.
THERE YOU GO!
THERE.
NOW ACCELERATE AND LIFT.
OKAY.
THERE YOU GO!
♪♪
NO! FRED! FRED!
LOWER YOUR BUCKET!
[ RUMBLING ]
KEEP THE BUCKET LOW!
THERE YOU GO!
WELL, THAT SUCKED!
ALRIGHT.
NOTE TAKEN!
JEEZ!
WELL DONE!
JUST NEED YOU TO DO THAT
400 OR 500 MORE TIMES.
Narrator: PARKER DESPERATELY
NEEDS FRED WORKING THE LAST CUT,
WHERE HE'S DOWN
TO A SKELETON CREW.
SO THE ROOKIE OPERATOR SPENDS
THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON
LEARNING TO CLEAR TAILINGS.
WHOA!
OH, I'LL TAKE THAT!
IF I CAN SEE DIRT, I'M HAPPY.
♪♪
I THINK YOU'RE READY
FOR THE WASH PLANT.
I AM?
YEAH, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT THAT PART.
WELL, YOU CAN THROW
A COUPLE SCOOPS IN THERE.
I'M DOWN!
JUST YELL AT ME
IF I [BLEEP] IT UP!
I WILL!
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: MOST OPERATORS
GET THREE MONTHS PRACTICE
BEFORE THEY LOAD PAY DIRT
INTO THE PLANT.
FRED HAS ONLY HAD 5 HOURS.
OH, GOSH!
FIRST TIME
SCOOPING PAY.
Parker: I HATE TO SAY IT,
WE ARE GETTING A BIT DESPERATE.
I MEAN, FRED'S...
I LOVE FRED TO DEATH,
BUT HE'S FAR FROM
MY FIRST CHOICE
FOR RUNNING A WASH PLANT.
I HOPE THAT HE CAN HANDLE IT.
♪♪
TRYING TO LINE THIS UP.
OH, [BLEEP]!
I DON'T EVEN KNOW REALLY
WHERE THE AIM POINT IS.
I'M GONNA SLOWLY
START DROPPING IT.
♪♪
OH, [BLEEP]!
WHOA!
EASY, MAN!
DON'T PUSH
THE FEEDER OVER!
SORRY!
HE THUMPED HER
PRETTY GOOD!
IS EVERYTHING OKAY?IT'S FINE.
JUST DON'T PUSH
THE WHOLE THING OVER.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I'M CUT OUT FOR THIS.
IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME,
DUDE!
[BLEEP] SAKE!
[ SIGHS ]
♪♪
WHOLE [BLEEP] SEASON
IS RIDING ON THIS RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: AFTER WEEKS
OF LOW GOLD WEIGHS,
RICK NESS IS ON THE HUNT
FOR MONSTER NUGGETS
TO SAVE HIS SEASON.
I NEED A [BLEEP] BREAK HERE,
IS WHAT I NEED.
I MEAN, I NEED TO LEAVE HERE
WITH SOME BIG NUGGETS.
AND THAT WOULD BE
A HUGE SUCCESS FOR ME.
Narrator: TO HELP, HE'S BROUGHT
IN GOLD RECOVERY EXPERT,
FREDDY DODGE.
Freddy: YOU KNOW, THE WAY THIS
CHANNEL LOOKS ON THE MAPPING,
THERE COULD BE ENOUGH
GOLD DOWN THERE
TO SAVE THE END
OF THIS SEASON.
Narrator: RICK DIGS OUT ONE
OF TWO TARGETS IDENTIFIED
BY A TOP TEAM OF GEOLOGISTS.
♪♪
Rick: [BLEEP] [BLEEP]!
♪♪
Freddy: FROZE,
HUH, RICK?
♪♪
I WASN'T AT ALL PREPARED
FOR ANY OF THIS TO BE FROZEN.
EVERYBODY I TALKED TO SAID
IT AIN'T GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.
Narrator: STRIKE ONE.
[BLEEP] [BLEEP]!
♪♪
RICK MOVES TO
THE SECOND TARGET.
[ Sighing ] OH, WELL,
I'M HEADING TOWARDS
ONE OF THE OTHER TARGETS
ON THIS CHANNEL.
HOPEFULLY IT GOT A DIFFERENT
ANGLE FROM THE SUN,
THAT IT'S THAWED.
♪♪
OH!
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?!
♪♪
♪♪
Rick: OH!
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?!
♪♪
Narrator: ON A QUEST
FOR MONSTER NUGGETS
TO SAVE HIS SEASON,
RICK NESS HAS GOT
HIS 700 EXCAVATOR STUCK.
I GOT A [BLEEP] TREE
CAUGHT ON THE EXCAVATOR.
♪♪
CARL, YOU GO A COPY?
CARL:
Yeah, what's up?
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN
SEE WHERE THIS MACHINE IS,
BUT I NEED A [BLEEP]
CHAINSAW DOWN HERE.
I'M TRYING TO BE THE NICE GUY
AND NOT HAMMER ALL
THE [BLEEP] TREES OVER,
AND LOOK WHAT IT
[BLEEP] GETS ME.
CARL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO GET UP TOP WITH IT FIRST.
[ CHAINSAW REVS ]
♪♪
WHAT A [BLEEP] JOKE!
IT SHOULD FALL APART NOW,
ANYWAYS.
BE CAREFUL!
♪♪
[ CLANG ]
DAMN IT!
IT'S NOT MAJOR DAMAGE.
IT'S JUST PISSING-ME-OFF DAMAGE.
Narrator: FINALLY FREE,
RICK MOVES ON
TO THE GEOLOGISTS'
SECOND TARGET.
I'M JUST GONNA GO UP
A LITTLE FARTHER
AND I'LL JUST DIG
RIGHT THERE.
OKAY!
♪♪
DOESN'T SEEM TO BE FROZE,
HUH, GENE?
-NOT SURE YET.
-YEAH.
YEAH, THAT'S JUST A [BLEEP]
FROZEN AS THE LAST SPOT.
♪♪
DAMN IT!
JUST LIKE THE OTHER,
HUH, RICK?
OH, SHE'S PRETTY [BLEEP]
FROZEN RIGHT THERE, TOO.
YEP.
Narrator: THERE COULD BE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
WORTH OF NUGGETS
BENEATH RICK'S TRACKS,
BUT IT'S TRAPPED UNDER A LAYER
OF IMPENETRABLE PERMAFROST.
IT WAS MADE TO BELIEVE
THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE WOULD
BE RUNNING WOULD BE THAWED.
IT'S A BIG [BLEEP]
WASTE OF TIME!
I MEAN, IT DON'T MATTER
HOW MUCH GOLD IS DOWN THERE,
WE AIN'T GOING TO GET IT.
♪♪
DO WE GO TO A SPOT
WHERE WE KNOW IS NOT FROZEN?
MY THOUGHTS ARE, RICK,
I'D STAY PROBABLY 100 FEET
OFF THE CREEK.
OKAY.
BECAUSE IF IT WOULD
HAVE RODE IT DOWN
AND THAT MATERIAL
WASHED OUT...
YEAH.
AND THE BEST GOLD SHOULD BE
IN THE TOP GRAVELS.
LET'S GO PUNCH A HOLE
JUST TO SEE WHAT'S THERE.
YEAH.
IT'S ALL I CAN
THINK, RICK.
YEAH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.
♪♪
♪♪
LIKE, WE'RE HALFWAY
THROUGH THE SEASON,
WE AIN'T HARDLY HALFWAY
THROUGH THE GROUND.
HOW MUCH MORE
IS IT GOING TO TAKE
TO FINISH UP THE LAST CUT?
IF I HAD TO GUESS RIGHT NOW,
TWO WEEKS,
IF WE CAN KEEP SOMEBODY
ON NIGHT SHIFTS.
Narrator: PARKER'S CREW
IS STRETCHED THIN
RUNNING TWO PLANTS.
HE CALLED IN HIS FRIEND,
FRED LEWIS, TO HELP.
BUT AFTER A DISAPPOINTING TRIAL
OPERATING A LOADER,
FRED HAS BEEN DEMOTED
TO THE GOLD ROOM.
ANYTHING THEY WANT ME TO DO,
I'LL DO IT!
[ SIGHS ]
I DON'T KNOW.
IF THERE WAS REINFORCEMENTS
TO CALL IN,
I'D BE CALLING THEM,
BUT THERE AIN'T.
WE HAVE FRED.
YOU MIGHT WANT
TO CONSIDER
PUTTING HIM ON NIGHTS.
THAT'S A BIG GAMBLE.
YEAH.
HAVING
A THOUGHT HERE.
HOW ABOUT MAYBE FRED AND I
RUNNING A PLANT TOGETHER?
IF I CAN GET HIM FEEDING
THE PLANT,
AND I TAKE CARE
OF TAILINGS.
THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE
A BAD IDEA AT ALL, DOES IT?
NO.
COME HERE!
YES, SIR!
WE MIGHT NEED YOU
TO RUN SOME LOADER.
OH, YEAH!
WE'RE GOING TO TRYOUT
WITH NIGHT SHIFT
AND SEE HOW
THINGS WORK OUT.
