Gold Rush: Alaska (2010–…): Season 6, Episode 9 - Mammoth Gold - full transcript
Todd's crew unearths evidence of a massive prehistoric creature that may or may not lead to big gold. Tony is forced to rebuild his washplant and Parker opens the biggest cut of his life in an attempt to get more gold than his rival Todd.
I NEED THAT MAMMOTH CHANNEL
TO HAVE FRICKIN' GOLD IN IT.
Narrator:
ON THIS "GOLD RUSH"....
THAT MUD
WILL NOT GO THROUGH.
WE'VE GOT TO SHUT DOWN.
WHOA!
Todd: I THINK THE SKY'S
THE LIMIT, I REALLY DO.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING
SCRUBBED CLEAN ENOUGH.
I DON'T HAVE ANY CURL!
IT'LL HAVE TO [BLEEP] WORK.
THAT'S IT?
OUR WHOLE [BLEEP]
CUT'S FLOODED.
WHAT A [BLEEP] MESS.
Ness:
PARKER DOESN'T LIKE TO LOSE.
YOU KNOW, THE WINNER OF THE GAME
IS WHO FINDS THE MOST GOLD.
I HATE THE THOUGHT
OF GETTING BEAT BY TODD.
LOOK OUT, PARKER.
YOU BETTER FRICKIN' MINE HARD.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
I LOST THE BET.
KEVIN SUCKERED ME INTO THIS ONE.
Narrator: IT'S 6:00 A.M.,
AND THERE'S A NEW BULL COOK
AT McKINNON CREEK.
Turin: MORNING, KEVIN.
Hiatt: [ LAUGHS ]
FUNNY, HUH?
SEE, I BET HIM ON
THAT CLEANUP,
AND I WON.
Narrator:
LAST WEEK, DAVE'S DECISION TO
SHUT DOWN THEIR WASH PLANT...
Hiatt: DAVE, THAT ALMOST
LOOKS LIKE LINGERIE.
IT'S NOT LINGERIE.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT.
[ LAUGHS ]
...LED TO A DISAPPOINTING
121-OUNCE CLEANUP.
AND DAVE LOST HIS BET.
WELL, DAVE,
YOU'RE A MAN OF YOUR WORD.
A BET'S A BET.
I WISH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
200 OR PLUS.
BUT I THINK
WE'RE GONNA GET IT NOW.
WE'LL SEE.
WELL, I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT.
SO ANDY SAYS HE'S PROBABLY
GONNA START RUNNING
THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL TODAY.
SO, TODAY, WE'LL KNOW
HOW GOOD THAT THING IS.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA
BE AWESOME.
JUST A FEW DAYS AGO,
THE ENTIRE HOFFMAN CREW STOPPED
SLUICING TO EXCAVATE A CHANNEL
OF MUD THAT PRODUCED
A 9-FOOT MAMMOTH TUSK.
DAVE HAS A HUNCH
THAT THE BLACK MUCK
ALSO CONTAINS A PILE OF GOLD.
ANDY SPINKS GETS A FIRST LOOK
AT THEIR NEW PAY DIRT.
WELL, THIS IS SOME
OF THE FIRST DIRT
FROM THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL
THAT'S GOING TO THE PLANT.
THIS IS SOME BLACK, NASTY STUFF.
IT'S RIGHT ON TOP OF BEDROCK.
IT'S NOT USUALLY THAT CLOSE
TO THE PAY.
BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY IT'S
GOT SOME GOOD GOLD IN IT.
I THINK IT WILL.
Narrator: KEVIN FEEDS
THE NEW PAY INTO MONSTER RED.
Hiatt: WE HAVE TO HOPE
THAT THIS MAMMOTH CHANNEL
PAYS OFF LIKE DAVE
AND ANDY THINK.
I WASN'T FOR IT.
I STILL KIND OF THINK
IT WAS A BAD IDEA.
NOW WE'RE IN A DEFICIT.
AND IF WE DON'T MAKE THAT UP
WITH THIS MAMMOTH CHANNEL,
THEN WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE.
Narrator: SO FAR, THE HOFFMANS
HAVE MINED 743 OUNCES,
BARELY A QUARTER OF THE 2,700
OUNCES TODD WANTS THIS SEASON.
I NEED A BREAK.
I NEED THAT MAMMOTH CHANNEL
TO HAVE FRICKIN' GOLD IN IT.
WE FOUND A HUGE
MAMMOTH TUSK.
SO I CALLED A TUSK EXPERT.
YOU BRUCE?
-IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU FINALLY.
-HEY, MAN, NO KIDDING.
I'VE HEARD YOUR NAME
AROUND THESE PARTS.
Narrator:
BRUCE SCHINDLER HAS WORKED WITH
MAMMOTH IVORY FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
-LOOK AT THIS THING.
-THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZE
HOW RARE IT IS TO FIND A PIECE
THIS BIG INTACT.
IT'S AMAZING.
WE FOUND THIS IN A MUD SEAM.
IT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE A RIVER
WENT THROUGH THIS AREA.
SO I'M HOPING
IT'S A GOOD SIGN.
I THINK YOU'RE GONNA
BE VERY PLEASED.
FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN,
EVERY SINGLE TIME,
WHEN YOU FIND MAMMOTH TUSKS,
YOU'RE FINDING GOLD.
THEY'RE ALWAYS
FOUND TOGETHER.
AND THINK ABOUT IT,
THE MAMMOTH ARE LIKE PEOPLE,
THEY LIKE TO LIVE
WHERE LIVING'S EASY.
AND THE LIVING IS EASY
IN THESE WIDE-OPEN PLAINS.
THESE ARE THE SAME PLAINS THAT
THE GOLD'S BEING DEPOSITED IN
BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE THE WATER'S SLOWING DOWN.
SO THESE GOLD-BEARING CREEKS
ARE THE SAME CREEKS
THE MAMMOTH
ARE DRINKING OUT OF.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OMEN
FOR YOU.
BRUCE,
I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT.
THANKS FOR COMING OUT,
MAN.
Todd: AS HE SAID,
WHERE YOU FIND MAMMOTH TUSKS,
SOMETIMES YOU FIND GOOD GOLD.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT.
SO I HOPE THAT MAMMOTH CHANNEL
PAYS OFF.
Hiatt:
YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
KEVIN TO ANDY.
KEVIN TO ANDY.
GO AHEAD, KEV.
HEY, THIS STUFF IS NOT RUNNING
THROUGH THIS FEEDER.
IT'S GETTING STUCK.
IT'S JAMMED UP.
IT IS NOT RUNNING.
THAT MUD IS CAUSING HAVOC, DUDE.
WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE
SOMETHING ELSE OUT.
TOO BAD, LOAD IT.
IT'S GOT GOLD IN IT.
IT'S TOO CLOSE TO SEPARATED,
SO PUT IT THROUGH THE PLANT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA
THROW GOLD AWAY.
SO YOU'RE JUST GONNA
HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
IT WON'T WORK.
Turin: YEAH, WE'RE RUNNING
THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL,
AND IT'S ALL MUD.
THERE'S NOT JUST ENOUGH ROCK
IN IT TO MAKE
IT GO THROUGH OUR FEEDER.
THAT MUD JUST HANGS UP,
AND IT JUST BLOCKS EVERYTHING
UP, AND IT WILL NOT GO THROUGH.
Narrator: BRANDON UNSWORTH
CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE BUILDUP
OF THE THICK BLACK MUD.
KNOW WHAT?
I'VE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
IT'S JUST [BLEEP]
ABSOLUTE [BLEEP]
YEAH, LOOK.
CONSISTENCY OF COW [BLEEP]
MY FOOT'S STUCK IN IT
AND I'M SHOVELING IT.
THIS IS A PLANT OPERATOR'S
WORST NIGHTMARE, IS WHAT IT IS.
THIS BETTER PAY OFF.
Turin: WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT
OF GOLD IN THERE,
BUT I CAN'T RUN STRAIGHT MUD.
SO I EITHER GOT TO LET
IT SIT AND DRY,
OR I GOT TO HAVE TWO GUYS
SHOVELING ALL DAY LONG,
AND THAT AIN'T GONNA WORK.
Narrator: BLACK MUD
IS CLOGGING UP THE FEEDER
FASTER THAN THEY CAN CLEAR IT.
Turin: RIGHT THERE,
THAT COULD BE THE BEST GOLD
IN THAT WHOLE SUPER CUT,
AND I CAN'T RUN IT
THROUGH THE PLANT.
WE CAN'T RUN
THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL.
WE GOT TO SHUT DOWN.
Parker:
RIGHT NOW, I'M HEADING TO TODD'S
TO SEE
IF HE WANTS TO BUY A DOZER.
Narrator: 20-YEAR-OLD MINE BOSS
PARKER SCHNABEL
IS ON HIS WAY TO McKINNON CREEK.
I HAD A ITCHY TRIGGER FINGER
AT AN AUCTION THE OTHER DAY
AND ENDED UP BUYING A NEW D10.
SO, RIGHT NOW,
I'M TRYING TO SELL OUR OLD ONE,
SO THAT I CAN KEEP SOME MONEY
IN THE BANK.
-HEY, DAVE.
-HI, PARKER.
-HOW ARE YOU DOIN'?
-I'M GOOD.
-HOW ARE YOU DOIN'?
-GOOD.
I THINK YOU WANTED
TO TALK TO TODD.
-IS HE AROUND?
-HE'S IN HIS OFFICE, YEAH.
OKAY. THANKS.
THANKS, PARKER.
I'LL TALK TO HIM.
DOZER, LOAD UP.
Narrator: PARKER SNEAKS A LOOK
AT THE HOFFMANS' SUPER CUT.
THAT'S A BIG [BLEEP] CUT.
HE'S GONE BIG-SCALE THIS YEAR.
YOU KNOW, THOSE D11s
AND THOSE 475s,
I MEAN, THOSE ARE WHAT, YOU
KNOW, MASSIVE COAL MINES RUN.
THE COST ON THOSE IS PHENOMENAL.
YOU KNOW, THE WINNER OF THE GAME
IS WHO FINDS THE MOST GOLD.
Narrator: PARKER HAS YET TO SET
HIS SEASON GOAL.
BUT TODD HAS HIS SIGHT SET
ON A MASSIVE 2,700-OUNCE,
$3 MILLION GOLD HAUL.
SEEMS LIKE
IT'S A FRIENDLY VISIT.
HE'S PROBABLY GONNA TALK TO YOU
ABOUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT.
DOZER, COME HERE.
DOES HE BITE,
OR IS HE GOOD?
-WHAT?
-HE BITE, OR IS HE GOOD?
-NO, HE'S FINE.
-SO, DUDE,
YOU GOT A GOOD START THIS YEAR
OR NOT?
YOU KNOW, IT'S A ROUGH START,
BUT WHEN ISN'T IT?
SO, YOU'RE ALL SETTLED
IN FOR THE SEASON NOW?
-YEAH.
-LOOKS LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE
-A LACK OF IRON AROUND.
-YEAH.
THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND
OF WHAT I'M HERE.
-REALLY?
-I PICKED UP A NEW DOZER,
AND I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU WANTED TO BUY THE OLD 10
THAT YOU SOLD ME.
HOW MUCH?
I GAVE YOU 120 FOR IT.
AND WE PUT ABOUT 120
INTO IT LAST YEAR.
AND SO I'M TRYING
TO GET 200 OUT OF IT.
SO, YOU GUYS WOULD BE MORE THAN
WELCOME TO COME LOOK AT IT.
