Gold Rush: Alaska (2010–…): Season 8, Episode 5 - Son Dethrones Father - full transcript
Parker Schnabel fights rising floodwaters to save his cut. Hunter Hoffman shuts down his father Todd and Tony Beets takes a convoy of military trucks on a treacherous journey to hunt down parts for his monster dredge.
WE'RE BEHIND AND NOW
WE GOT TO CATCH UP.
Narrator:
ON THIS "GOLD RUSH"...
YOU'RE IN CHARGE
OVER THERE.
THIS ISN'T WORKING.
GET YOUR HAND
OFF THAT LEVER.
[ THUDDING ]
YOU GUYS NEED TO GET
WITH THE PROGRAM HERE.
SERIOUSLY BEEN
AN AMATEUR HOUR.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
IT'S A DISASTER.
CLEAR BACK!
IT EXPLODED.
DEFINITELY
THE WORST CONDITION
I'VE EVER SEEN ANY
OF OUR EQUIPMENT.
WORSE, EVERY TIME
SOMEBODY ASKS ME THAT.
*
*
HEY, LOOK, A TREE!
[ METAL CREAKING ]
[ THUD ]
*
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
*
*
*
GOT A LOT OF DIRT TO MINE.
HOPEFULLY,
WE'LL GET IT TOGETHER,
PUT SOME MORE GOLD IN THE BANK.
Narrator:
FIVE WEEKS INTO THE SEASON,
TODD HOFFMAN IS COMING UP SHORT.
THROWING
EVERYTHING AT IT.
THEN WE CAN GET
BACK ON TRACK
TO THAT 5,000 OUNCES
AND TRY TO KICK
PARKER'S ASS.
HE SHOULD HAVE 1,000 OUNCES,
BUT HE'S GOT LESS
THAN HALF THAT.
JUST NOT GETTING
THAT GOLD.
YOU KNOW, AND I GOT
THIS BET WITH PARKER.
THAT'S NOT FUNNY.
TODD'S RUNNING 300 YARDS AN HOUR
THROUGH DOUBLE TROUBLE.
I DON'T WANT TO LOSE
TO THAT KID.
AND SON HUNTER IS DOING
THE SAME WITH MONSTER RED.
WE'VE BEEN RUNNING SUPER HARD
HERE IN SACRAMENTO.
WE'RE RUNNING A LOT
OF YARDS RIGHT NOW.
*
-Hey, Hunter?
-YEAH, WHAT'S UP?
CAN YOU COME BY
THE GOLD ROOM HERE?
I'VE GOT SOMETHING
TO SHOW YOU.
UH, OKAY.
I'LL HEAD OVER.
Narrator: JACK HOFFMAN
DOES DAILY CLEANUPS
TO KEEP A CLOSE TRACK
OF THEIR PROGRESS.
WHAT'S UP?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS THIS?
THAT'S A WHOLE DAY'S RUN.
-HOW MUCH IS THIS?
-4.05.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
YOU NEED AT LEAST
FOUR TIMES THIS.
-YEAH.
-THAT DOESN'T PAY BILLS.
WE'RE BASICALLY RUNNING
FOR NO REASON AT THIS POINT.
WELL, HUNTER, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE IN CHARGE NOW.
BUT THIS ISN'T WORKING.
*
-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT. SEE YA.
Narrator: AT 4 OUNCES
PER PLANT, PER DAY,
THE HOFFMANS WOULD HAVE
A 1,200-OUNCE SEASON,
LITTLE MORE THAN LAST YEAR'S
DISASTROUS TOTAL.
HEY, WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN
MONSTER RED.
*
HEY, BRIAN, KILL IT.
*
[ CLANKING ]
*
OVER AT DOUBLE TROUBLE,
TODD IS RUNNING DIRT
FROM THE SAME CUT.
MY DAD'S
GONNA BE PISSED.
*
Hey, Dad?
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
WE GOT TO SHUT
THE PLANT DOWN.
You're kidding me.
WE JUST HAD A 4-OUNCE
CLEANUP, OKAY?
AND THAT WAS FROM THOUSANDS
OF YARDS RUNNING.
I'M NOT GONNA SHUT DOWN.
Let's just push
through it.