I'M DOWN!
♪♪
Parker: PRACTICE ONLY
GETS YOU SO FAR.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOT
TO GET THROWN INTO BATTLE,
WHICH WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE.
Narrator: FOR PARKER
TO BANK 1,000 OUNCES
IN THE LAST CUT
IN JUST THREE WEEKS,
HE'S GAMBLING ON FRED
TO RUN SLUICIFER NONSTOP
THROUGH THE NIGHT.
Chris: OKAY, FRED.
YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN, BUD.
GIVE YOURSELF A LOT OF ROOM
TO TURN AROUND.
OKAY!
GOOD LUCK!
THANKS!
♪♪
OH, [BLEEP] RUNNING!
NOW IT JUST GOT REAL.
NOW IT JUST GOT REAL!
♪♪
YOU'RE GOING JUST
A HAIR TOO FAR FORWARD!
OKAY!
THANK YOU!
NO, YOU'RE GOOD!
♪♪
I'M GONNA LEAVE
YOU GUYS TO IT.
ALL RIGHT.
HOPEFULLY OUR BOY DOWN THERE
DOES ALRIGHT.
-HAVE A GOOD NIGHT!
-YOU, TOO!
♪♪
I'VE GOT, LIKE, THE BIGGEST
COTTONMOUTH RIGHT NOW,
JUST FROM NERVES.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT
LEVEL OF STRESS
WHEN YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S GOLD
INSIDE THE DIRT YOU'RE DUMPING
AND IT'S NOT JUST ROCKS.
♪♪
♪♪
TURNING ON LIGHTS.
THAT MEANS
DARKNESS IS COMING.
I THINK BEING DARK
MAKES YOU MORE TIRED.
Chris: IF FRED WASN'T HERE,
WE WOULDN'T BE RUNNING
THIS SHIFT RIGHT NOW.
I CAN'T DO IT.
SO HE'S FILLING
A HUGE VOID RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'VE GOT TO GET
THIS DIRT RUN.
♪♪
CHRIS: So, Fred,
you notice your belt's empty?
OH, [BLEEP]!
That means
your hopper is empty.
You got to pick up your pace
a little bit.
AS I GET MORE TIRED,
I HAVE TO PAY A HECK
OF A LOT MORE ATTENTION
TO THESE THINGS.
WORK THAT BUCKET
WHILE YOU'RE MOVING.
THERE YOU GO!
♪♪
GOT TO BRING SOME MORE
CAFFEINE NEXT TIME, TOO.
OH!
OH!
♪♪
THAT'S PROBABLY
THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS
I'VE PULLED AN ALL-NIGHTER.
HAPPY DAYS.
♪♪
[ WIND WHISTLING ]
♪♪
HEY, FRED.
THAT'S YOUR LAST BUCKET.
I THINK THIS IS FINALLY
MY LAST SCOOP OF THE SHIFT.
♪♪
Narrator: AFTER
12 GRUELING HOURS,
FRED AND CHRIS' SHIFT
AT THE LAST CUT...
IS FINALLY OVER.
Parker:
HOW YOU DOING, COWBOY?
I'M GOING FOR A RIDE.
STILL DIZZY?
YEAH!
[ CHUCKLES ]
THANKS
FOR DOING THIS!
I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT!
THANKS, PARKER!
FOR JUST HAVING A COUPLE HOURS
WORTH OF TRAINING,
PUTTING HIM
IN A STRESSFUL SITUATION,
I THINK FRED
DID REALLY WELL.
HE REALLY DID.
♪♪
SO, WHAT DID YOU THINK
ABOUT THAT?
THAT WAS A RIDE.
YEAH?
YOUR FIRST DAY AT WORK,
AND YOU DID REAL WELL!
WELL, THANKS!
APPRECIATE IT!
YOU READY TO GET SOME BREAKFAST
AND GO TO BED?
YOU KNOW IT!
Narrator: ROOKIE OPERATOR FRED
HAS RUN 1,600 YARDS OF PAY.
IF HE CAN KEEP IT UP,
PARKER MAY BE ABLE TO HIT
HIS 1,000 OUNCE GOAL.
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator: ALL THREE
OF TONY BEETS WASH PLANTS
ARE SHUT DOWN
SO THAT HIS CREW CAN
REINFORCE A CRITICAL DIKE
BEFORE IT BURSTS,
ENDING THEIR SEASON.
EVERY DAY THEY'RE NOT SLUICING
IS $50,000 OF LOST GOLD.
THE LONGER WE TAKE
TO BUILD THE DIKES,
THE LONGER WE'RE SHUT DOWN.
WE'VE GOT ROCK TRUCKS,
EXCAVATORS, SIDE DUMPS,
EVERYTHING GOING DOWN THERE,
TRYING TO BUILD THESE THINGS UP.
Len: WE'RE PUTTING A LOT
OF MATERIAL ON THE DIKES
TO WIDEN THE DIKES
AND TO GET THEM HIGHER.
SO THIS CORNER HAS TO BE
A LITTLE BIT WIDER.
SO I'M GOING TO DUMP OVER HERE.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW...
[ BANGING ]OOH!
♪♪
IT'S NOT TURNING IT.
♪♪
OH, WE'RE STUCK THERE.
♪♪
IT'S QUITE NARROW HERE,
AND I SLIDED DOWN THE ROAD.
I COULDN'T GET OUT.
♪♪
TONY, I'M DOWN IN A POND,
AND I'M STUCK.
CAN YOU PULL ME OUT, PLEASE?
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
♪♪
Narrator:
WITH NO TIME TO LOSE,
TONY COMES TO THE RESCUE
WITH A D6 DOZER.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
OH, YEAH!
Len: ONLY TOOK HALF A MINUTE
TO GET ME OUT.
SO THAT WAS NOT TOO BAD!
♪♪
Narrator: AFTER THREE DAYS
WIDENING THE DIKE,
TONY BRINGS IN THE BELLY DUMPERS
TO RAISE THE HEIGHT.
♪♪
DUMP, DUMP, DUMP!
♪♪
NOT LISTENING!
YOU MISSED YOUR MARK
BY ABOUT 40 FEET.
PEOPLE GOT TO BE
COORDINATED DOWN HERE
BECAUSE OTHERWISE, YOU HAVE
PEOPLE RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER,
YOU HAVE TRUCKS WAITING
WHEN THEY SHOULD BE GOING,
YOU HAVE TRUCKS GOING
WHEN THEY SHOULD BE WAITING.
DUMP, DUMP, DUMP, DUMP!
♪♪
Mike: GO AHEAD.
♪♪
Narrator: AFTER SHIFTING
50,000 TONS OF TAILINGS
TO RAISE THE DIKES...
LET'S FIRE IT UP,
GET SOME [BLEEP] GOLD!
Narrator: ...TONY FIRES UP
ALL THREE WASH PLANTS.
♪♪
IT'S NICE TO BE
BACK UP AND RUNNING.
YOU KNOW, IT SUCKS
TO BE SHUT DOWN,
BUT AT LEAST WE GOT THE DIKE
FIXED UP PROPERLY.
WE WON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT IT
FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
Narrator: THE BEETS FAMILY
IS BACK ON THE GOLD.
♪♪
♪♪
LET'S HOPE
THIS SIDE IS THAWED.
Narrator: OVER HALFWAY
THROUGH THE YEAR,
RICK NESS HAS MINED
JUST 256 OUNCES OF GOLD.
HE'S NOW ON A DESPERATE HUNT
FOR MONSTER NUGGETS
TO SAVE HIS SEASON.
BUT SO FAR,
ALL HE'S STRUCK
IS FROZEN GROUND.
Freddy: RICK?YEAH?
LET'S GO UP
JUST A LITTLE WAYS
AND LET'S TRY
A POTHOLE THERE.
LET'S JUST PRAY
THAT IT'S THAWED.
OKAY.
50 FEET DOWN?
WHAT THE HELL?
NOTHING TO LOSE NOW!
YEAH.
Freddy: WE GOT TO FIND SOMETHING
WITH BETTER GOLD IN IT
IN THE AREA WHERE WE CAN
GET IT TO THE PLANT,
THAT'S NOT FROZEN.
♪♪
I'M NOT GIVING UP.
I MEAN, THERE'S GOT TO BE
THAWED [BLEEP] GROUND HERE
WITH GOLD IN IT SOMEWHERE.
RIGHT NOW, YOU'D CALL THIS
THE LAST CHANCE HOLE!
♪♪
OH, ONE GOOD THING,
IT'S NOT FROZEN.
THAT'S RIGHT!
Narrator: 35 FEET DOWN,
THEY FINALLY HIT
THAWED PAY DIRT.
♪♪
TAKE A LITTLE BIT
FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, GENE.
Freddy: RICK'S GOT EVERYTHING
ON THE LINE HERE.
HE'S GOT MONEY
OUT OF POCKET.
HE'S BROUGHT PEOPLE IN,
HIS FRIENDS,
GENE'S HERE.
YOU KNOW,
HE'S GOT A LOT ON THE LINE.