'CAUSE I'M MAKING
THE ROUNDS, SO...
YEAH.
...IF YOU WANT IT,
LET ME KNOW.
DON'T HOLD IT FOR ME.
ALL RIGHT.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE'RE GONNA COME OUT OF HERE
WITH THE MOST AMOUNT OF GOLD.
THIS IS GONNA BE
OUR SEASON.
ALL THE POWER TO YOU.
LOOK OUT, PARKER.
YOU BETTER FRICKIN' MINE HARD.
WHATEVER.
Todd:
I GOT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,
I DON'T TRUST PARKER SCHNABEL.
YEAH, I GOT KIND
OF SORDID HISTORY WITH THE KID.
AND I'D LIKE
TO BEAT PARKER THIS YEAR.
I THINK HE'S NERVOUS 'CAUSE
I GOT A LOT OF GROUND
OPENED UP ALREADY,
AND I'M NOT PANICKING.
HE REALLY WANTS
TO PULL MORE GOLD
OUT OF THE GROUND THAN US.
IF HE SPENDS ENOUGH MONEY
AND PUTS IN THE EFFORT,
HE'LL BEAT US.
I'M VERY COMPETITIVE,
AND I HATE THE THOUGHT
OF GETTING BEAT BY TODD.
I'M NOT HERE TO LOSE,
AND I'M NOT ABOUT TO LET
THAT HAPPEN.
Narrator: AFTER A DISASTROUS
START TO THE SEASON,
PARKER SCHNABEL
IS SLOWLY CLAWING HIS WAY BACK.
HE NOW HAS 711 OUNCES, JUST 32
OUNCES LESS THAN TODD HOFFMAN.
PARKER'S TREASURE ISLAND
IS RUNNING OUT FAST.
WHOA.
HE NEEDS TO FIND MORE GROUND.
AND THIS TIME
HE WANTS TO GO BIG.
I THINK THAT POST
RIGHT IN THERE
IS OUR BOUNDARY LINE.
OKAY.
SO WHAT I WAS THINKING,
IF WE CAME OVER HERE,
WE COULD GO RIGHT UP
TO OUR LINE
AND THEN OVER TO THE EDGE
OF THE OTHER CUT,
THAT THE OLD MINERS DID.
LIKE 2,000 FEET?
PROBABLY PRETTY DAMN CLOSE.
-THAT'S A GOOD DISTANCE.
-YEAH, I KNOW.
IT'S A LOT OF GROUND.
YEAH, IF WE PLAN THIS RIGHT,
THIS COULD --
WE COULD SPEND THE REST
OF THE SEASON OVER HERE.
-POSSIBLY.
-WELL, YEAH, MAYBE.
WELL, DO YOU THINK
WE'RE READY TO TACKLE THIS?
IT'D BE A BIG UNDERTAKING.
WE'LL GET IT.
LIKE YOU ALWAYS SAID,
"IT'S JUST MOVING DIRT."
IT'S JUST MOVING DIRT.
Narrator:
PARKER STARTED THE SEASON
IN LAST YEAR'S BERM CUT,
BEFORE MOVING SOUTH
TO TREASURE ISLAND.
NOW HE PLANS TO OPEN UP
HIS BIGGEST CUT YET,
BETWEEN THE CREEK
AND THE BOUNDARY OF HIS CLAIM.
THE BOUNDARY CUT WILL BE
THE SIZE OF 17 FOOTBALL FIELDS,
300,000 SQUARE FEET
BIGGER THAN TODD'S SUPER CUT.
PARKER LEADS THE CHARGE
INTO HIS MASSIVE NEW CUT
IN HIS NEW D10 DOZER.
Parker: THERE'S A BIT
OF A SENSE OF URGENCY HERE.
RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST TRYING
TO GET THIS GROUND
STRIPPED AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
AND THIS IS GONNA BE
THE MAIN TOOL TO GET THAT DONE.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK
TO DO AND NOT A LOT OF TIME
TO DO IT.
Ness:
TODD'S GOT ONE GIANT SUPER CUT
THAT HE'S BEEN PULLING
OUT OF ALL SEASON.
PARKER DOESN'T LIKE TO LOSE.
AND IF HE WANTS TO HAVE
A COMPETITION WITH TODD HOFFMAN,
I'M IN IT WITH HIM.
YOU KNOW,
I DON'T LIKE TO LOSE EITHER.
SO WE'RE REALLY THROWING
EVERYTHING WE GOT AT THIS CUT.
IT'S TAKING ALL OF OUR MACHINES,
ALL OF OUR GUYS.
WE GOT A LONG WAYS
TO GO DOWN YET,
BUT WE'RE MOVING A TON OF DIRT,
AND IT'S GONNA BE
A NICE BIG AREA.
THE HOFFMANS, I THINK
WE'LL SMOKE THEM NO PROBLEM.
HOLY COW, KEV.
THAT'S JUST PURE MUD.
Narrator:
THE HOFFMANS' WASH PLANT
IS JAMMED FULL
OF THICK BLACK MUD
FROM THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL.
AND THEY'RE LOSING
VALUABLE SLUICING TIME.
THIS MAMMOTH CHANNEL'S BECOMING
A PAIN IN THE ASS.
NOT ONLY DID WE LOSE
24 HOURS DIGGING THROUGH IT,
NOW WE'RE LOSING TIME
BECAUSE WE CAN'T RUN IT.
WELL, HERE IT IS.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING.
THIS IS THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL MUD
THAT WE WANT TO RUN,
AND IT'S GOT GOLD IN IT.
AND IT'S SO STICKY.
I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THE WAY
IT STICKS TO THE SIDE
OF THE EQUIPMENT.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THIS, DAVE.
THIS WHOLE PLANT'S
JAMMING UP.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M WONDERING
IF WE SHOULDN'T JUST
GO AROUND THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL
AND JUST FORGET IT?
AND THEN WE CAN KEEP
FRICKIN' RUNNING.
I'M NOT READY TO ABANDON IT.
I THINK THERE'S GOLD
IN THAT STUFF.
BUT IT'S MUD, DAVE.
AND WE AIN'T GETTING
ANY GOLD
IF WE CAN'T GET IT
THROUGH THE FRICKIN' PLANT.
I GOT AN IDEA --
IF WE PUT SOME PLASTIC AND LINE
THAT CHUTE ON OUR FEEDER,
I THINK THAT STUFF
WILL SLIDE RIGHT THROUGH.
Narrator:
MAMMOTH CHANNEL MUD IS STICKING
TO THE SIDES OF THE HOPPER,
BLOCKING PAY DIRT FROM RUNNING
THROUGH TO THE WASH PLANT.
DAVE'S SOLUTION IS TO LINE
THE HOPPER WITH SMOOTH PLASTIC
SO THAT THE THICK, WET MUD
CAN SLIDE DOWN INTO THE PLANT.
YOU PUT THAT LINER IN, HOW LONG
IS IT GONNA FRICKIN' TAKE?
SHOULD TAKE ABOUT A DAY,
BUT I THINK THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL
HAS ENOUGH GOLD TO MAKE
IT WORTH ONE DAY OF DOWNTIME.
GIVE ME ONE MORE SHOT
AT THIS.
OKAY, WE'LL TRY YOUR IDEA.
IF IT DOESN'T WORK, I SAY WE
FORGET THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL,
JUST FORGET
THE WHOLE FRICKIN' THING, EH?
I THINK IT'S WORTH IT.
I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT.
FIRST, DAVE AND KEVIN
HAVE TO GET ALL OF THE MUD
OUT OF THE HOPPER.
WELL, DAVE,
YOUR FRICKIN' MAMMOTH CHANNEL
GOT ME SOME GOOD DIGGING.
CAN'T AVOID IT.
THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE
IS TO LEAVE THIS PAY
IN THE CHANNEL,
AND WE WOULDN'T
SLUICE IT.
DAVE, JUST SAY IT --
I'M RIGHT, YOU'RE WRONG.
RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE RIGHT,
BUT WHEN WE SLUICE THIS,
I'LL BE RIGHT.
IF WE CAN SLUICE IT.
WITH THE HOPPER EMPTY...
-READY?
-YEP.
Narrator: ...THEY CAN INSTALL
THE PLASTIC LINING.
THANKS, BUDDY.
YOU WANT TO GRAB THAT OTHER
PIECE, KEVIN, HAND THEM TO DAVE?
-IS IT THIS ONE?
-YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS
ARE PRETTY HEAVY, JUAN.
OH, MAN, YEAH.
LOOK HOW SLICK IT IS.
I HOPE THAT MUD WILL HIT THAT
AND JUST SLIDE RIGHT DOWN.
IT'S BOLTED IN.
Narrator:
KEVIN AND MECHANIC JUAN IBARRA
BOLT DOWN THE PLASTIC.
-CAN YOU SEE THAT?
-YEAH.
WANT ME TO SUCK IT DOWN?
ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD.
IT'S A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT'S
GONNA GET POURED ON TO THIS,
SO WE'RE GONNA PUT A PIECE
OF STEEL ON THE VERY TOP
TO KIND OF SAFEGUARD IT
FROM GETTING ANY DIRT OR ROCKS
BEHIND THE SHEET.
WATCH YOUR EYES, DAVE.
Narrator: IF DAVE'S PLASTIC FIX
DOESN'T WORK, THE HOFFMAN CREW
WILL NEVER FIND OUT
HOW MUCH GOLD
IS IN THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL MUD.
YOU'RE GOOD, BUDDY.
Ibarra: IT'S GOT TO WORK.
WE GOT TO BE ABLE
TO RUN THAT PAY, SO...
AND WE GOT TO GET BACK UP
AND RUNNING AS SOON AS WE CAN.
GO AHEAD AND GET THAT THING
DOWN, FIRE THIS THING UP.
WE NEED TO RUN.
OKAY, WE'RE BACK GOING.
IT COST US SOME TIME.
I HOPE IT WORKS.
Narrator:
IF THE PLASTIC LINING WORKS,
THE CREW WILL BE ABLE
TO RUN OVER 50,000 YARDS
OF MAMMOTH CHANNEL PAY DIRT.
IT'S WORKING.
IT ALL JUST SLIDES RIGHT
INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE FEEDER,
ONTO THE BELT, AND THROUGH THE
PLANT LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
SO THOSE PLASTIC PIECES
DID THE TRICK.
ANDY, GOOD NEWS.
WE ARE BACK UP AND RUNNING.
SEND ME THAT MUD.
IF IT'S GOT PAY,
I'LL TAKE THAT MUD.
10-4, KEV.
THIS IS THE SOLUTION.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED.
THAT'S MAMMOTH CHANNEL MUD,
WE'LL RUN IT THROUGH THE PLANT.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA
BE GOOD GOLD.
Narrator:
LAST WEEK, THE TWO MEN
THAT REBUILT THE DREDGE REFUSED
TO WORK OVERTIME AND LEFT.
TONY IS IN TROUBLE.
HE BOUGHT HIS OLD GOLD DREDGE
FOR $1 MILLION.
BUT SO FAR THIS SEASON,
IT'S ONLY PRODUCED 97 OUNCES,
A TENTH OF WHAT TONY
NEEDS TO RECOUP HIS INVESTMENT.
THE LAST DREDGE CLEANUP
PRODUCED A PATHETIC 11 OUNCES.
TONY AND FOREMAN GENE CHEESEMAN
HEAD TO THEIR TAILINGS PILE
TO FIGURE OUT WHY
THE DREDGE IS UNDERPERFORMING.
LOOKS LIKE
IT COULD BE A PIECE.