It could just be
a bad layer.
WE AIN'T GONNA GET ANY GOLD
IF WE AIN'T RUNNING.
*
*
GET YOUR HAND OFF THAT.
WE'RE BURNING FUEL.
WE'RE LOSING TIME.
WE'RE WASTING DAYS
GETTING NO GOLD.
GET YOUR FRICKIN' HAND
off that lever.
*
[ MACHINE POWERS DOWN ]
*
*
YOU BETTER HAVE
A DAMN GOOD REASON
WHY YOU SHUT
THAT PLANT OFF.
I DID YOU A FAVOR 'CAUSE
WHATEVER WE'RE RUNNING
RIGHT NOW, IT HAS
NO GOLD IN IT, OKAY?
YOU HAVE BAD DAYS.
YOU GOT TO RUN THROUGH 'EM
-NO.
-TO GET TO THE GOOD DAYS.
BUT I JUST GOT 4 OUNCES.
THAT'S NOTHING.
THAT DOESN'T COUNT
TOWARDS OUR 5,000
AT ALL.
IT DOESN'T MAKE
A DENT IN IT, OKAY?
WE'VE BEEN
RUNNING [BLEEP]
THIS IS OVERBURDEN.
Narrator:
UNLIKE MOST OF THE GROUND
THE HOFFMANS HAVE MINED,
SACRAMENTO IS AN ANCIENT
GLACIAL DEPOSIT.
MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
A RECEDING GLACIER LAID DOWN
A LAYER OF GOLD-RICH
DIRT AND ROCKS.
OVER THE NEXT HUNDRED
THOUSAND YEARS,
A LAYER OF WORTHLESS
DIRT FORMED ON TOP,
UNTIL THE NEXT GLACIER CAME DOWN
AND LEFT A NEW PAY LAYER,
WHICH, IN TURN, GOT BURIED.
SO WHAT DO YOU
WANT TO DO?
WE HAVE TO STRIP.
WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN
FOR 2 DAYS,
STRIP THAT CRAP OFF,
AND GET DOWN TO THE PAY.
TWO DAYS?!
WITH ALL THE TRUCKS
WE HAVE,
WE CAN PEEL THAT OFF
IN 2 DAYS.
THAT'S CRAZY, MAN.
IT'S GONNA TAKE
MONEY AND TIME.
ALL RIGHT.
I'LL GIVE YA 2 DAYS,
BUT I'M TELLING YA
IT'S ON YOUR HEAD.
GET ON IT NOW.
GO.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU'VE GOT THE BALLS
TO COME SHUT MY PLANT OFF,
YOU BETTER HAVE THE BALLS
TO FOLLOW THROUGH
ON THIS STRIPPING.
LET'S HOPE AND PRAY
HE'S RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA
WORK ALL DAY FOR 4 OUNCES.
HE'S WRONG.
THE BIGGEST THING I CAN DO
IS JUST LEARN
FROM ALL THE MISTAKES
MY DAD MADE IN THE PAST
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
THE RIGHT DECISION.
WE HAVE TO STRIP.
WE HAVE TO SHUT DOWN
FOR 2 DAYS, BUT, WHATEVER.
*
BETWEEN SLUICIFER AND BIG RED,
WE'VE GOT TWO VERY
HUNGRY MOUTHS TO FEED,
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN
MAKE THAT WORK
WITH THE PEOPLE
AND THE EQUIPMENT WE'VE GOT.
*
Narrator:
2,000 MILES NORTH,
PARKER SCHNABEL'S
PUSHING AHEAD OF TODD
WITH TWO WASH PLANTS WORKING
HARD TOWARDS HIS 5,000-OUNCE,
$6 MILLION, GOAL.
CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY,
SO, WE DO OUR DAMNEDEST
TO BE RUNNING 24/7
ALL THE TIME.
RUNNING THE PLANT NONSTOP
HAS CREATED A FLOOD
THAT MITCH IS TRYING TO FIX.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST
TRYING TO CLEAR THE CULVERT
THAT DRAINS OUR SETTLING POND.
ALL NIGHT, WE WERE PUMPING
THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER
INTO OUR SETTLING POND,
AND NONE OF IT WAS GOING OUT.