♪♪
Rick: I GOT ABOUT A MILLION
THINGS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD
RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW.
TRYING TO THINK OF HOW
I'M GONNA TO BE ABLE
TO PAY THE BILLS,
PAY THE GUYS.
I WANTED TO REALLY SMASH THINGS
OUT OF THE PARK THIS SEASON
AND GIVE MY GUYS A GOOD BONUS
AND PUT SOME PROFIT
INTO MY BUSINESS.
♪♪
TWO COLORS.
YEAH, I SEE THEM.
TWO 200 MESH PIECES.
CAN'T EVEN
COUNT THOSE.
YEP.
THEY DON'T COUNT.
YEAH, I WAS REALLY HOPING
WE'D FIND SOMETHING
BETTER TO RUN TODAY.
YEAH,
THIS REALLY SUCKS.
Rick: BACK TO
THE DRAWING BOARD.
♪♪
TWO OPTIONS ON WHERE I WAS GONNA
GET BETTER GROUND THIS YEAR --
THE GEOLOGISTS LAID
THE TARGETS OUT FOR ME.
I CAME OUT FULLY INTENDING
ON FINDING US
SOME REALLY GOOD GROUND TO RUN
FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR,
AND NONE OF THEM WORKED OUT.
SO...YEAH,
I DON'T KNOW.
I'M PRETTY [BLEEP]
STUMPED RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T GOT A WHOLE LOT
OF ANSWERS.
♪♪
♪♪
1,001. 1,002.
OH, YEAH!
1,003.
IS THAT A DEEP BURN?
IT'S VERY DEEP!
Narrator: DURING
SOME DOWNTIME,
PARKER AND FRED
COMPARE FITNESS REGIMES.
MY FINGERS
ARE DOING GOOD.
THAT'S WHAT THIS THING IS FOR,
RIGHT?
YEP! SURE.
I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT
YOU STILL FIND TIME TO WORK OUT.
I THINK OF IT,
LIKE, I NEED TO FIND TIME
TO WORK AROUND
MY WORKOUTS.
OH, GOOD!
[ LAUGHS ]
I'M GLAD YOU CAME ALL THE WAY
UP HERE TO COME TO WORK, FRED.
IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU, PARKER!
YOU GOT TO COMMIT TO IT!
IF YOU DON'T COMMIT,
YOU'RE GONNA BE
A SKINNY WHITE BOY.
I'M DESTINED TO BE
A SCRAWNY WHITE BOY.
NO, PARKER!
WE ALL HAVE TO ACCEPT SOME FACTS
IN LIFE.
GO ON, HIT THEM TRIS.HIT THE TRIS WITH THAT.
HIT THEM TRIS!
FINE!
YEAH, BABY!
TRIS AND BIS!
MOVIE MUSCLES!
YEAH, BABY!
AAAH!
[ LAUGHS ]
AAAH!
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator:
AFTER A DISASTROUS WEEK
OF ALL THREE PLANTS
BEING SHUT DOWN
IN ORDER TO RAISE A DIKE,
THE BEETS GATHER
FOR A FAMILY MEAL.
Monica: GRAVY?
Minnie: YOU
WANT SPROUTS?
I'M REALLY GLAD YOU MADE,
LIKE, A NICE HOME, DUTCH MEAL.
DEFINITELY MISS THOSE,
'CAUSE I DON'T COOK.
I HAVE A HUSBAND
THAT COOKS FOR ME.
MIKE IS ARRIVING.
HOW MANY DO YOU WANT?
[ LAUGHTER]
[ LAUGHS ]
HOLY [BLEEP].
ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GOING
TO DRINK THAT?
KINDA SUCKS YOU DIDN'T HAVE
ANY PLANTS RUNNING THIS WEEK
WITH, YOU KNOW, THE GOLD PRICE
BEING AS HIGH AS IT IS.
WELL, I MEAN --
I'D RATHER BE
DOWN FOR A WEEK
THAN BE SHUTDOWN
FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR
BECAUSE THE WATER BOARD HAS
TO DO THEIR JOB.
IT IS WHAT IT IS.
GET IT OVER WITH.
FIX THE DIKES
AND START SLUICING AGAIN.
CHEERS, GUYS!
♪♪
Narrator: FOR THE PAST WEEK,
PARKER HAS RUN
TWO WASH PLANTS 24/7,
WITH THE HELP OF SPECIAL
FORCES VETERAN FRED LEWIS.
♪♪
Brennan: HOW ARE YOU LIKING IT
UP HERE SO FAR?
I'M LOVING IT, YEAH.
I LIKE IT.
I LIKE THE WORK ETHIC
AND THE CONSTANT FLOW
AND IT'S JUST A LOT LIKE
A DEPLOYMENT,
BUT WITHOUT WEAPONS, SO...A SHOVEL COULD BE A WEAPON.
[ LAUGHS ]YEAH, THAT'S TRUE!
Narrator: CO-FOREMAN,
BRENNAN, AND MITCH
RAN BIG RED IN THE CLUSTER CUT.
Chris: LET ME GRAB IT
AND SEE WHAT WE GOT.
MAN, I WAS REALLY HAPPY
WITH HOW BIG RED RAN THIS WEEK.
HERE WE GO!
20, 30.
60, 80.
90, 100.
KEEP GOING!
120.
STILL SOME IN THERE.140.
150, 170.
171.5.
RIGHT ON THE DOT!
Narrator: WORTH $240,000.
THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING FOR, FRED.
-LOOK AT THAT, FRED.
-THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
THANKS!
Parker:
TIME FOR SLUICIFER.
OH, YEAH!
HERE WE GO!
-OH!
-LOOK AT THAT!
RED, YOU'RE...
Fred: WHAT?
COUNT IT OUT? YEAH.
10, 20, 30, 50, 70.
80, 90.
100, 130.
180, 200.
210, 230.
250.
272.2.
♪♪
Narrator: WITH A SKELETON CREW,
THE TOTAL IS DOWN ON LAST WEEK,
BUT ADDING FRED ON NIGHT SHIFT
HAS HELPED SLUICIFER BRING IN
OVER $380,000
AND KEPT PARKER ON TRACK
TO HIT HIS 1,000 OUNCE GOAL.
THAT IS SWEET!
Parker: FRED, YOU'RE
MY NEW GOOD LUCK CHARM.
YOU'RE WELCOME!
MY RABBITS FOOT
IS GETTING THROWN OUT!
[ LAUGHTER ]
FOR THE WEEK,
THAT'S 443 OUNCE,
FOR THE WEEK.
Narrator: WORTH OVER $620,000.
WE'LL TRY
AND DO IT AGAIN.
-YEAH!
-FRED, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE!
-YEAH!
-THANKS, FREDDY!
I GOT A CHANCE
TO RUNNING THE LOADER,
AND NOW COMING DOWN HERE
FOR THIS GOLD WEIGH,
SEEING THE RESULTS
OF ALL THAT HARD WORK.
IT'S JUST KIND OF COOL.
PRETTY STOKED TO SEE
WHAT ELSE I CAN DO.
Parker: YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY
NICE TO HAVE FRED UP HERE.
LIKE, WE'RE SHORTHANDED
AND FRED'S, YOU KNOW --
FRED IS FRED, LIKE,
HE'S A GREAT GUY.
HE'S NOT A LOADER OPERATOR,
BUT WE'LL MAKE HIM ONE
FOR THE TIME BEING.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP
THOSE TWO PLANTS BANGING ALONG.
♪♪
Narrator: ON THE NEXT
"GOLD RUSH"...
Parker: SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Narrator:
...PARKER OPENS A NEW CUT...
[BLEEP]!
Narrator: ...PUSHING
HIS CREW TO THE LIMIT...
I'M SICK
OF [BLEEP] EXCUSES!
...THE BEETS FAMILY EMPIRE...
THE HUNKER CUT IS GIVING US
NOTHING BUT TROUBLES.
Narrator: ...THREATENS
TO CRUMBLE...
Monica:
LOOKS PRETTY FROZEN.
I THINK WE'LL GO HOME.
...AND RICK'S SEASON...
Rick: WHAT'D I DRAG
ALL THESE GUYS INTO?
Narrator:
...HITS BREAKING POINT.
SO WHAT DO YOU SAY,
WE JUST [BLEEP] STOP RIGHT NOW?
♪♪
A LAST CHANCE HOLE.
Narrator: ON THIS "GOLD RUSH"...
WE CAME HERE UNDER THE PROMISE
OF BIG NUGGETS.
Narrator:
...RICK NESS GOES HUNTING
FOR KENO'S LEGENDARY
MONSTER NUGGETS...
THE WHOLE [BLEEP] SEASON
IS RIDING ON THIS.
[ CRASHING ]WHOA!
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?!
[ RUMBLING ]HOLY...
TONY, THIS THING IS [BLEEP]!
Narrator:
...TONY FACES A DISASTER
THAT COULD END
HIS MINING SEASON...
Tony: WHOA!
IF WE DON'T GET SOME HELP,
THE WHEELS ARE GONNA
COME OFF THIS THING.