YEAH, WELL THEY'RE NOT GETTING
QUITE SCRUBBED CLEAN ENOUGH.
RIGHT NOW, THE ROCK
IS JUST RIDING IN THE BOTTOM
OF THE TROMMEL,
NOT ROLLING OVER TO GET CLEAN.
IT'S OBVIOUS.
THAT MAKES SENSE.
THE LOST GOLD ON THE TAILINGS
SHOULD HAVE BEEN
COLLECTED IN THE DREDGE.
TONY'S PLAN --
INSTALL A SPRAY BAR
ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH
OF THE TROMMEL
AND GROUSER BARS TO FLIP ROCKS
AS THEY TRAVEL DOWN.
THE COMBINATION SHOULD CLEAN
ALL THE GOLD OFF THE TAILINGS
SO THAT IT CAN COLLECT
IN THE SLUICES.
MECHANIC MATT BEAUDRY
HAS TO BUILD A SPRAY BAR
OUT OF THE MATERIALS
THEY HAVE ON SITE.
THESE ARE THE 2-INCH NOZZLES
THAT WE'RE GONNA USE HERE.
JUST GOT TO TRACE IT ALL OUT
ON THE PIPE,
CUT IT AND WELD 'EM IN.
Narrator:
MATT CUTS A 2-INCH HOLE
EVERY 2 FEET DOWN THE LENGTH
OF THE PIPE.
THEN HE WELDS ON 12 NOZZLES.
MEANWHILE, GENE
MANUFACTURES THE GROUSER BARS.
NOT MANY EASY WAYS
TO GET IN THERE.
PRETTY TIGHT.
YOU WANT TO TRY
AND COME IN THROUGH THERE?
WELL, IT'S GONNA HAVE
TO GO ALL THE WAY UP IN THERE,
AND IT'S GONNA BE A [BLEEP]
TO GET IT BACK THAT WAY.
THE CREW HITS A ROADBLOCK.
WITH ONLY A 10-FOOT GAP BETWEEN
THE STACKER AND THE TROMMEL,
THERE'S NO WAY TO GET
THEIR NEW 24-FOOT SPRAY BAR
INTO THE DREDGE.
YEAH, IT'S KIND OF LONG,
AWKWARD,
AND JUST TAKING
A COUPLE OF MINUTES
AND LOOKING AT THINGS HERE,
SEEING IF WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
MIKE.
IF WE USE THE 235 AND WALK RIGHT
UP TO THE EDGE HERE
AND PUSH THE THING
THROUGH DOWN THE BELT.
OH. YOU FIGURE I'D GET
A STRAIGHT ENOUGH SHOT AT IT?
OH, I DON'T SEE WHY NOT.
Narrator: GENE COMES UP
WITH A RADICAL PLAN --
USE THE 235 EXCAVATOR
TO FEED THE SPRAY BAR DOWN
THROUGH THE END OF THE STACKER
WHILE MIKE BEAUDRY
DIRECTS FROM THE LIFT.
BUT THERE'S A WINDOW IN THE WAY.
CAN YOU JUST TAKE THE PLEXIGLAS
OUT, OR IS IT GONNA BREAK?
WELL,
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BREAK,
BUT WE CAN GET IT OUT.
IT'S UP TO YOU.
JUST THROUGH THE WINDOW.
YEAH, JUST PULL IT OFF THERE.
IF WE CAN'T SALVAGE IT,
WE'LL GET ANOTHER PIECE.
HEY, GOOD JOB ON SALVAGING THAT.
[ LAUGHS ]
OKAY, GIANT PIPE COMING THROUGH,
MONTANA, SO WATCH YOURSELF.
OH [BLEEP]
HEY, MIKE,
IS IT HALFWAY IN THERE YET?
IF YOU JUST KEEP WALKING IT,
YOU MIGHT, UH,
BE ABLE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH.
IT'S GONNA GET HARD
FOR ME TO GET LOOSE OF IT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY CURL.
THE ARM ON GENE'S EXCAVATOR
ISN'T LONG ENOUGH TO PUSH
THE 350-POUND PIPE
ALL OF THE WAY INTO THE STACKER.
AS SOON AS WE CAN GET
THE CHAIN LOOSE,
WE NEED TO GET IT LOOSE.
YOU GUYS
ARE OVER CENTER NOW.
HEY, KEEP GOING DOWN, GENE.
PERFECT.
UNDO THE CHAIN, MIKE.
OKAY.
RIGHT NOW IT'S ON MY KNEE.
MONTANA, PULL.
OH, THAT'S PRETTY NICE.
Cheeseman: YEAH, EVERYTHING
WENT PRETTY GOOD.
NOW WE JUST GOT TO GET THE THING
DOWN THE CONVEYOR
AND INTO THE TROMMEL.
LET'S GO.
ONE, TWO, THREE...
Narrator: IN THE TROMMEL,
GENE WINCHES THE SPRAY BAR
INTO PLACE USING A COME-ALONG.
ONE MORE, GENE?
ONE MORE CLICK?
GOOD?
YEP.
-YEAH, THAT'S PERFECT.
-WATCH YOUR EYES.
Narrator: THEN KEVIN BEETS WELDS
THE SIX GROUSER BARS INTO PLACE.
TONY'S CHANCES
OF PAYING OFF THE DREDGE
DEPEND ON GETTING
THIS FIX TO WORK.
IT'LL HAVE TO [BLEEP] WORK.
IT'LL HAVE TO [BLEEP] DO.
Narrator: FIVE MILES EAST,
PARKER AND RICK
ARE OPENING UP THEIR BIGGEST CUT
EVER IN AN ATTEMPT TO BEAT
TODD HOFFMAN THIS SEASON.
Ness: WITH THE RESOURCES
AND MACHINES AND THE PEOPLE
THAT TODD HAS, I MEAN,
HE SHOULD BE BLOWING US
OUT OF THE WATER.
SO I DO THINK IT WOULD BE FUNNY
IF WE DID BEAT HIM.
I MEAN, HOW FRUSTRATING
WOULD THAT BE FOR HIM,
YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOD.
HE'D BE HAVING NIGHTMARES
ABOUT IT ALL WINTER.
Narrator:
TO BEAT THE HOFFMANS,
PARKER WILL HAVE
TO PUSH HIS CREW TO THE LIMIT.
IS HE GOOD TO GO?
-YEAH.
-GO AHEAD.
Parker: OH, I'M JUST TRYING
TO KEEP THE TRUCKS MOVING.
'CAUSE YOU GOT FIVE TRUCKS
MAKING 120 ROUNDS,
THAT'S, UH, 100 MINUTES.
SO IF WE FIND A WAY
TO SAVE 10 SECONDS A ROUND,
THAT'S OVER AN HOUR
AND A HALF IN A DAY.
SO THE KEY TO DEALING WITH MUD
IS JUST KEEP IT MOVING.
Ness: WE'RE OPENING
A LOT OF NEW GROUND.
EVERYBODY
KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT'S LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE
RIGHT NOW.
I'M PRETTY PROUD OF IT.
YEP, THAT'S PAY DIRT.
YES!
HEY, PARKER, UH,
WE'RE DOWN TO PAY DIRT
IN THE BOUNDARY CUT, BUDDY.
Parker: RIGHT ON!
Narrator:
BUT BEFORE PARKER CAN MAKE IT
OVER TO HIS MASSIVE NEW CUT...
THE RAIN'S COMING DOWN
REALLY HARD.
AND I'M LOOKING
AT THE MOUNTAINS.
THERE AIN'T NO END
IN SIGHT YET.
THE WATER LEVELS HAVE BEEN WAY
DOWN IN THE CREEKS AND STUFF,
BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS
COULD BRING IT UP IN A HURRY.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
OUR WHOLE CUT'S FLOODED,
THE WHOLE THING.
Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
THE BOUNDARY CUT
IS UNDER 6 FEET OF WATER.
HOW THE [BLEEP] IS THERE A LAKE
IN OUR CUT?
YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, BUDDY.
SOMETHING, UH --
SOMETHING WENT AWRY LAST NIGHT.
THAT RAIN CAME UP
THAT MUCH?
-WAIT, IS THAT -- THAT'S --
-SEE THAT?
THAT'S WHERE
IT CAME THROUGH, HUH?
YOU BET.
HOW THE [BLEEP]
DID IT COME THROUGH THERE?
IT JUST BLEW THROUGH.
I BET I KNOW WHAT IT WAS, TOO,
'CAUSE WE HAD A [BLEEP]
THERE WAS A BUNCH
OF ICE THERE,
AND WE PILED DIRT
ON TOP OF ICE.
-AND IT MELTED.
-THAT WATER ATE THE ICE AWAY.
THERE'S OUR CULPRIT,
I'M THINKING.
Narrator: HEAVY RAINS THAWED OUT
THE PERMAFROST DAM
THAT WAS HOLDING BACK
A SMALL CREEK.
MILLIONS OF GALLONS
POURED INTO THEIR NEW CUT
AND COULD WASH AWAY GOLD
IN THE PAY DIRT.
YEAH, NO.
I MEAN, THIS IS [BLEEP]
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA
HAVE THE CREW DO TODAY.
NOTHING WE CAN DO
IN A [BLEEP] LAKE.
I MEAN, UNLESS THEY WANT
TO PUT FLOATIES ON
AND GO [BLEEP] SWIMMING.
[BLEEP] DAMN IT.
AH, WE'RE JUST FINISHING UP
THIS SPRAY BAR HERE.
BAFFLES ARE DONE.
Narrator: TONY'S DREDGE HAS BEEN
SHUT DOWN FOR ONE FULL DAY
WHILE THE CREW MADE CRITICAL
MODIFICATIONS TO THE TROMMEL.
WE'LL SEE HOW SHE WORKS
WHEN WE FIRE UP.
FIRE IT UP.
FIRST, THEY RUN THE WATER TO SEE
IF THEIR NEW SPRAY BAR WORKS.
YEAH, IT DOES.
AS LONG AS WE'RE GETTING
THE ROCKS CLEAN, YOU KNOW?
NEXT, GENE RUNS PAY DIRT TO SEE
IF THE GROUSERS FLIP ROCKS.
YEAH, IT'S KNOCKED
ALL THE SHARP EDGES OFF.
YEAH, THIS LOOKS
PRETTY GOOD TO ME.
THE COMBINATION OF SPRAY BAR
AND GROUSERS SHOULD PREVENT GOLD
FROM ENDING UP IN THE TAILINGS.
TONY NOW HAS A FIGHTING CHANCE
TO RECOUP
HIS $1 MILLION INVESTMENT.
YEP.
WE ARE SCREWED.
PARKER SCHNABEL HAS OPENED UP
THE BOUNDARY CUT,
THE BIGGEST CUT OF HIS CAREER.
AND NOW IT'S FLOODED.
BOUNDARY CUT IS A GIANT LAKE.
YOU KNOW, BREACHED BY WATER.
IT'S JUST A MESS.
WE NEED TO BE RUNNING
THIS RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, THIS IS THE GROUND
WE HAVE TO WORK WITH,
SO IF WE CAN'T GET THIS UNDER
CONTROL, I DON'T KNOW.
WE'RE SCREWED.
Narrator: PARKER'S CHANCES OF
BEATING TODD ARE SINKING FAST.
WHAT A [BLEEP] MESS.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT HAULING
ANY PAY OF HERE TODAY.
WE GOT TO GET
THIS LICKED HERE
IN THE NEXT DAY
OR TWO OR ELSE, UH...
OR, YEAH,
WE'RE AT A STANDSTILL, SO...
WE'RE AT A STANDSTILL.