NOW, IT'S CAUSED SOME
FLOODING IN THE CUT.
Narrator: TO WASH THE GOLD,
SLUICIFER PUMPS
NEARLY 200,000 GALLONS OF WATER
AN HOUR INTO THE SETTLING POND,
BUT THE WATER
IS NOT DRAINING PROPERLY.
INSTEAD, IT'S SEEPING BACK
THROUGH THE BERM INTO THE CUT.
IT'S COLLECTING
IN THE LOWEST PART OF THE CUT,
BUT IF IT GETS INTO
THE DRY PAY DIRT,
IT COULD WASH THE GOLD DOWN
DEEP IN THE FRACTURED BEDROCK,
WHERE THEY MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO RECOVER IT.
Blaschke: IF WE DON'T GET
THIS WATER TO DRAIN,
THEN WE'RE GONNA BE
DIGGING IN A POND
INSTEAD OF DIGGING
IN NICE, DRY PAY DIRT.
Narrator:
THE PUMP THAT USUALLY DRAINS
THE CUT CAN'T KEEP UP.
IT'S REALLY NOT LOOKING
GOOD IN THE CUT.
THE WATER'S COMING UP
WAY TOO FAST.
AND IF IT REACHES THE PAY,
THEN WE'RE [BLEEP]
WE NEED A MORE LONG-TERM,
GOOD SOLUTION TO THAT.
MAYBE HAVE THEM
HAVE IT DRAIN OVERNIGHT.
MAYBE AT THE END OF THE DAY
TODAY, JUST CRANK THAT PUMP UP
AND LEAVE HER
RUNNING WIDE-OPEN.
ALL RIGHT. COOL.
WELL, THIS THING'S CAPABLE
OF DOING 4,200 GALLONS A MINUTE,
SO I THINK IT'S TIME WE CRANK
HER UP AND GET THIS CUT DRY.
SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO BY MORNING.
Narrator:
NEXT MORNING, THE FLOODWATER
IS BEGINNING TO COVER THE PAY,
AND THE DEWATERING PUMP
IS SPEWING SMOKE.
[ CLANK ]
[BLEEP] [BLEEP]
STAND BACK!
REST IN PEACE, LITTLE PUMP.
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD
TO SEE WHAT'S WRONG.
THIS ONE, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR.
IT BLEW UP PRETTY HARD.
YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, I CAN
PUT MY HAND INSIDE THE MOTOR.
AND HERE'S WHAT'S LEFT
OF OUR PISTON THAT EXPLODED.
HANG ON. THERE'S THE REST
OF THE CONNECTING ROD.
IT'S PRETTY BAD WHEN YOU
CAN DISASSEMBLE AN ENGINE,
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO
REMOVE ANY OF THE PARTS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE,
DEFINITELY THE WORST CONDITION
I'VE EVER SEEN
ANY OF OUR EQUIPMENT.
THERE'S NO COMING BACK
FROM THIS ONE.
THIS MOTOR IS JUNK.
THIS PUMP'S MOVED
A LOT OF WATER FOR US,
BUT WE'VE GOT A BUNCH
OF SCRAP METAL NOW.
Narrator: TILL IT BROKE,
THE PUMP WAS DRAINING
A CRUCIAL 4,200 GALLONS
OF WATER A MINUTE,
EQUIVALENT TO OVER
33,000 WATER BOTTLES.
Schnabel: WHAT THE [BLEEP]
DID IT JUST DIE?
Blaschke: SHE SMOKED.
YOU HEARD THE TERM
OF AN ENGINE GRENADING?
IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY
DUMPED A WHOLE CASE
OF GRENADES IN THERE,
NOT JUST ONE.
HOLY [BLEEP]
UNFORTUNATELY,
WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPARES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE
SOMETHING OUT REAL QUICK.
THIS WATER LEVEL IS ALREADY
RISING QUITE A BIT.
OH, GOOD [BLEEP]
YEAH, IT'S JUST
CONTAMINATED ALREADY.
-OH, [BLEEP] YEAH.
-SEE, IT'S A [BLEEP] DISASTER.
-WHAT'S THE PLAN, THEN?
-NOT SLUICE.