Narrator: ...AND WITH
HIS TEAM STRETCHED THIN,
PARKER SCHNABEL
GAMBLES ON A GREENHORN.
THIS IS ALL VERY,
VERY NEW TO ME.
TRYING TO LINE THIS UP.
[ CRASHING ]
-WHOA!
-[BLEEP]!
EASY, MAN!
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
[ SNEEZES ]
[BLEEP]!
♪♪
JUST ANOTHER GLORIOUS DAY
UP HERE IN THE YUKON.
Narrator: AT DUNCAN CREEK,
RICK NESS FINALLY
HAS MONSTER RED DIALED IN,
THANKS TO EXPERT MINER
GENE CHEESEMAN.
♪♪
TRYING TO GET THE PLANT RUNNING
THE MOST EFFICIENT WE CAN,
THE OPTIMUM AMOUNT OF MATERIAL.
THE MORE UP-TIME WE CAN
HAVE WITH THE PLANT,
THE MORE GOLD
WE'RE GOING TO RECOVER.
♪♪
Narrator: DESPITE GENE'S
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLANT,
RICK'S GROUND HAS SO FAR
YIELDED JUST 265 OUNCES,
LEAVING HIM DISASTROUSLY SHORT
OF HIS 2,000 OUNCE SEASON GOAL.
Rick: I'M PRETTY WORRIED.
WE REALLY NEED BETTER GROUND
IF WE'RE GOING TO HIT
OUR GOAL THIS YEAR.
WHERE WE'VE BEEN DIGGING,
IT'S JUST NOT CUTTING IT.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT
GIVING US THE GOLD
THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED.
WE CAME HERE UNDER THE PROMISE
OF, YOU KNOW,
GOLD-RICH POCKETS
AND BIG NUGGETS.
AND RIGHT NOW,
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED
TO SAVE OUR SEASON.
Narrator:
AT THE START OF THE SEASON,
CLAIM OWNERS
DEAN AND STUART GRAY,
CONVINCED RICK
TO MINE DUNCAN CREEK
WITH A PILE
OF MONSTER GOLD NUGGETS.
[ Chuckling ] NO WAY!
ARE YOU SERIOUS?Stuart: MM-HMM.
MOUNT HINTON IS THE KNOWN SOURCE
OF GOLD IN THE AREA,
AND WE DO HAVE
SOME VERY GOOD RESULTS
ON THOSE OTHER
TRIBUTARIES.
YEP.
AND WE BELIEVE
THAT THESE SAME RESULTS
WILL BE IN UPPER DUNCAN.
Narrator: TO HUNT DOWN
DUNCAN CREEK'S NUGGETS
AND SAVE HIS SEASON,
RICK'S PERSUADED HIS LANDLORD
TO PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT.
MORNING, GUYS.
Dean: RICK.
HEY, THERE, STUART.HOW YOU DOING?
GOOD.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
Narrator: STUART'S
BROUGHT GEOPHYSICIST,
SELENA MAGLE...
NICE TO MEET YOU, BILL.NICE TO MEET YOU, RICK.
...AND ONE OF THE YUKON'S
TOP GEOLOGISTS,
WILLIAM LeBARGE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING AROUND HERE
FOR A LOT OF YEARS.
THIS IS THE AREA DIRECTLY ACROSS
FROM THE PLANT.
MM-HMM.
AND I REALLY THINK
IT HAS GREAT POTENTIAL
BECAUSE IT'S OUTSIDE
OF THE LIMITS
OF THE MOST RECENT
GLACIATION,
WHICH WAS 28,000
TO ABOUT 10,000 YEARS AGO.
OKAY.
Narrator: 150,000 YEARS AGO,
AT THE TOP OF MOUNT HINTON,
A GLACIER FORMED.
WHEN IT REACHED
THE QUARTZ VEIN
CONTAINING THE MOTHER LODE,
IT PLUCKED NUGGETS
THAT TRAVELED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
AND WERE DEPOSITED
IN SPORADIC POCKETS.
IF THE GEOLOGISTS CAN LOCATE
ONE OF THESE POCKETS,
RICK COULD TURN
HIS SEASON AROUND
AND PRODUCE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN GOLD.
FIRST,
I THINK WE SHOULD
DO SOME SURVEYS
HERE ON THIS AREA,
THIS TRIBUTARY...
YEAH.
...AND THEN I THINK
WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK
AT THE NEXT ONE OVER.
THEY HAVE SOME
SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT
A REALLY GOOD SPOT
TO START HERE, SO...OKAY, RICK.
WE'RE GONNA GO
FIND IT FOR YOU.
AWESOME!
LET'S DO IT!
♪♪
Gene: EXCITED
TO SEE THIS.
I JUST WANT
TO FIND SOME GOLD.
Rick: [BLEEP] YEAH!
HOPEFULLY IT WORKS.
♪♪
♪♪
SOME THICK MOSS.
YOU BROUGHT SOME
OF YOUR EQUIPMENT AND
STUFF WITH YOU OR...?
William: YEAH, WE BROUGHT
OUR RESISTIVITY GEAR TODAY.
♪♪
Narrator: RESISTIVITY TESTING
IS A 100-YEAR-OLD
PROSPECTING TECHNIQUE
THAT IS NOW COMBINED
WITH COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY.
Rick: RESISTIVITY
IS ACTUALLY REALLY COOL.
IT'S A WAY TO SEE
WHAT'S UNDER THE GROUND
WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING
TO DIG DOWN THERE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK,
JUST GO STRAIGHT UP FROM HERE?
KEEP IT STRAIGHT.
YEAH?
AND THESE BOXES,
THEY'RE CALLED ELECTRODES,
AND THEY GET CONNECTED
INTO THE GROUND WITH THESE PEGS,
AND THAT'S WHAT
CARRIES THE CURRENTS.
AND FROM THAT, WE GET
READINGS OF THE RESISTIVITY,
AND WE CAN MAKE
A CROSS SECTION.
Narrator: RESISTIVITY TESTING
USES ELECTRODES
TO PASS AN ELECTRIC CURRENT
THROUGH THE EARTH.
AS THE CURRENT HITS DIFFERENT
TYPES OF DIRT OR ROCK,
THE RESISTANCE CHANGES.
THIS ALLOWS THEM
TO MAP THE BEDROCK
AND DETECT DEPRESSIONS,
OR CHANNELS,
WHERE NUGGETS
COULD HAVE SETTLED.
♪♪
SO, CAN YOU TOUCH IT
WHILE IT'S TESTING
OR WILL IT SHOCK YOU?
IT WILL SHOCK YOU.
REALLY?
[ Laughing ] YEAH.
I WON'T TOUCH IT.YOU CAN TOUCH IT IF YOU WANT.
NAH, I'M GOOD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT TAKES JUST MINUTES
TO PROCESS THE DATA.
Selena: OKAY.
SO HERE'S OUR FINAL IMAGE.
WE CAN SEE ON HERE THERE'S LOTS
OF DIFFERENT COLORS.
YOU CAN SEE DOWN HERE,
THAT'S THE CREEK
THAT WE CROSSED.
AND THEN RIGHT DOWN IN HERE,
WHERE IT DIPS DOWN?
YEAH?THAT'S ABOUT 50 FEET DOWN.
SO YEAH, THIS WILL BE THE TARGET
THAT WE'D WANT TO DRILL.
OKAY.
AND WE CAN MARK THAT OFF
CLEARLY, IN THE GROUND.
YEAH.
WOW!
I GUESS
IT'S LIKE A TREASURE HUNT,
BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY
NO GUARANTEE
THERE'S TREASURE
DOWN THERE.
WE CAN SEE THE PLACE
WHERE THE PIRATES
WOULD HAVE BURIED IT,
IF THERE WAS...
YEAH.[ SELENA CHUCKLES ]
Narrator:
BY THE END OF THE DAY,
THE GEOLOGISTS IDENTIFIED TWO
PRIME TARGETS FOR BIG NUGGETS,
WITH THE POTENTIAL
TO SAVE RICK'S SEASON.
Rick: THE NEXT STEP IS
TO GET AN EXCAVATOR UP THERE
AND START DIGGING DOWN,
SEE WHAT'S UNDER THERE.
♪♪
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: AFTER SHUTTING DOWN
HIS ENTIRE OPERATION
AT THE START OF THE SEASON,
TONY BEETS NOW HAS THREE
WASH PLANTS UP AND RUNNING.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: DAUGHTER, MONICA,
IS AT HUNKER CUT.
AND SONS, KEVIN AND MIKE,
ARE RUNNING WASH PLANTS
UP ON PARADISE HILL.
THEY'VE FINALLY PUT TONY AHEAD
OF WHERE HE WAS THIS TIME
LAST SEASON,
BANKING $2.28 MILLION
WORTH OF GOLD.
YEAH,
COULD YOU COME DOWN TO THE DIKE
FOR A SECOND HERE, PLEASE?
[ ENGINE TURNS OFF ]
Mike: YEP!
♪♪
Narrator: MIKE AND KEVIN'S
TWO PLANTS HAVE BEEN PUMPING
OVER 25,000 GALLONS
OF WATER A MINUTE
INTO THE MASSIVE SETTLING PONDS.