THERE'S NO WAY
WE'RE SETTING A PUMP IN HERE
TO PUMP THIS OUT.
THE PUMP
WOULD TAKE TOO LONG.
WE'VE GOT TO FIND
A DIFFERENT WAY TO DRAIN IT.
YOU BET.
I'LL JUST CUT A BIG DITCH,
A GOOD-SIZED DITCH,
AND SHE'LL --
SHE'LL DROP FAST
ONCE I GET THAT WATER FLOWING.
Narrator:
RICK AND WILLIE DUCHESNE
DIG A 400-FOOT-LONG
DRAINAGE DITCH
TO REMOVE THE WATER
FROM THE FLOODED CUT.
Duchesne: OUR SEASON'S DEPENDING
ON THIS RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN'T LET THIS WATER BEAT US.
IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR DIRT
OUT OF THIS BOUNDARY CUT,
WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST GO HOME,
'CAUSE IT'S...
SEASON WILL BE OVER.
Ness:
ONE FLOOD IN THE BOUNDARY CUT
IS TOO MANY,
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
SO ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO
TO DIG THIS DRAIN DOWN TODAY,
JUST TO GET THE WATER
EVEN LOWER, I'M GONNA DO IT,
BECAUSE NOW THAT WE'VE
GOT IT DOWN TO PAY DIRT,
I DON'T WANT TO BE LOSING GOLD
JUST BECAUSE OF WATER.
THAT'S IT.
GOLD, BABY.
Narrator:
AFTER 3 HOURS OF DIGGING...
RIGHT ON.
SHE'S COMING.
SHE'S COMING.
THE WATER'S FLOWING.
WE CAN GET BACK
IN THERE AND START MINING.
...RICK AND WILLIE
SAVE THE BOUNDARY CUT.
LOOK AT THAT.
RIGHT ON.
THIS IS AWESOME.
I LOVE SEEING THIS.
UH, YEP.
AT THE DREDGE,
KEVIN BEETS AND JASON FOLSTER
ARRIVE FOR THEIR LAST SHIFT
OF THE WEEK.
UNEXPECTED NIGHT SHIFT.
NOT OVERLY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
HIT THE, UH,
20 AND THE 60.
OKAY, EVERYTHING'S ON.
Narrator:
LOSING MIKE AND JERRY
HAS PILED THE PRESSURE
ON THE REMAINING CREW.
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ONE
TO BE OVER.
AH [BLEEP]
AND FOR ONCE,
EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY.
IT'S TIME
FOR THE WEEKLY CLEANUP.
WOW.
HONESTLY, DIDN'T LOOK.
-OH, I KNOW THAT'S THERE.
-SHAKE IT OUT AND PUT IT BACK.
Narrator: BY 6:00 P.M...
OH, THAT LOOKS PROMISING.
...TONY HAS SEPARATED THE GOLD
FROM THE CONCENTRATE.
AH, SHE GOES,
SHE GOES.
THEIR LAST CLEANUP
PRODUCED JUST 11 OUNCES,
WORTH ABOUT $12,000.
IF THE DREDGE IS GOING TO PAY
FOR ITSELF THIS SEASON...
20, 30...
...TONY NEEDS
AT LEAST 50 OUNCES A WEEK.
40, 50...
80, 90, 100...
110, 120...
130...
132.85.
HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN
WHAT WE DID LAST TIME.
IT'S AWESOME.
Narrator: 132 OUNCES
IS WORTH OVER $140,000,
TONY'S BIGGEST GOLD HAUL
YET ON THE DREDGE.
Cheeseman:
I'M PRETTY IMPRESSED WITH THIS.
PRETTY DAMN GOOD, I THINK.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S --
THERE'S ALWAYS PLENTY OF ROOM
FOR IMPROVEMENT,
BUT WE'RE LEARNING
HOW TO RUN THE DAMN THING.
WE'LL GET IT FIGURED OUT
AND MAKE IT AS EFFICIENT
AS WE CAN MAKE IT.
TONY'S SEASON TOTAL
SITS AT 230 OUNCES, OR $250,000.
HE'S ONLY A QUARTER OF THE WAY
TO $1 MILLION,
BUT THE DREDGE
IS FINALLY DIALED IN.
Narrator:
DAWN AT SCRIBNER CREEK.
BEFORE HE GETS TO WORK
IN THE BOUNDARY CUT,
AN EXHAUSTED RICK NESS
OBSERVES HIS DAILY RITUAL.
YEAH, STARTING THE DAY OFF
WITH ONE CUP OF COFFEE.
I DON'T REQUIRE MUCH,
JUST ONE CUP.
ONE MODERATE CUP.
Parker: YEAH, I MEAN,
THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BEAT TODD
AND HAVE A BIGGER SEASON
THAN WE DID LAST YEAR
IS TO SPEND MORE MONEY AND --
AND SCALE UP OUR OPERATION.
SO, RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST GOING
TO SELL SOME GOLD.
WE'RE GEARING UP BIG-TIME, AND,
UM, AND THE FIGHT'S ON.
Narrator:
TO HAVE ANY HOPE OF BEATING
TODD HOFFMAN THIS SEASON,
PARKER NEEDS CASH TO DOUBLE DOWN
ON FUEL AND MAN-HOURS.
HE TAKES A DRASTIC STEP,
CASHING IN
HALF THIS YEAR'S GOLD TAKE.
WE GOT SOME GOLD TO SELL.
300 OUNCES.
300 OUNCES?
OKAY.
WE'LL GET THAT GOING THEN.
FIRST, THE GOLD IS HEATED
TO AROUND 2,000 DEGREES.
LOOKS PRETTY HOT.
YEAH.
HATE TO SCREW UP
AND GRAB THAT.
WHEN THE GOLD HAS COOLED,
THE BLACK IMPURITIES,
KNOWN AS SLAG, ARE BEATEN OFF.
IT'S A LITTLE BARBARIC.
[ CHUCKLES ]
IT'S LIKE WATCHING
SOMEBODY SHOOT AT YOUR HOUSE
WITH A SHOTGUN.
HERE YOU GO, PARKER.
ALL RIGHT, WOW.
LOOK AT THOSE THINGS.
PRETTY COOL BARS.
THEY LOOK NICE.
TWO 150-OUNCE BARS.
LET'S SELL 'EM.
YEAH, SURE.
PERFECT.
SO IT COMES OUT TO 300 OUNCES,
WHICH IS ABOUT 345 GRAND.
SO, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA
SPEND IT ON?
-FUEL.
-FUEL?
Narrator: SELLING HIS GOLD GIVES
PARKER A WAR CHEST OF $345,000
TO FORGE AHEAD
IN THE BOUNDARY CUT...
-THANKS FOR KEEPING US GOING.
-YEP.
-APPRECIATE IT.
-YEP, NO PROBLEM.
Narrator: ...AND, HE HOPES,
TAKE ON THE HOFFMANS.
I'M NOT ABOUT
TO GET BEAT BY TODD,
SO DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO,
I GUESS.
PUT MONEY IN THE BANK
AND KEEP THE OPERATION GOING.
SO GO WRITE A FEW CHECKS
AND GET BACK TO WORK.
Narrator:
SUNDAY MORNING.
THE HOFFMAN CREW
HAS RUN ALL OF THEIR MAMMOTH
CHANNEL PAY DIRT.
AND THEY'RE FINALLY READY
FOR A CLEANUP.
LET'S GO.
TO HIT
THEIR 2,700-OUNCE SEASON GOAL,
THEY HAVE TO GET 200 OUNCES
A WEEK.
IT LOOKS GOOD.
BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH.
I DON'T THINK
CLEANUP WILL BE 200.
AND THEN I GOT TO FACE TODD.
DAVE'S NECK IS ON THE LINE.
DESPITE MAJOR PROBLEMS
WITH THE THICK BLACK MUD,
HE INSISTED THEY RUN ALL
OF THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL PAY DIRT
ON THE HUNCH THAT
WHERE YOU FIND A MAMMOTH,
YOU'LL FIND BIG GOLD.
YOU KNOW,
IT'S A PRETTY GUTSY MOVE,
'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST DAVE,
IT'S EVERYONE'S EFFORT.
YEAH.
ALL OF US PAY
WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE.
DO I THINK
HE MADE A MISTAKE?
EH, YOU KNOW, NEVER KNOW.
I GOT A HUNCH
HE'S RIGHT.
AND IF, UH,
IF THAT HUNCH PROVES OUT,
EVERYBODY
WILL PAT HIM ON THE BACK,
AND, YOU KNOW,
THEY'LL GO AWAY HAPPY.
IF NOT,
THEY'LL KICK HIM IN THE NUTS.
[ LAUGHS ]
THE MINERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
WAIT IN THE COOK SHACK
TO FIND OUT IF DAVE WAS RIGHT
OR IF THEY WASTED
THE ENTIRE WEEK.
HEY, GUYS.
LISTEN UP, I KNOW --
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A CRAPPY WEEK
AND EVERYTHING.
AND EVERYTHING'S
REALLY BEEN TOUGH, BUT, WELL...
WHAT IS IT?
IT'S GOOD.
HOW GOOD?
LISTEN.
-WHOA!
-OH, MY GOD.
-FREAKING KIDDING ME.
-LOOK AT THAT.
OH, MY GOODNESS!
WHOA!
HOW MUCH IS IT, JACK?
236 OUNCES.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
[ LAUGHS ] GOD.
NICE.
GUYS, YOU KNOW WHAT?
THIS IS ONE
OF THE BIGGEST CLEANUP
WE'VE EVER DONE AS A TEAM,
EVER.
236.
OVER A QUARTER
OF A MILLION BUCKS
CAME OUT
OF THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL,
AND GUESS WHAT?
2,700 OUNCES,
GUYS, HERE WE COME.
I FEEL SOMEWHAT VINDICATED,
YOU KNOW?
-YOU WERE RIGHT, DAVE.
-LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S AMAZING.
NICE.
Jack: WELL, IF IT'S A MOUNTAIN
THAT'S IN FRONT OF US,
LET'S JUST GO TEAR IT DOWN.
Narrator:
HALFWAY THROUGH THE SEASON,
THE HOFFMAN CREW HAS PRODUCED
ALMOST 1,000 OUNCES OF GOLD...
I'D LIKE TO PRAY FOR US.
LET'S PRAY, GUYS.
...WORTH OVER $1 MILLION.
LORD,
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GOLD.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT
IN THE GROUND JUST FOR US. AMEN.
-AMEN.
-AMEN.
Narrator: THE HOFFMANS
ARE ALREADY CLOSING IN
ON THEIR GOLD TOTAL
FROM LAST YEAR,
WELL ON THEIR WAY
TO A 2,700-OUNCE SEASON.
I THINK THE SKY'S THE LIMIT,
I REALLY DO.
YOU KNOW, THE OLD-TIMERS SAID
WHERE YOU FIND MAMMOTH TUSKS,
YOU FIND BIG GOLD.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
THEY WERE RIGHT.
Turin: YEAH!
Narrator:
ON THE NEXT "GOLD RUSH"...
YEAH! WE'RE AT THE END
OF THE SUPER CUT, BOYS.
WAY BELOW
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
IF YOU DON'T EXTEND IT,
YOU DON'T MAKE YOUR GOAL.
Man: MAN, I THINK YOU'RE
TAKING A HECK OF A RISK.
I'M NERVOUS
ABOUT THIS, TOO.
Man: GOT TO ADMIT --
WHEN THE KID TAKES A CHANCE,
HE DOESN'T GO SMALL.