*
LIKE, WE AREN'T DREDGING HERE,
SO AS MUCH AS I HATE IT,
WE HAVE TO SHUT
THE PLANT DOWN.
Narrator: IT'LL COST PARKER
$2,500 AN HOUR,
BUT SLUICIFER'S TORRENT OF WATER
IS THREATENING
TO FLOOD HIS PAY DIRT.
WE'RE IN PRETTY
ROUGH SHAPE RIGHT NOW.
*
*
*
6 TRUCKS, TWO 700s.
WE SHOULD GET THIS
DONE PRETTY FAST.
LET'S KICK SOME ASS
AND MOVE SOME DIRT.
Narrator: IN COLORADO, AFTER
A DISASTROUS FOUR-OUNCE DAY,
HUNTER HAS SHUT
THE HOFFMANS DOWN.
YOU KNOW, FOUR OUNCES A DAY,
THAT'S BULL[BLEEP]
THAT'S NOT WORTH IT.
HUNTER'S DECIDED TO CLOSE
BOTH PLANTS DOWN, JUST STRIP.
HE WANTS TO GET GOLD,
AND HE WANTS TO PROVE HIMSELF.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, AS A DAD,
BUT IT'S SCARY FOR ME.
ONCE YOU'VE CLOSED
THE PLANT DOWN,
YOU AIN'T MAKING ANY MONEY.
Hunter:
YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR
BEING IN CHARGE.
DAD IS COUNTING ON ME
TO GET THIS JOB DONE,
GET THIS DIRT MOVED.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IN HERE
AND GET IT DONE.
Narrator:
HUNTER HAS VOWED TO REMOVE
THIS WORTHLESS LAYER OF DIRT
AND HIT ANOTHER GOLD-RICH
PAY STREAK IN JUST TWO DAYS.
Spinks: YOU KNOW, TODD'S GOT
PRETTY HIGH EXPECTATIONS,
LIKE ANY FATHER WOULD
OVER HIS SON.
WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE,
WE NEED TO GET IT DONE QUICK,
AND GET BACK TO SLUICING.
BEST WAY TO DO IT IS
COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM,
PUT ALL RESOURCES TOGETHER,
AND GET RID OF THIS MATERIAL.
[ HORN HONKS TWICE ]
Narrator: HUNTER'S COMMANDEERED
THE ENTIRE CREW,
INCLUDING
ALL THE GREENHORN MINERS
TODD'S TAKEN ON THIS SEASON.
GOT A LOT OF NEW GUYS HERE.
I THINK I'M THE ONLY PERSON
ROCK TRUCKING
THAT HAS ACTUALLY
DONE THIS BEFORE.
IT'S PRETTY CRAZY
DRIVING A 40-TON TRUCK.
SUPER NERVOUS ABOUT THIS,
JUST GETTING USED TO BACKING UP.
LORD.
SPINKS:
Pull forward some more.
Pull forward.
I CAN'T REACH THE FRONT
OF THE TRUCK.
Roger.
YOU KNOW, I GET THAT
THESE GUYS ARE NEW,
I GET THAT
IT'S THEIR FIRST YEAR,
BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED
TO PICK UP THE PACE
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
COSTING US MONEY RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: THE GREENHORNS AREN'T
UNDERSTANDING BASIC SIGNALS.
[ HORN HONKS TWICE ]
[ HORN HONKS TWICE ]
HOLY [BLEEP]
When I give it a double tap,
you're good to dump.
YOU GUYS NEED TO GET
WITH THE PROGRAM HERE.
LET'S GO. LET'S GO.
LET'S GO.
IT'S SERIOUSLY BEEN
AN AMATEUR HOUR.
*
*
WHAT THE FRICK?
You are not loaded.
Good Lord.
THAT WAS A FREAKING
FOUR-WHEELERS SIDE-BY-SIDE HORN.
I CAN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOU SAID.
YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO START
PAYING ATTENTION
TO WHAT HORNS
ARE HONKING.
LOST MY CONCENTRATION THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY
IT'S SO DIFFICULT.
My fault.
I'll try to work on that.
Narrator:
A CREW OF SIX ROCK-TRUCK DRIVERS
SHOULD MOVE 15,000 YARDS OF DIRT
A DAY.