NOW THEY'RE ON THE BRINK...
OF BUSTING WIDE OPEN.
MONICA: This is so
[bleep] frustrating!
[ WHIRRING SLOWS, STOPS ]
TONY JUST RADIOED.
WE HAVE TO SHUT DOWN.
HE NEEDS ALL HANDS ON DECK.
Kevin: SHUTTING DOWN SLUICING.
EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.
SO...
[BLEEP].
AND OUR ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS...
THE WATER IS SO HIGH THAT
IT'S ABOUT TO GO ONTO THE ROAD
AND START WASHING
ALL THAT WATER AND SILT
DIRECTLY INTO THE CREEK,
WHICH IS A BIG NO-NO.
Narrator:
IF THE DIKE ROAD BREAKS,
THOUSANDS OF TONS OF SILT
WOULD POLLUTE THE CREEK,
SHUTTING DOWN
THE BEETS OPERATION
FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON.
YOU AIN'T GOT MUCH SPACE
TO WORK WITH HERE.
SO WHY DON'T WE GET
THAT SIDE DUMP AND WIDEN IT,
AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT UP?
YEAH.
TONY'S PLAN --
USE A SIDE-DUMPING TRUCK
TO WIDEN THE DIKE ROAD.
THEN BRING IN HIS FLEET
OF BELLY DUMPERS
TO BUILD UP
THE HEIGHT OF THE DIKE
BY ANOTHER 5 FEET,
WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE WATER
SAFELY IN THE SETTLING POND.
♪♪
♪♪
Len: SIDE DUMP THE DIKE.
WHAT WILL BE MY DAY TODAY?
♪♪
Narrator: THE SIDE DUMP TRUCK
USES TWO HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS
TO TILT THE BOX,
DUMPING 17 TONS OF TAILINGS.
♪♪
LEN WILL HAVE TO MAKE
OVER 300 RUNS
TO FORTIFY THE DIKE
BEFORE IT BURSTS.
♪♪
[ LOUD CLANG, THUDDING ]
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?
♪♪
HOW THE [BLEEP]
IS THAT POSSIBLE?
♪♪
[ LOUD CLANG, THUDDING ]
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?
Narrator: THE BEETS
MINING OPERATION
HAS GROUND TO A HALT.
TONY HAS SHUT DOWN
ALL THREE WASH PLANTS
SO HIS CREW CAN RAISE THE DIKES
BEFORE THE SETTLING PONDS BURST.
BUT HIS ONLY SIDE DUMP TRUCK
IS DOWN.
LEN: Tony.
Do you have a copy?
THIS THING IS [BLEEP].
The whole cylinder hangs
out the side.
Juan: OH, MAN!
WELL, THERE SHOULD HAVE
BEEN A FLANGE HERE
WITH A HOLE FOR THE PIN.
BUT APPARENTLY THAT'S GONE.
HOW QUICK
DO YOU NEED THIS?
YESTERDAY.
OKAY.
I'M GONNA USE THE C&C TO CUT OUT
OUR PIECES THAT WE NEED
FOR THAT DUMP TRAILER.
Narrator: FIRST, JUAN DESIGNS
THE PARTS HE NEEDS
USING A CAD PROGRAM.
HE CUTS STEEL PLATES
WITH A PLASMA CUTTER...
♪♪
...TO SUPPORT THE PIN THAT HOLDS
THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDER IN PLACE.
♪♪
Juan: THIS STEEL PLATE IS
GONNA BOLT
TO THE ALUMINUM SIDEWALL
AND THEN IT'S GONNA WELD
TO THIS TOP STEEL SUPPORT.
AND THAT WAY,
WE'RE ABLE TO GET THIS
BACK UP AND RUNNING TODAY.
THAT'S THE WAY WE DO IT
HERE IN THE YUKON.
JUST WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.
I'M GOING TO TIGHTEN IT UP NOW
AND PUT THE CYLINDER IN IT
AND SEE WHAT IT DOES.
♪♪
THAT'S PERFECT!
YEAH, THAT'S IT!
♪♪
LEN!
LOOK AT THIS!
SHE'S ALL BACK
TOGETHER, MAN.
IT'S READY
TO GO TO WORK.
THANK YOU, JUAN!
Narrator: THE BEETS STILL
HAVE 2 MILES OF DIKE ROAD
TO WIDEN AND RAISE
BEFORE THEY CAN GET BACK
ON THE GOLD.
♪♪
WE ARE BACK IN BUSINESS!
♪♪
♪♪
Parker: RIGHT NOW,
WE'RE RUNNING TWO PLANTS
AND TRYING TO KEEP THEM
BOTH GOING 24/7.
IT'S PRETTY TOUGH.
I AM A BIT WORRIED ABOUT
BURNING EVERYBODY OUT HERE,
LIKE, BEFORE THE END
OF THE SEASON.
♪♪
Narrator: THIS YEAR,
PARKER SCHNABEL
SET THE HUGE GOAL
OF MINING OUT HIS ENTIRE CLAIM
IN ONE SEASON.
LAST WEEK, HE DECIDED
TO SPLIT HIS FORCES
AND MINE A SECOND CLAIM
AT THE LAST CUT,
IN THE HOPES
OF MAKING HIS 1,000 OUNCES
IN JUST THREE WEEKS.
BUT NOW, HIS TEAM
IS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP.
♪♪
THIS IS STRETCHING US
TO THE POINT OF NO RETURN
BY TAKING CREW BACK UP
TO THE LAST CUT.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD WAY
TO RUN TWO OPERATIONS POORLY
INSTEAD OF ONE WELL.
IT'S JUST SO HARD TO FIND
GOOD PEOPLE THIS TIME OF YEAR.
BUT I'VE INVITED A FRIEND UP
THAT HAS NO EXPERIENCE,
BUT SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP.
♪♪
THIS IS ALL VERY,
VERY NEW TO ME.
I'M JUST KIND OF ALONG
FOR THE ADVENTURE
AND TRYING TO LEARN.
♪♪
[ ENGINE TURNS OFF ]Parker: I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU WERE GONNA FIND
YOUR WAY OUT HERE.
IT WAS NOT EASY.HOW'S IT GOING?
HOW YOU DOING?GOOD TO SEE YOU!
THE GPS STOPS WORKING,
LIKE, SIX HOURS THAT WAY.
THANKS FOR THE INVITE!YEAH.
I WAS SURPRISED THAT,
LIKE, YOU JUMPED
AT THE CHANCE
TO COME UP HERE.
KARA WAS LIKE,
HMM, OKAY, GO.
READY FOR YOU TO BE
OUT OF THE HOUSE?
RIGHT!
SHE HASN'T GOTTEN RID OF ME
IN A WHILE.
NOT SINCE PNG, HUH?
THAT'S RIGHT.
Narrator: LAST YEAR,
PARKER MET FRED LEWIS
ON AN EXPEDITION TO THE JUNGLE'S
OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA.
OH, YEAH!
FOR FIVE WEEKS,
THE VETERAN SPECIAL FORCES MEDIC
KEPT PARKER SAFE.
♪♪
-[BLEEP]!
-PARKER!
♪♪
ARE YOU OKAY?
Parker: OW!
THAT HURTS, FRED!
AND PARKER'S HOPING
HIS TRUSTED FRIEND
CAN PROVIDE EXTRA FIREPOWER
IN THE KLONDIKE.
ALL RIGHT,
YOU CAN GET SETTLED IN,
AND CHRIS WILL GET YOU GOING
ON SOME EQUIPMENT
AS SOON AS YOU'RE READY.SOUNDS GOOD!
Fred: PARKER,
ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.
AND I KNOW THAT HE TRUSTS ME.
SO I'M HERE FOR HIM.
BUT I'M ALSO HERE FOR ME, TOO.
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FUN.
AND I REALLY WANT TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT GOLD.
I DON'T LIKE BEING
THE GOLD DUMMY.
[ LAUGHS ]
Parker: FRED'S ABOUT
AS GREEN AS IT GETS --
PROBABLY NEVER SAT IN A LOADER
IN HIS LIFE.
BUT ONE THING I DO KNOW IS,
IF WE DON'T GET SOME HELP,
THE WHEELS ARE GONNA
COME OFF THIS THING.
♪♪
THERE YOU GO.
L220 LOADER.
FRED, DO YOU HAVE
ANY EQUIPMENT EXPERIENCE?
A TRACTOR THAT COULD FIT
UNDERNEATH THIS.
OKAY.
LIKE A FARM TRACTOR?
MM-HMM.
WELL, DON'T LET THE SIZE
INTIMIDATE YOU.
♪♪
THIS IS YOUR STEERING WHEEL.OOH!
BECAUSE WE HAVE
HYDRAULIC STEERING.
OKAY.
IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT
OF GETTING ACCUSTOMED TO,
BUT ONCE YOU GET
THE FEEL FOR THIS,
YOU'LL NEVER TOUCH
THAT STEERING WHEEL AGAIN.
THESE TWO LEVERS,
THIS RAISES AND LOWERS
THE BUCKET,
THIS TILTS THE BUCKET
FORWARD AND BACK.