HEY, WE GOT NO WATER!
HOLY [BLEEP]
HEY, THAT'S PRETTY [BLEEP]
NOW WHAT THE [BLEEP]
WE GONNA DO?
TO HAVE FRICKIN' GOLD IN IT.
Narrator:
ON THIS "GOLD RUSH"....
THAT MUD
WILL NOT GO THROUGH.
WE'VE GOT TO SHUT DOWN.
WHOA!
Todd: I THINK THE SKY'S
THE LIMIT, I REALLY DO.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING
SCRUBBED CLEAN ENOUGH.
I DON'T HAVE ANY CURL!
IT'LL HAVE TO [BLEEP] WORK.
THAT'S IT?
OUR WHOLE [BLEEP]
CUT'S FLOODED.
WHAT A [BLEEP] MESS.
Ness:
PARKER DOESN'T LIKE TO LOSE.
YOU KNOW, THE WINNER OF THE GAME
IS WHO FINDS THE MOST GOLD.
I HATE THE THOUGHT
OF GETTING BEAT BY TODD.
LOOK OUT, PARKER.
YOU BETTER FRICKIN' MINE HARD.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
I LOST THE BET.
KEVIN SUCKERED ME INTO THIS ONE.
Narrator: IT'S 6:00 A.M.,
AND THERE'S A NEW BULL COOK
AT McKINNON CREEK.
Turin: MORNING, KEVIN.
Hiatt: [ LAUGHS ]
FUNNY, HUH?
SEE, I BET HIM ON
THAT CLEANUP,
AND I WON.
Narrator:
LAST WEEK, DAVE'S DECISION TO
SHUT DOWN THEIR WASH PLANT...
Hiatt: DAVE, THAT ALMOST
LOOKS LIKE LINGERIE.
IT'S NOT LINGERIE.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT.
[ LAUGHS ]
...LED TO A DISAPPOINTING
121-OUNCE CLEANUP.
AND DAVE LOST HIS BET.
WELL, DAVE,
YOU'RE A MAN OF YOUR WORD.
A BET'S A BET.
I WISH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
200 OR PLUS.
BUT I THINK
WE'RE GONNA GET IT NOW.
WE'LL SEE.
WELL, I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT.
SO ANDY SAYS HE'S PROBABLY
GONNA START RUNNING
THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL TODAY.
SO, TODAY, WE'LL KNOW
HOW GOOD THAT THING IS.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA
BE AWESOME.
JUST A FEW DAYS AGO,
THE ENTIRE HOFFMAN CREW STOPPED
SLUICING TO EXCAVATE A CHANNEL
OF MUD THAT PRODUCED
A 9-FOOT MAMMOTH TUSK.
DAVE HAS A HUNCH
THAT THE BLACK MUCK
ALSO CONTAINS A PILE OF GOLD.
ANDY SPINKS GETS A FIRST LOOK
AT THEIR NEW PAY DIRT.
WELL, THIS IS SOME
OF THE FIRST DIRT
FROM THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL
THAT'S GOING TO THE PLANT.
THIS IS SOME BLACK, NASTY STUFF.
IT'S RIGHT ON TOP OF BEDROCK.
IT'S NOT USUALLY THAT CLOSE
TO THE PAY.
BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY IT'S
GOT SOME GOOD GOLD IN IT.
I THINK IT WILL.
Narrator: KEVIN FEEDS
THE NEW PAY INTO MONSTER RED.
Hiatt: WE HAVE TO HOPE
THAT THIS MAMMOTH CHANNEL
PAYS OFF LIKE DAVE
AND ANDY THINK.
I WASN'T FOR IT.
I STILL KIND OF THINK
IT WAS A BAD IDEA.
NOW WE'RE IN A DEFICIT.
AND IF WE DON'T MAKE THAT UP
WITH THIS MAMMOTH CHANNEL,
THEN WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE.
Narrator: SO FAR, THE HOFFMANS
HAVE MINED 743 OUNCES,
BARELY A QUARTER OF THE 2,700
OUNCES TODD WANTS THIS SEASON.
I NEED A BREAK.
I NEED THAT MAMMOTH CHANNEL
TO HAVE FRICKIN' GOLD IN IT.
WE FOUND A HUGE
MAMMOTH TUSK.
SO I CALLED A TUSK EXPERT.
YOU BRUCE?
-IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU FINALLY.
-HEY, MAN, NO KIDDING.
I'VE HEARD YOUR NAME
AROUND THESE PARTS.
Narrator:
BRUCE SCHINDLER HAS WORKED WITH
MAMMOTH IVORY FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
-LOOK AT THIS THING.
-THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZE
HOW RARE IT IS TO FIND A PIECE
THIS BIG INTACT.
IT'S AMAZING.
WE FOUND THIS IN A MUD SEAM.
IT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE A RIVER
WENT THROUGH THIS AREA.
SO I'M HOPING
IT'S A GOOD SIGN.
I THINK YOU'RE GONNA
BE VERY PLEASED.
FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN,
EVERY SINGLE TIME,
WHEN YOU FIND MAMMOTH TUSKS,
YOU'RE FINDING GOLD.
THEY'RE ALWAYS
FOUND TOGETHER.
AND THINK ABOUT IT,
THE MAMMOTH ARE LIKE PEOPLE,
THEY LIKE TO LIVE
WHERE LIVING'S EASY.
AND THE LIVING IS EASY
IN THESE WIDE-OPEN PLAINS.
THESE ARE THE SAME PLAINS THAT
THE GOLD'S BEING DEPOSITED IN
BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE THE WATER'S SLOWING DOWN.
SO THESE GOLD-BEARING CREEKS
ARE THE SAME CREEKS
THE MAMMOTH
ARE DRINKING OUT OF.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OMEN
FOR YOU.
BRUCE,
I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT.
THANKS FOR COMING OUT,
MAN.
Todd: AS HE SAID,
WHERE YOU FIND MAMMOTH TUSKS,
SOMETIMES YOU FIND GOOD GOLD.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT.
SO I HOPE THAT MAMMOTH CHANNEL
PAYS OFF.
Hiatt:
YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
KEVIN TO ANDY.
KEVIN TO ANDY.
GO AHEAD, KEV.
HEY, THIS STUFF IS NOT RUNNING
THROUGH THIS FEEDER.
IT'S GETTING STUCK.
IT'S JAMMED UP.
IT IS NOT RUNNING.
THAT MUD IS CAUSING HAVOC, DUDE.
WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE
SOMETHING ELSE OUT.
TOO BAD, LOAD IT.
IT'S GOT GOLD IN IT.
IT'S TOO CLOSE TO SEPARATED,
SO PUT IT THROUGH THE PLANT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA
THROW GOLD AWAY.
SO YOU'RE JUST GONNA
HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
IT WON'T WORK.
Turin: YEAH, WE'RE RUNNING
THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL,
AND IT'S ALL MUD.
THERE'S NOT JUST ENOUGH ROCK
IN IT TO MAKE
IT GO THROUGH OUR FEEDER.
THAT MUD JUST HANGS UP,
AND IT JUST BLOCKS EVERYTHING
UP, AND IT WILL NOT GO THROUGH.
Narrator: BRANDON UNSWORTH
CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE BUILDUP
OF THE THICK BLACK MUD.
KNOW WHAT?
I'VE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
IT'S JUST [BLEEP]
ABSOLUTE [BLEEP]
YEAH, LOOK.
CONSISTENCY OF COW [BLEEP]
MY FOOT'S STUCK IN IT
AND I'M SHOVELING IT.
THIS IS A PLANT OPERATOR'S
WORST NIGHTMARE, IS WHAT IT IS.
THIS BETTER PAY OFF.
Turin: WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT
OF GOLD IN THERE,
BUT I CAN'T RUN STRAIGHT MUD.
SO I EITHER GOT TO LET
IT SIT AND DRY,
OR I GOT TO HAVE TWO GUYS
SHOVELING ALL DAY LONG,
AND THAT AIN'T GONNA WORK.
Narrator: BLACK MUD
IS CLOGGING UP THE FEEDER
FASTER THAN THEY CAN CLEAR IT.
Turin: RIGHT THERE,
THAT COULD BE THE BEST GOLD
IN THAT WHOLE SUPER CUT,
AND I CAN'T RUN IT
THROUGH THE PLANT.
WE CAN'T RUN
THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL.
WE GOT TO SHUT DOWN.
Parker:
RIGHT NOW, I'M HEADING TO TODD'S
TO SEE
IF HE WANTS TO BUY A DOZER.
Narrator: 20-YEAR-OLD MINE BOSS
PARKER SCHNABEL
IS ON HIS WAY TO McKINNON CREEK.
I HAD A ITCHY TRIGGER FINGER
AT AN AUCTION THE OTHER DAY
AND ENDED UP BUYING A NEW D10.
SO, RIGHT NOW,
I'M TRYING TO SELL OUR OLD ONE,
SO THAT I CAN KEEP SOME MONEY
IN THE BANK.
-HEY, DAVE.
-HI, PARKER.
-HOW ARE YOU DOIN'?
-I'M GOOD.
-HOW ARE YOU DOIN'?
-GOOD.
I THINK YOU WANTED
TO TALK TO TODD.
-IS HE AROUND?
-HE'S IN HIS OFFICE, YEAH.
OKAY. THANKS.
THANKS, PARKER.
I'LL TALK TO HIM.
DOZER, LOAD UP.
Narrator: PARKER SNEAKS A LOOK
AT THE HOFFMANS' SUPER CUT.
THAT'S A BIG [BLEEP] CUT.
HE'S GONE BIG-SCALE THIS YEAR.
YOU KNOW, THOSE D11s
AND THOSE 475s,
I MEAN, THOSE ARE WHAT, YOU
KNOW, MASSIVE COAL MINES RUN.
THE COST ON THOSE IS PHENOMENAL.
YOU KNOW, THE WINNER OF THE GAME
IS WHO FINDS THE MOST GOLD.
Narrator: PARKER HAS YET TO SET
HIS SEASON GOAL.
BUT TODD HAS HIS SIGHT SET
ON A MASSIVE 2,700-OUNCE,
$3 MILLION GOLD HAUL.
SEEMS LIKE
IT'S A FRIENDLY VISIT.
HE'S PROBABLY GONNA TALK TO YOU
ABOUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT.
DOZER, COME HERE.
DOES HE BITE,
OR IS HE GOOD?
-WHAT?
-HE BITE, OR IS HE GOOD?
-NO, HE'S FINE.
-SO, DUDE,
YOU GOT A GOOD START THIS YEAR
OR NOT?
YOU KNOW, IT'S A ROUGH START,
BUT WHEN ISN'T IT?
SO, YOU'RE ALL SETTLED
IN FOR THE SEASON NOW?
-YEAH.
-LOOKS LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE
-A LACK OF IRON AROUND.
-YEAH.
THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND
OF WHAT I'M HERE.
-REALLY?
-I PICKED UP A NEW DOZER,
AND I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU WANTED TO BUY THE OLD 10
THAT YOU SOLD ME.
HOW MUCH?
I GAVE YOU 120 FOR IT.
AND WE PUT ABOUT 120
INTO IT LAST YEAR.
AND SO I'M TRYING
TO GET 200 OUT OF IT.
SO, YOU GUYS WOULD BE MORE THAN
WELCOME TO COME LOOK AT IT.
'CAUSE I'M MAKING
THE ROUNDS, SO...
YEAH.
...IF YOU WANT IT,
LET ME KNOW.
DON'T HOLD IT FOR ME.