HUNTER'S CREW OF ROOKIES
HAS ONLY MOVED HALF THAT.
Hunter: HOPEFULLY,
WE ALL LEARN FROM TODAY,
AND HOPEFULLY TOMORROW
WE GET A LOT MORE WORK DONE.
*
Pierce: YESTERDAY
WAS A PRETTY LONG DAY,
AND TODAY IS GONNA BE
ABOUT THE SAME,
BUT YOU GOT TO DO
WHAT YOU GOT TO DO SOMETIMES.
WHAT THE [BLEEP]
[BLEEP] DAMN IT.
JUAN IBARRA,
DO YOU COPY, JUAN?
I JUST LOST A HYDRAULIC HOSE.
THIS THING IS [BLEEP]
LITERALLY THE LAST THING
WE NEED.
Narrator: ANDY BATTLES ON
IN THE REMAINING 700 EXCAVATOR,
BUT THEY CAN ONLY
SHIFT HALF THE DIRT.
Spinks:
EVERY TIME WE GOT TO HAVE
THESE LITTLE SET BACKS,
IT JUST TAKES EVERYTHING
THAT MUCH MORE TIME.
EVERY MINUTE COUNTS.
EVERY LOAD COUNTS.
IT ALL ADDS UP
AT THE END OF THE SEASON.
-HEY, HOW ARE WE DOING?
-NOT GOOD.
-WHAT HAPPENED?
-LOST A HOSE ON THAT 700.
Todd: HOW BAD?
[ SIGHS ] I CAN'T EVEN FIND
WHERE IT GOES,
SO IT'S GONNA BE
ANOTHER LONG NIGHT.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE
KIDDING ME.
Hey, Hunter.
COPY.
We need to talk -- now.
YEAH.
Spinks: YOU KNOW, THE DYNAMICS
OF FATHER/SONS ARE ALWAYS TOUGH.
I'M SURE TODD'S
NOT GONNA BE HAPPY.
HE'S COSTING HIM
A LOT OF MONEY
WHEN THINGS ARE SHUT DOWN
EVERY DAY,
AS WELL AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
THIS IS KIND OF PUTTING
A DAMPER IN OUR PRODUCTION,
AND I'M NOT VERY HAPPY
ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE A LONG WAY
THROUGH THE SEASON
TO NOT HAVE
EQUIPMENT RUNNING.
*
DUDE,
YOU SAID TWO DAYS.
WHY ARE WE NOT STARTING?
'CAUSE, WE HAD BREAKDOWNS,
AND WE DIDN'T GET IT DONE, OKAY?
WE'RE NOT DONE. WE'RE NOT DOWN
TO THE PAY LAYER YET.
DUDE, YOU SAID TWO DAYS.
-WOULD YOU --
-WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?
WE LOSE A FEW DAYS RUNNING,
OKAY,
OR WE RUN DIRT THAT HAS
NO GOLD IN IT, OKAY?
UGH, DUDE,
REALLY, COME ON.
YOU'RE KILLING ME.
BOTTOM LINE -- WE HAVE TO
GET THIS CRAP OFF,
OTHERWISE IT'S
A WASTE OF OUR TIME.
ALL RIGHT.
TOMORROW, BINGO.
YOU BETTER STRIP THE HELL
OUT OF THAT PLACE.
-OKAY.
-OKAY?
*
YOU KNOW, I KNOW MY DAD'S
PISSED OFF, BUT, YOU KNOW,
IF MY DAD WOULD HAVE HIRED
MORE EXPERIENCED GUYS,
WE'D PROBABLY BE DONE BY NOW.
Todd: YOU KNOW, HUNTER,
HE NEEDS TO PROVE HIMSELF.
CAN'T AFFORD ANY SCREW-UPS.
I HAVE EVERYTHING TIMED OUT.
I FEEL LIKE I'M ON
A SCHEDULE FOR 5,000,
AND EVERY TIME
THAT WE HAVE A DELAY,
IT JUST FEELS LIKE THAT DREAM
IS JUST SLIPPING AWAY
FARTHER AND FARTHER.