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
Chris: OKAY, FREDDY, WHY DON'T
YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT UP.
I'LL WALK UP BEHIND YOU
AND I'LL MEET YOU UP ON TOP.
HERE WE GO!
♪♪
AAH.
OH, [BLEEP]!
I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF!
♪♪
AW, THIS IS AWKWARD!
I WANT TO GRAB THE WHEEL!
IT'D BEEN REALLY NICE IF HE WAS
FULLY EXPERIENCED YESTERDAY.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE
TO PUSH ON HIM A LITTLE BIT
AND GET HIM GOING.
AS YOU GET CLOSER,
LOWER THE BUCKET.
YOUR TILTING.
DON'T TILT.
LOWER.
THERE YOU GO!
THERE.
NOW ACCELERATE AND LIFT.
OKAY.
THERE YOU GO!
♪♪
NO! FRED! FRED!
LOWER YOUR BUCKET!
[ RUMBLING ]
KEEP THE BUCKET LOW!
THERE YOU GO!
WELL, THAT SUCKED!
ALRIGHT.
NOTE TAKEN!
JEEZ!
WELL DONE!
JUST NEED YOU TO DO THAT
400 OR 500 MORE TIMES.
Narrator: PARKER DESPERATELY
NEEDS FRED WORKING THE LAST CUT,
WHERE HE'S DOWN
TO A SKELETON CREW.
SO THE ROOKIE OPERATOR SPENDS
THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON
LEARNING TO CLEAR TAILINGS.
WHOA!
OH, I'LL TAKE THAT!
IF I CAN SEE DIRT, I'M HAPPY.
♪♪
I THINK YOU'RE READY
FOR THE WASH PLANT.
I AM?
YEAH, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT THAT PART.
WELL, YOU CAN THROW
A COUPLE SCOOPS IN THERE.
I'M DOWN!
JUST YELL AT ME
IF I [BLEEP] IT UP!
I WILL!
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: MOST OPERATORS
GET THREE MONTHS PRACTICE
BEFORE THEY LOAD PAY DIRT
INTO THE PLANT.
FRED HAS ONLY HAD 5 HOURS.
OH, GOSH!
FIRST TIME
SCOOPING PAY.
Parker: I HATE TO SAY IT,
WE ARE GETTING A BIT DESPERATE.
I MEAN, FRED'S...
I LOVE FRED TO DEATH,
BUT HE'S FAR FROM
MY FIRST CHOICE
FOR RUNNING A WASH PLANT.
I HOPE THAT HE CAN HANDLE IT.
♪♪
TRYING TO LINE THIS UP.
OH, [BLEEP]!
I DON'T EVEN KNOW REALLY
WHERE THE AIM POINT IS.
I'M GONNA SLOWLY
START DROPPING IT.
♪♪
OH, [BLEEP]!
WHOA!
EASY, MAN!
DON'T PUSH
THE FEEDER OVER!
SORRY!
HE THUMPED HER
PRETTY GOOD!
IS EVERYTHING OKAY?IT'S FINE.
JUST DON'T PUSH
THE WHOLE THING OVER.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I'M CUT OUT FOR THIS.
IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME,
DUDE!
[BLEEP] SAKE!
[ SIGHS ]
♪♪
WHOLE [BLEEP] SEASON
IS RIDING ON THIS RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: AFTER WEEKS
OF LOW GOLD WEIGHS,
RICK NESS IS ON THE HUNT
FOR MONSTER NUGGETS
TO SAVE HIS SEASON.
I NEED A [BLEEP] BREAK HERE,
IS WHAT I NEED.
I MEAN, I NEED TO LEAVE HERE
WITH SOME BIG NUGGETS.
AND THAT WOULD BE
A HUGE SUCCESS FOR ME.
Narrator: TO HELP, HE'S BROUGHT
IN GOLD RECOVERY EXPERT,
FREDDY DODGE.
Freddy: YOU KNOW, THE WAY THIS
CHANNEL LOOKS ON THE MAPPING,
THERE COULD BE ENOUGH
GOLD DOWN THERE
TO SAVE THE END
OF THIS SEASON.
Narrator: RICK DIGS OUT ONE
OF TWO TARGETS IDENTIFIED
BY A TOP TEAM OF GEOLOGISTS.
♪♪
Rick: [BLEEP] [BLEEP]!
♪♪
Freddy: FROZE,
HUH, RICK?
♪♪
I WASN'T AT ALL PREPARED
FOR ANY OF THIS TO BE FROZEN.
EVERYBODY I TALKED TO SAID
IT AIN'T GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.
Narrator: STRIKE ONE.
[BLEEP] [BLEEP]!
♪♪
RICK MOVES TO
THE SECOND TARGET.
[ Sighing ] OH, WELL,
I'M HEADING TOWARDS
ONE OF THE OTHER TARGETS
ON THIS CHANNEL.
HOPEFULLY IT GOT A DIFFERENT
ANGLE FROM THE SUN,
THAT IT'S THAWED.
♪♪
OH!
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?!
♪♪
♪♪
Rick: OH!
WHAT THE [BLEEP]?!
♪♪
Narrator: ON A QUEST
FOR MONSTER NUGGETS
TO SAVE HIS SEASON,
RICK NESS HAS GOT
HIS 700 EXCAVATOR STUCK.
I GOT A [BLEEP] TREE
CAUGHT ON THE EXCAVATOR.
♪♪
CARL, YOU GO A COPY?
CARL:
Yeah, what's up?
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN
SEE WHERE THIS MACHINE IS,
BUT I NEED A [BLEEP]
CHAINSAW DOWN HERE.
I'M TRYING TO BE THE NICE GUY
AND NOT HAMMER ALL
THE [BLEEP] TREES OVER,
AND LOOK WHAT IT
[BLEEP] GETS ME.
CARL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO GET UP TOP WITH IT FIRST.
[ CHAINSAW REVS ]
♪♪
WHAT A [BLEEP] JOKE!
IT SHOULD FALL APART NOW,
ANYWAYS.
BE CAREFUL!
♪♪
[ CLANG ]
DAMN IT!
IT'S NOT MAJOR DAMAGE.
IT'S JUST PISSING-ME-OFF DAMAGE.
Narrator: FINALLY FREE,
RICK MOVES ON
TO THE GEOLOGISTS'
SECOND TARGET.
I'M JUST GONNA GO UP
A LITTLE FARTHER
AND I'LL JUST DIG
RIGHT THERE.
OKAY!
♪♪
DOESN'T SEEM TO BE FROZE,
HUH, GENE?
-NOT SURE YET.
-YEAH.
YEAH, THAT'S JUST A [BLEEP]
FROZEN AS THE LAST SPOT.
♪♪
DAMN IT!
JUST LIKE THE OTHER,
HUH, RICK?
OH, SHE'S PRETTY [BLEEP]
FROZEN RIGHT THERE, TOO.
YEP.
Narrator: THERE COULD BE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
WORTH OF NUGGETS
BENEATH RICK'S TRACKS,
BUT IT'S TRAPPED UNDER A LAYER
OF IMPENETRABLE PERMAFROST.
IT WAS MADE TO BELIEVE
THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE WOULD
BE RUNNING WOULD BE THAWED.
IT'S A BIG [BLEEP]
WASTE OF TIME!
I MEAN, IT DON'T MATTER
HOW MUCH GOLD IS DOWN THERE,
WE AIN'T GOING TO GET IT.
♪♪
DO WE GO TO A SPOT
WHERE WE KNOW IS NOT FROZEN?
MY THOUGHTS ARE, RICK,
I'D STAY PROBABLY 100 FEET
OFF THE CREEK.
OKAY.
BECAUSE IF IT WOULD
HAVE RODE IT DOWN
AND THAT MATERIAL
WASHED OUT...
YEAH.
AND THE BEST GOLD SHOULD BE
IN THE TOP GRAVELS.
LET'S GO PUNCH A HOLE
JUST TO SEE WHAT'S THERE.
YEAH.
IT'S ALL I CAN
THINK, RICK.
YEAH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.
♪♪
♪♪
LIKE, WE'RE HALFWAY
THROUGH THE SEASON,
WE AIN'T HARDLY HALFWAY
THROUGH THE GROUND.
HOW MUCH MORE
IS IT GOING TO TAKE
TO FINISH UP THE LAST CUT?
IF I HAD TO GUESS RIGHT NOW,
TWO WEEKS,
IF WE CAN KEEP SOMEBODY
ON NIGHT SHIFTS.
Narrator: PARKER'S CREW
IS STRETCHED THIN
RUNNING TWO PLANTS.
HE CALLED IN HIS FRIEND,
FRED LEWIS, TO HELP.
BUT AFTER A DISAPPOINTING TRIAL
OPERATING A LOADER,
FRED HAS BEEN DEMOTED
TO THE GOLD ROOM.
ANYTHING THEY WANT ME TO DO,
I'LL DO IT!
[ SIGHS ]
I DON'T KNOW.