ALL RIGHT.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE'RE GONNA COME OUT OF HERE
WITH THE MOST AMOUNT OF GOLD.
THIS IS GONNA BE
OUR SEASON.
ALL THE POWER TO YOU.
LOOK OUT, PARKER.
YOU BETTER FRICKIN' MINE HARD.
WHATEVER.
Todd:
I GOT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,
I DON'T TRUST PARKER SCHNABEL.
YEAH, I GOT KIND
OF SORDID HISTORY WITH THE KID.
AND I'D LIKE
TO BEAT PARKER THIS YEAR.
I THINK HE'S NERVOUS 'CAUSE
I GOT A LOT OF GROUND
OPENED UP ALREADY,
AND I'M NOT PANICKING.
HE REALLY WANTS
TO PULL MORE GOLD
OUT OF THE GROUND THAN US.
IF HE SPENDS ENOUGH MONEY
AND PUTS IN THE EFFORT,
HE'LL BEAT US.
I'M VERY COMPETITIVE,
AND I HATE THE THOUGHT
OF GETTING BEAT BY TODD.
I'M NOT HERE TO LOSE,
AND I'M NOT ABOUT TO LET
THAT HAPPEN.
Narrator: AFTER A DISASTROUS
START TO THE SEASON,
PARKER SCHNABEL
IS SLOWLY CLAWING HIS WAY BACK.
HE NOW HAS 711 OUNCES, JUST 32
OUNCES LESS THAN TODD HOFFMAN.
PARKER'S TREASURE ISLAND
IS RUNNING OUT FAST.
WHOA.
HE NEEDS TO FIND MORE GROUND.
AND THIS TIME
HE WANTS TO GO BIG.
I THINK THAT POST
RIGHT IN THERE
IS OUR BOUNDARY LINE.
OKAY.
SO WHAT I WAS THINKING,
IF WE CAME OVER HERE,
WE COULD GO RIGHT UP
TO OUR LINE
AND THEN OVER TO THE EDGE
OF THE OTHER CUT,
THAT THE OLD MINERS DID.
LIKE 2,000 FEET?
PROBABLY PRETTY DAMN CLOSE.
-THAT'S A GOOD DISTANCE.
-YEAH, I KNOW.
IT'S A LOT OF GROUND.
YEAH, IF WE PLAN THIS RIGHT,
THIS COULD --
WE COULD SPEND THE REST
OF THE SEASON OVER HERE.
-POSSIBLY.
-WELL, YEAH, MAYBE.
WELL, DO YOU THINK
WE'RE READY TO TACKLE THIS?
IT'D BE A BIG UNDERTAKING.
WE'LL GET IT.
LIKE YOU ALWAYS SAID,
"IT'S JUST MOVING DIRT."
IT'S JUST MOVING DIRT.
Narrator:
PARKER STARTED THE SEASON
IN LAST YEAR'S BERM CUT,
BEFORE MOVING SOUTH
TO TREASURE ISLAND.
NOW HE PLANS TO OPEN UP
HIS BIGGEST CUT YET,
BETWEEN THE CREEK
AND THE BOUNDARY OF HIS CLAIM.
THE BOUNDARY CUT WILL BE
THE SIZE OF 17 FOOTBALL FIELDS,
300,000 SQUARE FEET
BIGGER THAN TODD'S SUPER CUT.
PARKER LEADS THE CHARGE
INTO HIS MASSIVE NEW CUT
IN HIS NEW D10 DOZER.
Parker: THERE'S A BIT
OF A SENSE OF URGENCY HERE.
RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST TRYING
TO GET THIS GROUND
STRIPPED AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
AND THIS IS GONNA BE
THE MAIN TOOL TO GET THAT DONE.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK
TO DO AND NOT A LOT OF TIME
TO DO IT.
Ness:
TODD'S GOT ONE GIANT SUPER CUT
THAT HE'S BEEN PULLING
OUT OF ALL SEASON.
PARKER DOESN'T LIKE TO LOSE.
AND IF HE WANTS TO HAVE
A COMPETITION WITH TODD HOFFMAN,
I'M IN IT WITH HIM.
YOU KNOW,
I DON'T LIKE TO LOSE EITHER.
SO WE'RE REALLY THROWING
EVERYTHING WE GOT AT THIS CUT.
IT'S TAKING ALL OF OUR MACHINES,
ALL OF OUR GUYS.
WE GOT A LONG WAYS
TO GO DOWN YET,
BUT WE'RE MOVING A TON OF DIRT,
AND IT'S GONNA BE
A NICE BIG AREA.
THE HOFFMANS, I THINK
WE'LL SMOKE THEM NO PROBLEM.
HOLY COW, KEV.
THAT'S JUST PURE MUD.
Narrator:
THE HOFFMANS' WASH PLANT
IS JAMMED FULL
OF THICK BLACK MUD
FROM THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL.
AND THEY'RE LOSING
VALUABLE SLUICING TIME.
THIS MAMMOTH CHANNEL'S BECOMING
A PAIN IN THE ASS.
NOT ONLY DID WE LOSE
24 HOURS DIGGING THROUGH IT,
NOW WE'RE LOSING TIME
BECAUSE WE CAN'T RUN IT.
WELL, HERE IT IS.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING.
THIS IS THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL MUD
THAT WE WANT TO RUN,
AND IT'S GOT GOLD IN IT.
AND IT'S SO STICKY.
I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THE WAY
IT STICKS TO THE SIDE
OF THE EQUIPMENT.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THIS, DAVE.
THIS WHOLE PLANT'S
JAMMING UP.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M WONDERING
IF WE SHOULDN'T JUST
GO AROUND THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL
AND JUST FORGET IT?
AND THEN WE CAN KEEP
FRICKIN' RUNNING.
I'M NOT READY TO ABANDON IT.
I THINK THERE'S GOLD
IN THAT STUFF.
BUT IT'S MUD, DAVE.
AND WE AIN'T GETTING
ANY GOLD
IF WE CAN'T GET IT
THROUGH THE FRICKIN' PLANT.
I GOT AN IDEA --
IF WE PUT SOME PLASTIC AND LINE
THAT CHUTE ON OUR FEEDER,
I THINK THAT STUFF
WILL SLIDE RIGHT THROUGH.
Narrator:
MAMMOTH CHANNEL MUD IS STICKING
TO THE SIDES OF THE HOPPER,
BLOCKING PAY DIRT FROM RUNNING
THROUGH TO THE WASH PLANT.
DAVE'S SOLUTION IS TO LINE
THE HOPPER WITH SMOOTH PLASTIC
SO THAT THE THICK, WET MUD
CAN SLIDE DOWN INTO THE PLANT.
YOU PUT THAT LINER IN, HOW LONG
IS IT GONNA FRICKIN' TAKE?
SHOULD TAKE ABOUT A DAY,
BUT I THINK THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL
HAS ENOUGH GOLD TO MAKE
IT WORTH ONE DAY OF DOWNTIME.
GIVE ME ONE MORE SHOT
AT THIS.
OKAY, WE'LL TRY YOUR IDEA.
IF IT DOESN'T WORK, I SAY WE
FORGET THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL,
JUST FORGET
THE WHOLE FRICKIN' THING, EH?
I THINK IT'S WORTH IT.
I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT.
FIRST, DAVE AND KEVIN
HAVE TO GET ALL OF THE MUD
OUT OF THE HOPPER.
WELL, DAVE,
YOUR FRICKIN' MAMMOTH CHANNEL
GOT ME SOME GOOD DIGGING.
CAN'T AVOID IT.
THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE
IS TO LEAVE THIS PAY
IN THE CHANNEL,
AND WE WOULDN'T
SLUICE IT.
DAVE, JUST SAY IT --
I'M RIGHT, YOU'RE WRONG.
RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE RIGHT,
BUT WHEN WE SLUICE THIS,
I'LL BE RIGHT.
IF WE CAN SLUICE IT.
WITH THE HOPPER EMPTY...
-READY?
-YEP.
Narrator: ...THEY CAN INSTALL
THE PLASTIC LINING.
THANKS, BUDDY.
YOU WANT TO GRAB THAT OTHER
PIECE, KEVIN, HAND THEM TO DAVE?
-IS IT THIS ONE?
-YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS
ARE PRETTY HEAVY, JUAN.
OH, MAN, YEAH.
LOOK HOW SLICK IT IS.
I HOPE THAT MUD WILL HIT THAT
AND JUST SLIDE RIGHT DOWN.
IT'S BOLTED IN.
Narrator:
KEVIN AND MECHANIC JUAN IBARRA
BOLT DOWN THE PLASTIC.
-CAN YOU SEE THAT?
-YEAH.
WANT ME TO SUCK IT DOWN?
ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD.
IT'S A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT'S
GONNA GET POURED ON TO THIS,
SO WE'RE GONNA PUT A PIECE
OF STEEL ON THE VERY TOP
TO KIND OF SAFEGUARD IT
FROM GETTING ANY DIRT OR ROCKS
BEHIND THE SHEET.
WATCH YOUR EYES, DAVE.
Narrator: IF DAVE'S PLASTIC FIX
DOESN'T WORK, THE HOFFMAN CREW
WILL NEVER FIND OUT
HOW MUCH GOLD
IS IN THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL MUD.
YOU'RE GOOD, BUDDY.
Ibarra: IT'S GOT TO WORK.
WE GOT TO BE ABLE
TO RUN THAT PAY, SO...
AND WE GOT TO GET BACK UP
AND RUNNING AS SOON AS WE CAN.
GO AHEAD AND GET THAT THING
DOWN, FIRE THIS THING UP.
WE NEED TO RUN.
OKAY, WE'RE BACK GOING.
IT COST US SOME TIME.
I HOPE IT WORKS.
Narrator:
IF THE PLASTIC LINING WORKS,
THE CREW WILL BE ABLE
TO RUN OVER 50,000 YARDS
OF MAMMOTH CHANNEL PAY DIRT.
IT'S WORKING.
IT ALL JUST SLIDES RIGHT
INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE FEEDER,
ONTO THE BELT, AND THROUGH THE
PLANT LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
SO THOSE PLASTIC PIECES
DID THE TRICK.
ANDY, GOOD NEWS.
WE ARE BACK UP AND RUNNING.
SEND ME THAT MUD.
IF IT'S GOT PAY,
I'LL TAKE THAT MUD.
10-4, KEV.
THIS IS THE SOLUTION.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED.
THAT'S MAMMOTH CHANNEL MUD,
WE'LL RUN IT THROUGH THE PLANT.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA
BE GOOD GOLD.
Narrator:
LAST WEEK, THE TWO MEN
THAT REBUILT THE DREDGE REFUSED
TO WORK OVERTIME AND LEFT.
TONY IS IN TROUBLE.
HE BOUGHT HIS OLD GOLD DREDGE
FOR $1 MILLION.
BUT SO FAR THIS SEASON,
IT'S ONLY PRODUCED 97 OUNCES,
A TENTH OF WHAT TONY
NEEDS TO RECOUP HIS INVESTMENT.
THE LAST DREDGE CLEANUP
PRODUCED A PATHETIC 11 OUNCES.
TONY AND FOREMAN GENE CHEESEMAN
HEAD TO THEIR TAILINGS PILE
TO FIGURE OUT WHY
THE DREDGE IS UNDERPERFORMING.
LOOKS LIKE
IT COULD BE A PIECE.
YEAH, WELL THEY'RE NOT GETTING
QUITE SCRUBBED CLEAN ENOUGH.
RIGHT NOW, THE ROCK
IS JUST RIDING IN THE BOTTOM
OF THE TROMMEL,
NOT ROLLING OVER TO GET CLEAN.