*
Narrator: AT HIS SECOND DREDGE
IN THISTLE CREEK,
TONY BEETS IS IN FULL
TEARDOWN MODE WITH HIS FOREMAN,
SHEAMUS CHRISTIE.
Christie:
TONY, COME LOOK AT THIS.
PONTOON'S REALLY BULGED.
THE HULL OF THE 500-TON DREDGE
IS MADE OF MASSIVE
STEEL PONTOONS.
TOTALLY DEFORMED,
TWISTED, WARPED.
NOT ONLY ROUND,
THEY'RE SPLITTING, CRACKED.
TAKE THESE APART, THEY'LL
NEVER GO BACK TOGETHER.
ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO,
TONY?
WE CAN'T FLOAT A DREDGE
WITHOUT PONTOONS.
THAT'S THAT ONE THAT WAS
IN PIECES, THOUGH.
SO THESE PONTOONS ARE
SITTING OUT IN THE OPEN, TONY.
WHAT'S TO SAY THEY DIDN'T
FILL UP WITH WATER
AND HAVE DONE
THE SAME THING?
*
[ HORN HONKS ]
Narrator:
TONY BEETS IS LEADING A CONVOY
ALONG 30 MILES OF DIRT ROAD,
Monica: DEEP INTO THE SOUTHERN
KLONDIKE.
IT'S A LITTLE SQUISHY
HERE, GUYS.
GEEZ, THIS ROAD'S ROUGH.
WHOA.
TODAY'S GONNA BE A BIG DAY.
Narrator:
TONY'S SECOND DREDGE HAS A TWIN
THAT MINED THIS GROUND
AT HENDERSON CREEK
OVER 60 YEARS AGO.
WHEN THE GOLD PRICE DROPPED,
IT WAS ABANDONED,
AND THE PARTS HAVE BEEN
SITTING HERE FOR DECADES.
*
[ BLEEP ]
Christie: BITS AND PIECES HERE
THAT ARE REALLY WEATHERED.
IT'S REALLY A LOT
OF DAMAGE DONE.
YEAH?
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
REALLY GOOD.
YEAH, AND THERE'S
ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE
OVER THERE I NOTICED.
I COULD SEE ALL THESE
BEING VERY USEFUL.
Narrator: IN THE BONEYARD,
TONY HAS FOUND
ALL THE PONTOONS HE NEEDS
TO FLOAT HIS SECOND DREDGE.
Monica: WHAT'S YOUR PLAN
FOR GETTING ALL THIS STUFF OUT?
YOU?
*
THESE PONTOONS ARE IN
ALMOST PRISTINE CONDITION.
THEY ALMOST LOOK BRAND-NEW.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED
TO PUT THE DREDGE TOGETHER.
Monica: HEY, LOOK, A TREE!
[BLEEP] EXTREME TRUCKING HERE.
COME AHEAD. TURN TO YOUR LEFT.
TURN TO YOUR LEFT.
Narrator:
IN JUST FOUR HOURS, MONICA HAS
ALL THE PONTOONS LOADED.
NOW THE BEETS CREW
HAS 30 MILES OF BUSH ROADS
TO GET THEM BACK TO EUREKA.
GOING BACK DOWN THAT ROAD
MIGHT BE INTERESTING
WITH SOME OF THAT STUFF.
THERE ARE SOME PRETTY TIGHT,
HAIRY CORNERS,
BUT THAT'S ALL PART OF THE FUN.
*
Blaschke:
I FOUND ANOTHER ENGINE.
Narrator: IN THE KLONDIKE,
PARKER SCHNABEL'S CREEK CUT
IS FLOODING,
AND THE ENGINE ON THE
DEWATERING PUMP HAS EXPLODED.
HE'S HAD TO SHUT DOWN SLUICIFER
AND IS LOSING $2,500 AN HOUR.
THE GOOD NEWS IS,
IT'S THE RIGHT HORSEPOWER.
THE BAD NEWS IS, IT WAS
DESIGNED FOR A GENERATOR,
NOT A WATER PUMP.
Ness:
AS LONG AS THE BELL HOUSING
LINES UP, THAT'S THE BIGGEST.
YEAH,
THAT'S THE BIGGEST DEAL.
ONE WAY TO FIND OUT.