IF THERE WAS REINFORCEMENTS
TO CALL IN,
I'D BE CALLING THEM,
BUT THERE AIN'T.
WE HAVE FRED.
YOU MIGHT WANT
TO CONSIDER
PUTTING HIM ON NIGHTS.
THAT'S A BIG GAMBLE.
YEAH.
HAVING
A THOUGHT HERE.
HOW ABOUT MAYBE FRED AND I
RUNNING A PLANT TOGETHER?
IF I CAN GET HIM FEEDING
THE PLANT,
AND I TAKE CARE
OF TAILINGS.
THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE
A BAD IDEA AT ALL, DOES IT?
NO.
COME HERE!
YES, SIR!
WE MIGHT NEED YOU
TO RUN SOME LOADER.
OH, YEAH!
WE'RE GOING TO TRYOUT
WITH NIGHT SHIFT
AND SEE HOW
THINGS WORK OUT.
I'M DOWN!
♪♪
Parker: PRACTICE ONLY
GETS YOU SO FAR.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOT
TO GET THROWN INTO BATTLE,
WHICH WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE.
Narrator: FOR PARKER
TO BANK 1,000 OUNCES
IN THE LAST CUT
IN JUST THREE WEEKS,
HE'S GAMBLING ON FRED
TO RUN SLUICIFER NONSTOP
THROUGH THE NIGHT.
Chris: OKAY, FRED.
YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN, BUD.
GIVE YOURSELF A LOT OF ROOM
TO TURN AROUND.
OKAY!
GOOD LUCK!
THANKS!
♪♪
OH, [BLEEP] RUNNING!
NOW IT JUST GOT REAL.
NOW IT JUST GOT REAL!
♪♪
YOU'RE GOING JUST
A HAIR TOO FAR FORWARD!
OKAY!
THANK YOU!
NO, YOU'RE GOOD!
♪♪
I'M GONNA LEAVE
YOU GUYS TO IT.
ALL RIGHT.
HOPEFULLY OUR BOY DOWN THERE
DOES ALRIGHT.
-HAVE A GOOD NIGHT!
-YOU, TOO!
♪♪
I'VE GOT, LIKE, THE BIGGEST
COTTONMOUTH RIGHT NOW,
JUST FROM NERVES.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT
LEVEL OF STRESS
WHEN YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S GOLD
INSIDE THE DIRT YOU'RE DUMPING
AND IT'S NOT JUST ROCKS.
♪♪
♪♪
TURNING ON LIGHTS.
THAT MEANS
DARKNESS IS COMING.
I THINK BEING DARK
MAKES YOU MORE TIRED.
Chris: IF FRED WASN'T HERE,
WE WOULDN'T BE RUNNING
THIS SHIFT RIGHT NOW.
I CAN'T DO IT.
SO HE'S FILLING
A HUGE VOID RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'VE GOT TO GET
THIS DIRT RUN.
♪♪
CHRIS: So, Fred,
you notice your belt's empty?
OH, [BLEEP]!
That means
your hopper is empty.
You got to pick up your pace
a little bit.
AS I GET MORE TIRED,
I HAVE TO PAY A HECK
OF A LOT MORE ATTENTION
TO THESE THINGS.
WORK THAT BUCKET
WHILE YOU'RE MOVING.
THERE YOU GO!
♪♪
GOT TO BRING SOME MORE
CAFFEINE NEXT TIME, TOO.
OH!
OH!
♪♪
THAT'S PROBABLY
THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS
I'VE PULLED AN ALL-NIGHTER.
HAPPY DAYS.
♪♪
[ WIND WHISTLING ]
♪♪
HEY, FRED.
THAT'S YOUR LAST BUCKET.
I THINK THIS IS FINALLY
MY LAST SCOOP OF THE SHIFT.
♪♪
Narrator: AFTER
12 GRUELING HOURS,
FRED AND CHRIS' SHIFT
AT THE LAST CUT...
IS FINALLY OVER.
Parker:
HOW YOU DOING, COWBOY?
I'M GOING FOR A RIDE.
STILL DIZZY?
YEAH!
[ CHUCKLES ]
THANKS
FOR DOING THIS!
I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT!
THANKS, PARKER!
FOR JUST HAVING A COUPLE HOURS
WORTH OF TRAINING,
PUTTING HIM
IN A STRESSFUL SITUATION,
I THINK FRED
DID REALLY WELL.
HE REALLY DID.
♪♪
SO, WHAT DID YOU THINK
ABOUT THAT?
THAT WAS A RIDE.
YEAH?
YOUR FIRST DAY AT WORK,
AND YOU DID REAL WELL!
WELL, THANKS!
APPRECIATE IT!
YOU READY TO GET SOME BREAKFAST
AND GO TO BED?
YOU KNOW IT!
Narrator: ROOKIE OPERATOR FRED
HAS RUN 1,600 YARDS OF PAY.
IF HE CAN KEEP IT UP,
PARKER MAY BE ABLE TO HIT
HIS 1,000 OUNCE GOAL.
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator: ALL THREE
OF TONY BEETS WASH PLANTS
ARE SHUT DOWN
SO THAT HIS CREW CAN
REINFORCE A CRITICAL DIKE
BEFORE IT BURSTS,
ENDING THEIR SEASON.
EVERY DAY THEY'RE NOT SLUICING
IS $50,000 OF LOST GOLD.
THE LONGER WE TAKE
TO BUILD THE DIKES,
THE LONGER WE'RE SHUT DOWN.
WE'VE GOT ROCK TRUCKS,
EXCAVATORS, SIDE DUMPS,
EVERYTHING GOING DOWN THERE,
TRYING TO BUILD THESE THINGS UP.
Len: WE'RE PUTTING A LOT
OF MATERIAL ON THE DIKES
TO WIDEN THE DIKES
AND TO GET THEM HIGHER.
SO THIS CORNER HAS TO BE
A LITTLE BIT WIDER.
SO I'M GOING TO DUMP OVER HERE.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW...
[ BANGING ]OOH!
♪♪
IT'S NOT TURNING IT.
♪♪
OH, WE'RE STUCK THERE.
♪♪
IT'S QUITE NARROW HERE,
AND I SLIDED DOWN THE ROAD.
I COULDN'T GET OUT.
♪♪
TONY, I'M DOWN IN A POND,
AND I'M STUCK.
CAN YOU PULL ME OUT, PLEASE?
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
♪♪
Narrator:
WITH NO TIME TO LOSE,
TONY COMES TO THE RESCUE
WITH A D6 DOZER.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
OH, YEAH!
Len: ONLY TOOK HALF A MINUTE
TO GET ME OUT.
SO THAT WAS NOT TOO BAD!
♪♪
Narrator: AFTER THREE DAYS
WIDENING THE DIKE,
TONY BRINGS IN THE BELLY DUMPERS
TO RAISE THE HEIGHT.
♪♪
DUMP, DUMP, DUMP!
♪♪
NOT LISTENING!
YOU MISSED YOUR MARK
BY ABOUT 40 FEET.
PEOPLE GOT TO BE
COORDINATED DOWN HERE
BECAUSE OTHERWISE, YOU HAVE
PEOPLE RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER,
YOU HAVE TRUCKS WAITING
WHEN THEY SHOULD BE GOING,
YOU HAVE TRUCKS GOING
WHEN THEY SHOULD BE WAITING.
DUMP, DUMP, DUMP, DUMP!
♪♪
Mike: GO AHEAD.
♪♪
Narrator: AFTER SHIFTING
50,000 TONS OF TAILINGS
TO RAISE THE DIKES...
LET'S FIRE IT UP,
GET SOME [BLEEP] GOLD!
Narrator: ...TONY FIRES UP
ALL THREE WASH PLANTS.
♪♪
IT'S NICE TO BE
BACK UP AND RUNNING.
YOU KNOW, IT SUCKS
TO BE SHUT DOWN,
BUT AT LEAST WE GOT THE DIKE
FIXED UP PROPERLY.
WE WON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT IT
FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
Narrator: THE BEETS FAMILY
IS BACK ON THE GOLD.
♪♪
♪♪
LET'S HOPE
THIS SIDE IS THAWED.
Narrator: OVER HALFWAY
THROUGH THE YEAR,
RICK NESS HAS MINED
JUST 256 OUNCES OF GOLD.
HE'S NOW ON A DESPERATE HUNT
FOR MONSTER NUGGETS
TO SAVE HIS SEASON.
BUT SO FAR,
ALL HE'S STRUCK
IS FROZEN GROUND.
Freddy: RICK?YEAH?
LET'S GO UP
JUST A LITTLE WAYS
AND LET'S TRY
A POTHOLE THERE.
LET'S JUST PRAY
THAT IT'S THAWED.
OKAY.
50 FEET DOWN?
WHAT THE HELL?
NOTHING TO LOSE NOW!
YEAH.
Freddy: WE GOT TO FIND SOMETHING
WITH BETTER GOLD IN IT
IN THE AREA WHERE WE CAN
GET IT TO THE PLANT,
THAT'S NOT FROZEN.
♪♪
I'M NOT GIVING UP.