IT'S OBVIOUS.
THAT MAKES SENSE.
THE LOST GOLD ON THE TAILINGS
SHOULD HAVE BEEN
COLLECTED IN THE DREDGE.
TONY'S PLAN --
INSTALL A SPRAY BAR
ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH
OF THE TROMMEL
AND GROUSER BARS TO FLIP ROCKS
AS THEY TRAVEL DOWN.
THE COMBINATION SHOULD CLEAN
ALL THE GOLD OFF THE TAILINGS
SO THAT IT CAN COLLECT
IN THE SLUICES.
MECHANIC MATT BEAUDRY
HAS TO BUILD A SPRAY BAR
OUT OF THE MATERIALS
THEY HAVE ON SITE.
THESE ARE THE 2-INCH NOZZLES
THAT WE'RE GONNA USE HERE.
JUST GOT TO TRACE IT ALL OUT
ON THE PIPE,
CUT IT AND WELD 'EM IN.
Narrator:
MATT CUTS A 2-INCH HOLE
EVERY 2 FEET DOWN THE LENGTH
OF THE PIPE.
THEN HE WELDS ON 12 NOZZLES.
MEANWHILE, GENE
MANUFACTURES THE GROUSER BARS.
NOT MANY EASY WAYS
TO GET IN THERE.
PRETTY TIGHT.
YOU WANT TO TRY
AND COME IN THROUGH THERE?
WELL, IT'S GONNA HAVE
TO GO ALL THE WAY UP IN THERE,
AND IT'S GONNA BE A [BLEEP]
TO GET IT BACK THAT WAY.
THE CREW HITS A ROADBLOCK.
WITH ONLY A 10-FOOT GAP BETWEEN
THE STACKER AND THE TROMMEL,
THERE'S NO WAY TO GET
THEIR NEW 24-FOOT SPRAY BAR
INTO THE DREDGE.
YEAH, IT'S KIND OF LONG,
AWKWARD,
AND JUST TAKING
A COUPLE OF MINUTES
AND LOOKING AT THINGS HERE,
SEEING IF WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
MIKE.
IF WE USE THE 235 AND WALK RIGHT
UP TO THE EDGE HERE
AND PUSH THE THING
THROUGH DOWN THE BELT.
OH. YOU FIGURE I'D GET
A STRAIGHT ENOUGH SHOT AT IT?
OH, I DON'T SEE WHY NOT.
Narrator: GENE COMES UP
WITH A RADICAL PLAN --
USE THE 235 EXCAVATOR
TO FEED THE SPRAY BAR DOWN
THROUGH THE END OF THE STACKER
WHILE MIKE BEAUDRY
DIRECTS FROM THE LIFT.
BUT THERE'S A WINDOW IN THE WAY.
CAN YOU JUST TAKE THE PLEXIGLAS
OUT, OR IS IT GONNA BREAK?
WELL,
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BREAK,
BUT WE CAN GET IT OUT.
IT'S UP TO YOU.
JUST THROUGH THE WINDOW.
YEAH, JUST PULL IT OFF THERE.
IF WE CAN'T SALVAGE IT,
WE'LL GET ANOTHER PIECE.
HEY, GOOD JOB ON SALVAGING THAT.
[ LAUGHS ]
OKAY, GIANT PIPE COMING THROUGH,
MONTANA, SO WATCH YOURSELF.
OH [BLEEP]
HEY, MIKE,
IS IT HALFWAY IN THERE YET?
IF YOU JUST KEEP WALKING IT,
YOU MIGHT, UH,
BE ABLE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH.
IT'S GONNA GET HARD
FOR ME TO GET LOOSE OF IT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY CURL.
THE ARM ON GENE'S EXCAVATOR
ISN'T LONG ENOUGH TO PUSH
THE 350-POUND PIPE
ALL OF THE WAY INTO THE STACKER.
AS SOON AS WE CAN GET
THE CHAIN LOOSE,
WE NEED TO GET IT LOOSE.
YOU GUYS
ARE OVER CENTER NOW.
HEY, KEEP GOING DOWN, GENE.
PERFECT.
UNDO THE CHAIN, MIKE.
OKAY.
RIGHT NOW IT'S ON MY KNEE.
MONTANA, PULL.
OH, THAT'S PRETTY NICE.
Cheeseman: YEAH, EVERYTHING
WENT PRETTY GOOD.
NOW WE JUST GOT TO GET THE THING
DOWN THE CONVEYOR
AND INTO THE TROMMEL.
LET'S GO.
ONE, TWO, THREE...
Narrator: IN THE TROMMEL,
GENE WINCHES THE SPRAY BAR
INTO PLACE USING A COME-ALONG.
ONE MORE, GENE?
ONE MORE CLICK?
GOOD?
YEP.
-YEAH, THAT'S PERFECT.
-WATCH YOUR EYES.
Narrator: THEN KEVIN BEETS WELDS
THE SIX GROUSER BARS INTO PLACE.
TONY'S CHANCES
OF PAYING OFF THE DREDGE
DEPEND ON GETTING
THIS FIX TO WORK.
IT'LL HAVE TO [BLEEP] WORK.
IT'LL HAVE TO [BLEEP] DO.
Narrator: FIVE MILES EAST,
PARKER AND RICK
ARE OPENING UP THEIR BIGGEST CUT
EVER IN AN ATTEMPT TO BEAT
TODD HOFFMAN THIS SEASON.
Ness: WITH THE RESOURCES
AND MACHINES AND THE PEOPLE
THAT TODD HAS, I MEAN,
HE SHOULD BE BLOWING US
OUT OF THE WATER.
SO I DO THINK IT WOULD BE FUNNY
IF WE DID BEAT HIM.
I MEAN, HOW FRUSTRATING
WOULD THAT BE FOR HIM,
YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOD.
HE'D BE HAVING NIGHTMARES
ABOUT IT ALL WINTER.
Narrator:
TO BEAT THE HOFFMANS,
PARKER WILL HAVE
TO PUSH HIS CREW TO THE LIMIT.
IS HE GOOD TO GO?
-YEAH.
-GO AHEAD.
Parker: OH, I'M JUST TRYING
TO KEEP THE TRUCKS MOVING.
'CAUSE YOU GOT FIVE TRUCKS
MAKING 120 ROUNDS,
THAT'S, UH, 100 MINUTES.
SO IF WE FIND A WAY
TO SAVE 10 SECONDS A ROUND,
THAT'S OVER AN HOUR
AND A HALF IN A DAY.
SO THE KEY TO DEALING WITH MUD
IS JUST KEEP IT MOVING.
Ness: WE'RE OPENING
A LOT OF NEW GROUND.
EVERYBODY
KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT'S LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE
RIGHT NOW.
I'M PRETTY PROUD OF IT.
YEP, THAT'S PAY DIRT.
YES!
HEY, PARKER, UH,
WE'RE DOWN TO PAY DIRT
IN THE BOUNDARY CUT, BUDDY.
Parker: RIGHT ON!
Narrator:
BUT BEFORE PARKER CAN MAKE IT
OVER TO HIS MASSIVE NEW CUT...
THE RAIN'S COMING DOWN
REALLY HARD.
AND I'M LOOKING
AT THE MOUNTAINS.
THERE AIN'T NO END
IN SIGHT YET.
THE WATER LEVELS HAVE BEEN WAY
DOWN IN THE CREEKS AND STUFF,
BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS
COULD BRING IT UP IN A HURRY.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
OUR WHOLE CUT'S FLOODED,
THE WHOLE THING.
Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
THE BOUNDARY CUT
IS UNDER 6 FEET OF WATER.
HOW THE [BLEEP] IS THERE A LAKE
IN OUR CUT?
YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, BUDDY.
SOMETHING, UH --
SOMETHING WENT AWRY LAST NIGHT.
THAT RAIN CAME UP
THAT MUCH?
-WAIT, IS THAT -- THAT'S --
-SEE THAT?
THAT'S WHERE
IT CAME THROUGH, HUH?
YOU BET.
HOW THE [BLEEP]
DID IT COME THROUGH THERE?
IT JUST BLEW THROUGH.
I BET I KNOW WHAT IT WAS, TOO,
'CAUSE WE HAD A [BLEEP]
THERE WAS A BUNCH
OF ICE THERE,
AND WE PILED DIRT
ON TOP OF ICE.
-AND IT MELTED.
-THAT WATER ATE THE ICE AWAY.
THERE'S OUR CULPRIT,
I'M THINKING.
Narrator: HEAVY RAINS THAWED OUT
THE PERMAFROST DAM
THAT WAS HOLDING BACK
A SMALL CREEK.
MILLIONS OF GALLONS
POURED INTO THEIR NEW CUT
AND COULD WASH AWAY GOLD
IN THE PAY DIRT.
YEAH, NO.
I MEAN, THIS IS [BLEEP]
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA
HAVE THE CREW DO TODAY.
NOTHING WE CAN DO
IN A [BLEEP] LAKE.
I MEAN, UNLESS THEY WANT
TO PUT FLOATIES ON
AND GO [BLEEP] SWIMMING.
[BLEEP] DAMN IT.
AH, WE'RE JUST FINISHING UP
THIS SPRAY BAR HERE.
BAFFLES ARE DONE.
Narrator: TONY'S DREDGE HAS BEEN
SHUT DOWN FOR ONE FULL DAY
WHILE THE CREW MADE CRITICAL
MODIFICATIONS TO THE TROMMEL.
WE'LL SEE HOW SHE WORKS
WHEN WE FIRE UP.
FIRE IT UP.
FIRST, THEY RUN THE WATER TO SEE
IF THEIR NEW SPRAY BAR WORKS.
YEAH, IT DOES.
AS LONG AS WE'RE GETTING
THE ROCKS CLEAN, YOU KNOW?
NEXT, GENE RUNS PAY DIRT TO SEE
IF THE GROUSERS FLIP ROCKS.
YEAH, IT'S KNOCKED
ALL THE SHARP EDGES OFF.
YEAH, THIS LOOKS
PRETTY GOOD TO ME.
THE COMBINATION OF SPRAY BAR
AND GROUSERS SHOULD PREVENT GOLD
FROM ENDING UP IN THE TAILINGS.
TONY NOW HAS A FIGHTING CHANCE
TO RECOUP
HIS $1 MILLION INVESTMENT.
YEP.
WE ARE SCREWED.
PARKER SCHNABEL HAS OPENED UP
THE BOUNDARY CUT,
THE BIGGEST CUT OF HIS CAREER.
AND NOW IT'S FLOODED.
BOUNDARY CUT IS A GIANT LAKE.
YOU KNOW, BREACHED BY WATER.
IT'S JUST A MESS.
WE NEED TO BE RUNNING
THIS RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, THIS IS THE GROUND
WE HAVE TO WORK WITH,
SO IF WE CAN'T GET THIS UNDER
CONTROL, I DON'T KNOW.
WE'RE SCREWED.
Narrator: PARKER'S CHANCES OF
BEATING TODD ARE SINKING FAST.
WHAT A [BLEEP] MESS.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT HAULING
ANY PAY OF HERE TODAY.
WE GOT TO GET
THIS LICKED HERE
IN THE NEXT DAY
OR TWO OR ELSE, UH...
OR, YEAH,
WE'RE AT A STANDSTILL, SO...
WE'RE AT A STANDSTILL.
THERE'S NO WAY
WE'RE SETTING A PUMP IN HERE
TO PUMP THIS OUT.
THE PUMP
WOULD TAKE TOO LONG.