I MEAN, THERE'S GOT TO BE
THAWED [BLEEP] GROUND HERE
WITH GOLD IN IT SOMEWHERE.
RIGHT NOW, YOU'D CALL THIS
THE LAST CHANCE HOLE!
♪♪
OH, ONE GOOD THING,
IT'S NOT FROZEN.
THAT'S RIGHT!
Narrator: 35 FEET DOWN,
THEY FINALLY HIT
THAWED PAY DIRT.
♪♪
TAKE A LITTLE BIT
FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, GENE.
Freddy: RICK'S GOT EVERYTHING
ON THE LINE HERE.
HE'S GOT MONEY
OUT OF POCKET.
HE'S BROUGHT PEOPLE IN,
HIS FRIENDS,
GENE'S HERE.
YOU KNOW,
HE'S GOT A LOT ON THE LINE.
♪♪
Rick: I GOT ABOUT A MILLION
THINGS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD
RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW.
TRYING TO THINK OF HOW
I'M GONNA TO BE ABLE
TO PAY THE BILLS,
PAY THE GUYS.
I WANTED TO REALLY SMASH THINGS
OUT OF THE PARK THIS SEASON
AND GIVE MY GUYS A GOOD BONUS
AND PUT SOME PROFIT
INTO MY BUSINESS.
♪♪
TWO COLORS.
YEAH, I SEE THEM.
TWO 200 MESH PIECES.
CAN'T EVEN
COUNT THOSE.
YEP.
THEY DON'T COUNT.
YEAH, I WAS REALLY HOPING
WE'D FIND SOMETHING
BETTER TO RUN TODAY.
YEAH,
THIS REALLY SUCKS.
Rick: BACK TO
THE DRAWING BOARD.
♪♪
TWO OPTIONS ON WHERE I WAS GONNA
GET BETTER GROUND THIS YEAR --
THE GEOLOGISTS LAID
THE TARGETS OUT FOR ME.
I CAME OUT FULLY INTENDING
ON FINDING US
SOME REALLY GOOD GROUND TO RUN
FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR,
AND NONE OF THEM WORKED OUT.
SO...YEAH,
I DON'T KNOW.
I'M PRETTY [BLEEP]
STUMPED RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T GOT A WHOLE LOT
OF ANSWERS.
♪♪
♪♪
1,001. 1,002.
OH, YEAH!
1,003.
IS THAT A DEEP BURN?
IT'S VERY DEEP!
Narrator: DURING
SOME DOWNTIME,
PARKER AND FRED
COMPARE FITNESS REGIMES.
MY FINGERS
ARE DOING GOOD.
THAT'S WHAT THIS THING IS FOR,
RIGHT?
YEP! SURE.
I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT
YOU STILL FIND TIME TO WORK OUT.
I THINK OF IT,
LIKE, I NEED TO FIND TIME
TO WORK AROUND
MY WORKOUTS.
OH, GOOD!
[ LAUGHS ]
I'M GLAD YOU CAME ALL THE WAY
UP HERE TO COME TO WORK, FRED.
IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU, PARKER!
YOU GOT TO COMMIT TO IT!
IF YOU DON'T COMMIT,
YOU'RE GONNA BE
A SKINNY WHITE BOY.
I'M DESTINED TO BE
A SCRAWNY WHITE BOY.
NO, PARKER!
WE ALL HAVE TO ACCEPT SOME FACTS
IN LIFE.
GO ON, HIT THEM TRIS.HIT THE TRIS WITH THAT.
HIT THEM TRIS!
FINE!
YEAH, BABY!
TRIS AND BIS!
MOVIE MUSCLES!
YEAH, BABY!
AAAH!
[ LAUGHS ]
AAAH!
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator:
AFTER A DISASTROUS WEEK
OF ALL THREE PLANTS
BEING SHUT DOWN
IN ORDER TO RAISE A DIKE,
THE BEETS GATHER
FOR A FAMILY MEAL.
Monica: GRAVY?
Minnie: YOU
WANT SPROUTS?
I'M REALLY GLAD YOU MADE,
LIKE, A NICE HOME, DUTCH MEAL.
DEFINITELY MISS THOSE,
'CAUSE I DON'T COOK.
I HAVE A HUSBAND
THAT COOKS FOR ME.
MIKE IS ARRIVING.
HOW MANY DO YOU WANT?
[ LAUGHTER]
[ LAUGHS ]
HOLY [BLEEP].
ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GOING
TO DRINK THAT?
KINDA SUCKS YOU DIDN'T HAVE
ANY PLANTS RUNNING THIS WEEK
WITH, YOU KNOW, THE GOLD PRICE
BEING AS HIGH AS IT IS.
WELL, I MEAN --
I'D RATHER BE
DOWN FOR A WEEK
THAN BE SHUTDOWN
FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR
BECAUSE THE WATER BOARD HAS
TO DO THEIR JOB.
IT IS WHAT IT IS.
GET IT OVER WITH.
FIX THE DIKES
AND START SLUICING AGAIN.
CHEERS, GUYS!
♪♪
Narrator: FOR THE PAST WEEK,
PARKER HAS RUN
TWO WASH PLANTS 24/7,
WITH THE HELP OF SPECIAL
FORCES VETERAN FRED LEWIS.
♪♪
Brennan: HOW ARE YOU LIKING IT
UP HERE SO FAR?
I'M LOVING IT, YEAH.
I LIKE IT.
I LIKE THE WORK ETHIC
AND THE CONSTANT FLOW
AND IT'S JUST A LOT LIKE
A DEPLOYMENT,
BUT WITHOUT WEAPONS, SO...A SHOVEL COULD BE A WEAPON.
[ LAUGHS ]YEAH, THAT'S TRUE!
Narrator: CO-FOREMAN,
BRENNAN, AND MITCH
RAN BIG RED IN THE CLUSTER CUT.
Chris: LET ME GRAB IT
AND SEE WHAT WE GOT.
MAN, I WAS REALLY HAPPY
WITH HOW BIG RED RAN THIS WEEK.
HERE WE GO!
20, 30.
60, 80.
90, 100.
KEEP GOING!
120.
STILL SOME IN THERE.140.
150, 170.
171.5.
RIGHT ON THE DOT!
Narrator: WORTH $240,000.
THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING FOR, FRED.
-LOOK AT THAT, FRED.
-THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
THANKS!
Parker:
TIME FOR SLUICIFER.
OH, YEAH!
HERE WE GO!
-OH!
-LOOK AT THAT!
RED, YOU'RE...
Fred: WHAT?
COUNT IT OUT? YEAH.
10, 20, 30, 50, 70.
80, 90.
100, 130.
180, 200.
210, 230.
250.
272.2.
♪♪
Narrator: WITH A SKELETON CREW,
THE TOTAL IS DOWN ON LAST WEEK,
BUT ADDING FRED ON NIGHT SHIFT
HAS HELPED SLUICIFER BRING IN
OVER $380,000
AND KEPT PARKER ON TRACK
TO HIT HIS 1,000 OUNCE GOAL.
THAT IS SWEET!
Parker: FRED, YOU'RE
MY NEW GOOD LUCK CHARM.
YOU'RE WELCOME!
MY RABBITS FOOT
IS GETTING THROWN OUT!
[ LAUGHTER ]
FOR THE WEEK,
THAT'S 443 OUNCE,
FOR THE WEEK.
Narrator: WORTH OVER $620,000.
WE'LL TRY
AND DO IT AGAIN.
-YEAH!
-FRED, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE!
-YEAH!
-THANKS, FREDDY!
I GOT A CHANCE
TO RUNNING THE LOADER,
AND NOW COMING DOWN HERE
FOR THIS GOLD WEIGH,
SEEING THE RESULTS
OF ALL THAT HARD WORK.
IT'S JUST KIND OF COOL.
PRETTY STOKED TO SEE
WHAT ELSE I CAN DO.
Parker: YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY
NICE TO HAVE FRED UP HERE.
LIKE, WE'RE SHORTHANDED
AND FRED'S, YOU KNOW --
FRED IS FRED, LIKE,
HE'S A GREAT GUY.
HE'S NOT A LOADER OPERATOR,
BUT WE'LL MAKE HIM ONE
FOR THE TIME BEING.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP
THOSE TWO PLANTS BANGING ALONG.
♪♪
Narrator: ON THE NEXT
"GOLD RUSH"...
Parker: SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Narrator:
...PARKER OPENS A NEW CUT...
[BLEEP]!
Narrator: ...PUSHING
HIS CREW TO THE LIMIT...
I'M SICK
OF [BLEEP] EXCUSES!
...THE BEETS FAMILY EMPIRE...
THE HUNKER CUT IS GIVING US
NOTHING BUT TROUBLES.
Narrator: ...THREATENS
TO CRUMBLE...
Monica:
LOOKS PRETTY FROZEN.
I THINK WE'LL GO HOME.
...AND RICK'S SEASON...
Rick: WHAT'D I DRAG
ALL THESE GUYS INTO?
Narrator:
...HITS BREAKING POINT.
SO WHAT DO YOU SAY,
WE JUST [BLEEP] STOP RIGHT NOW?
♪♪