WE'VE GOT TO FIND
A DIFFERENT WAY TO DRAIN IT.
YOU BET.
I'LL JUST CUT A BIG DITCH,
A GOOD-SIZED DITCH,
AND SHE'LL --
SHE'LL DROP FAST
ONCE I GET THAT WATER FLOWING.
Narrator:
RICK AND WILLIE DUCHESNE
DIG A 400-FOOT-LONG
DRAINAGE DITCH
TO REMOVE THE WATER
FROM THE FLOODED CUT.
Duchesne: OUR SEASON'S DEPENDING
ON THIS RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN'T LET THIS WATER BEAT US.
IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR DIRT
OUT OF THIS BOUNDARY CUT,
WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST GO HOME,
'CAUSE IT'S...
SEASON WILL BE OVER.
Ness:
ONE FLOOD IN THE BOUNDARY CUT
IS TOO MANY,
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
SO ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO
TO DIG THIS DRAIN DOWN TODAY,
JUST TO GET THE WATER
EVEN LOWER, I'M GONNA DO IT,
BECAUSE NOW THAT WE'VE
GOT IT DOWN TO PAY DIRT,
I DON'T WANT TO BE LOSING GOLD
JUST BECAUSE OF WATER.
THAT'S IT.
GOLD, BABY.
Narrator:
AFTER 3 HOURS OF DIGGING...
RIGHT ON.
SHE'S COMING.
SHE'S COMING.
THE WATER'S FLOWING.
WE CAN GET BACK
IN THERE AND START MINING.
...RICK AND WILLIE
SAVE THE BOUNDARY CUT.
LOOK AT THAT.
RIGHT ON.
THIS IS AWESOME.
I LOVE SEEING THIS.
UH, YEP.
AT THE DREDGE,
KEVIN BEETS AND JASON FOLSTER
ARRIVE FOR THEIR LAST SHIFT
OF THE WEEK.
UNEXPECTED NIGHT SHIFT.
NOT OVERLY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
HIT THE, UH,
20 AND THE 60.
OKAY, EVERYTHING'S ON.
Narrator:
LOSING MIKE AND JERRY
HAS PILED THE PRESSURE
ON THE REMAINING CREW.
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ONE
TO BE OVER.
AH [BLEEP]
AND FOR ONCE,
EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY.
IT'S TIME
FOR THE WEEKLY CLEANUP.
WOW.
HONESTLY, DIDN'T LOOK.
-OH, I KNOW THAT'S THERE.
-SHAKE IT OUT AND PUT IT BACK.
Narrator: BY 6:00 P.M...
OH, THAT LOOKS PROMISING.
...TONY HAS SEPARATED THE GOLD
FROM THE CONCENTRATE.
AH, SHE GOES,
SHE GOES.
THEIR LAST CLEANUP
PRODUCED JUST 11 OUNCES,
WORTH ABOUT $12,000.
IF THE DREDGE IS GOING TO PAY
FOR ITSELF THIS SEASON...
20, 30...
...TONY NEEDS
AT LEAST 50 OUNCES A WEEK.
40, 50...
80, 90, 100...
110, 120...
130...
132.85.
HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN
WHAT WE DID LAST TIME.
IT'S AWESOME.
Narrator: 132 OUNCES
IS WORTH OVER $140,000,
TONY'S BIGGEST GOLD HAUL
YET ON THE DREDGE.
Cheeseman:
I'M PRETTY IMPRESSED WITH THIS.
PRETTY DAMN GOOD, I THINK.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S --
THERE'S ALWAYS PLENTY OF ROOM
FOR IMPROVEMENT,
BUT WE'RE LEARNING
HOW TO RUN THE DAMN THING.
WE'LL GET IT FIGURED OUT
AND MAKE IT AS EFFICIENT
AS WE CAN MAKE IT.
TONY'S SEASON TOTAL
SITS AT 230 OUNCES, OR $250,000.
HE'S ONLY A QUARTER OF THE WAY
TO $1 MILLION,
BUT THE DREDGE
IS FINALLY DIALED IN.
Narrator:
DAWN AT SCRIBNER CREEK.
BEFORE HE GETS TO WORK
IN THE BOUNDARY CUT,
AN EXHAUSTED RICK NESS
OBSERVES HIS DAILY RITUAL.
YEAH, STARTING THE DAY OFF
WITH ONE CUP OF COFFEE.
I DON'T REQUIRE MUCH,
JUST ONE CUP.
ONE MODERATE CUP.
Parker: YEAH, I MEAN,
THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BEAT TODD
AND HAVE A BIGGER SEASON
THAN WE DID LAST YEAR
IS TO SPEND MORE MONEY AND --
AND SCALE UP OUR OPERATION.
SO, RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST GOING
TO SELL SOME GOLD.
WE'RE GEARING UP BIG-TIME, AND,
UM, AND THE FIGHT'S ON.
Narrator:
TO HAVE ANY HOPE OF BEATING
TODD HOFFMAN THIS SEASON,
PARKER NEEDS CASH TO DOUBLE DOWN
ON FUEL AND MAN-HOURS.
HE TAKES A DRASTIC STEP,
CASHING IN
HALF THIS YEAR'S GOLD TAKE.
WE GOT SOME GOLD TO SELL.
300 OUNCES.
300 OUNCES?
OKAY.
WE'LL GET THAT GOING THEN.
FIRST, THE GOLD IS HEATED
TO AROUND 2,000 DEGREES.
LOOKS PRETTY HOT.
YEAH.
HATE TO SCREW UP
AND GRAB THAT.
WHEN THE GOLD HAS COOLED,
THE BLACK IMPURITIES,
KNOWN AS SLAG, ARE BEATEN OFF.
IT'S A LITTLE BARBARIC.
[ CHUCKLES ]
IT'S LIKE WATCHING
SOMEBODY SHOOT AT YOUR HOUSE
WITH A SHOTGUN.
HERE YOU GO, PARKER.
ALL RIGHT, WOW.
LOOK AT THOSE THINGS.
PRETTY COOL BARS.
THEY LOOK NICE.
TWO 150-OUNCE BARS.
LET'S SELL 'EM.
YEAH, SURE.
PERFECT.
SO IT COMES OUT TO 300 OUNCES,
WHICH IS ABOUT 345 GRAND.
SO, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA
SPEND IT ON?
-FUEL.
-FUEL?
Narrator: SELLING HIS GOLD GIVES
PARKER A WAR CHEST OF $345,000
TO FORGE AHEAD
IN THE BOUNDARY CUT...
-THANKS FOR KEEPING US GOING.
-YEP.
-APPRECIATE IT.
-YEP, NO PROBLEM.
Narrator: ...AND, HE HOPES,
TAKE ON THE HOFFMANS.
I'M NOT ABOUT
TO GET BEAT BY TODD,
SO DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO,
I GUESS.
PUT MONEY IN THE BANK
AND KEEP THE OPERATION GOING.
SO GO WRITE A FEW CHECKS
AND GET BACK TO WORK.
Narrator:
SUNDAY MORNING.
THE HOFFMAN CREW
HAS RUN ALL OF THEIR MAMMOTH
CHANNEL PAY DIRT.
AND THEY'RE FINALLY READY
FOR A CLEANUP.
LET'S GO.
TO HIT
THEIR 2,700-OUNCE SEASON GOAL,
THEY HAVE TO GET 200 OUNCES
A WEEK.
IT LOOKS GOOD.
BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH.
I DON'T THINK
CLEANUP WILL BE 200.
AND THEN I GOT TO FACE TODD.
DAVE'S NECK IS ON THE LINE.
DESPITE MAJOR PROBLEMS
WITH THE THICK BLACK MUD,
HE INSISTED THEY RUN ALL
OF THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL PAY DIRT
ON THE HUNCH THAT
WHERE YOU FIND A MAMMOTH,
YOU'LL FIND BIG GOLD.
YOU KNOW,
IT'S A PRETTY GUTSY MOVE,
'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST DAVE,
IT'S EVERYONE'S EFFORT.
YEAH.
ALL OF US PAY
WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE.
DO I THINK
HE MADE A MISTAKE?
EH, YOU KNOW, NEVER KNOW.
I GOT A HUNCH
HE'S RIGHT.
AND IF, UH,
IF THAT HUNCH PROVES OUT,
EVERYBODY
WILL PAT HIM ON THE BACK,
AND, YOU KNOW,
THEY'LL GO AWAY HAPPY.
IF NOT,
THEY'LL KICK HIM IN THE NUTS.
[ LAUGHS ]
THE MINERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
WAIT IN THE COOK SHACK
TO FIND OUT IF DAVE WAS RIGHT
OR IF THEY WASTED
THE ENTIRE WEEK.
HEY, GUYS.
LISTEN UP, I KNOW --
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A CRAPPY WEEK
AND EVERYTHING.
AND EVERYTHING'S
REALLY BEEN TOUGH, BUT, WELL...
WHAT IS IT?
IT'S GOOD.
HOW GOOD?
LISTEN.
-WHOA!
-OH, MY GOD.
-FREAKING KIDDING ME.
-LOOK AT THAT.
OH, MY GOODNESS!
WHOA!
HOW MUCH IS IT, JACK?
236 OUNCES.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
[ LAUGHS ] GOD.
NICE.
GUYS, YOU KNOW WHAT?
THIS IS ONE
OF THE BIGGEST CLEANUP
WE'VE EVER DONE AS A TEAM,
EVER.
236.
OVER A QUARTER
OF A MILLION BUCKS
CAME OUT
OF THE MAMMOTH CHANNEL,
AND GUESS WHAT?
2,700 OUNCES,
GUYS, HERE WE COME.
I FEEL SOMEWHAT VINDICATED,
YOU KNOW?
-YOU WERE RIGHT, DAVE.
-LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S AMAZING.
NICE.
Jack: WELL, IF IT'S A MOUNTAIN
THAT'S IN FRONT OF US,
LET'S JUST GO TEAR IT DOWN.
Narrator:
HALFWAY THROUGH THE SEASON,
THE HOFFMAN CREW HAS PRODUCED
ALMOST 1,000 OUNCES OF GOLD...
I'D LIKE TO PRAY FOR US.
LET'S PRAY, GUYS.
...WORTH OVER $1 MILLION.
LORD,
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GOLD.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT
IN THE GROUND JUST FOR US. AMEN.
-AMEN.
-AMEN.
Narrator: THE HOFFMANS
ARE ALREADY CLOSING IN
ON THEIR GOLD TOTAL
FROM LAST YEAR,
WELL ON THEIR WAY
TO A 2,700-OUNCE SEASON.
I THINK THE SKY'S THE LIMIT,
I REALLY DO.
YOU KNOW, THE OLD-TIMERS SAID
WHERE YOU FIND MAMMOTH TUSKS,
YOU FIND BIG GOLD.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
THEY WERE RIGHT.
Turin: YEAH!
Narrator:
ON THE NEXT "GOLD RUSH"...
YEAH! WE'RE AT THE END
OF THE SUPER CUT, BOYS.
WAY BELOW
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
IF YOU DON'T EXTEND IT,
YOU DON'T MAKE YOUR GOAL.
Man: MAN, I THINK YOU'RE
TAKING A HECK OF A RISK.
I'M NERVOUS
ABOUT THIS, TOO.
Man: GOT TO ADMIT --
WHEN THE KID TAKES A CHANCE,
HE DOESN'T GO SMALL.
HEY, WE GOT NO WATER!
HOLY [BLEEP]
HEY, THAT'S PRETTY [BLEEP]
NOW WHAT THE [BLEEP]
WE GONNA DO?