Schnabel: YEAH,
TIME'S THE ONLY PROBLEM, RIGHT?
HOW LONG
UNTIL YOU'RE DONE HERE?
I'M NOT SURE.
THIS COULD BE A FOUR-HOUR JOB,
OR IT COULD BE A FOUR-DAY THING.
I WOULD SAY SIX
IS WHAT I'M SHOOTING FOR,
ASSUMING WE'VE GOT
ALL THE PARTS.
Narrator: WITHOUT THE PUMP,
THE CUT IS FLOODING,
SINKING GOLD DEEP
INTO FRACTURES IN THE BEDROCK.
Blaschke:
MY PLAN IS TO TRY TO SEE
IF THE BELL HOUSING
AND EVERYTHING
MATCHES UP FOR THE PUMP.
HOPEFULLY, IT'S NOT
TOO BIG OF A DEAL,
BUT UNTIL WE GET
THIS ENGINE OFF HERE
AND GO TO LINE UP THE NEW ONE,
WE WON'T REALLY KNOW.
WE GOT SOME WORK TO DO.
Narrator: MITCH'S PLAN --
REMOVE THE DESTROYED ENGINE
FROM THE PUMP.
HE'LL THEN OFFER UP
THE NEW ENGINE.
ONLY IF THE BELL HOUSING AND
DRIVE MECHANISM FIT PERFECTLY
WILL THE NEW ENGINE BE ABLE
TO POWER THE PUMP.
Blaschke:
BRING HER IN NICE AND EASY.
WE'LL JUST GET HER CLOSE,
SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT.
Man: I'LL JUST SWING IT
THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT.
Ness: PLEASE BE CLOSE.
WINCH DOWN!
Schnabel:
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.
[BLEEP] [BLEEP]
IS THAT
UP AGAINST THAT BRACKET?
Man: YEP.
THAT WON'T LIVE LIKE THAT.
Narrator:
THE COUPLINGS WON'T ALIGN.
THE OLD MOUNTING BRACKETS
ARE BLOCKING THE NEW ENGINE.
SO WHAT WE SHOULD DO,
CUT ALL THIS [BLEEP] CLEAN
AND SEE IF WE'RE REMOTELY
CLOSE ON THE BELL HOUSING.
HOW MUCH LONGER
WILL THAT TAKE?
I MEAN, IT'S DEFINITELY
A LOT MORE WORK.
YOU KNOW, OUT HERE,
WE DON'T HAVE
EVERYTHING WE NEED
ALL THE TIME,
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO
MAKE SOMETHING WORK.
LET'S GET TO CUTTING.
WORSE EVERY TIME
SOMEBODY ASKS ME THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE WAY
WE OPERATE IS THAT,
ONCE WE START SLUICING,
WE DON'T STOP, RIGHT?
BECAUSE THAT'S THE WHOLE KEY
TO OUR SEASON.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A DAY
OR A NIGHT OR A WEEKEND
OR A HOLIDAY
OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THAT PLANT NOT RUNNING
IS A MAJOR ISSUE.
A FEW BREAKDOWNS,
AND IT'S JUST AMAZING
HOW EASY IT IS
TO FALL BEHIND.
BUT I CAN'T LET IT GET ME DOWN.
I'M JUST BALING UP HAY HERE
DOWN AT SLUICIFER CUT
'CAUSE THE WATER
HAS BACKED UP SO FAST.
Narrator: MITCH HAS REMOVED
THE OLD MOUNTS.
TIME FOR ANOTHER SHOT
AT MARRYING THE ENGINE
WITH THE PUMP.
LET'S WINCH DOWN!
*
HOLD!
THERE IT IS.
-THERE WE GO.
-THAT'LL WORK.
-YES. SCORE.
Blaschke: EVERYTHING'S LOOKING
REALLY GOOD HERE.
WE'RE GONNA BOLT IT UP,
HOOK EVERYTHING ELSE UP.
WE KNOW WE CAN MAKE
IT WORK FROM HERE.
Narrator: AFTER LOSING 10 HOURS
AND UP TO $25,000 IN LOST GOLD,
MITCH AND RICK FINALLY MOVE THE
FRANKENSTEINED PUMP INTO PLACE.
Blaschke: HOPEFULLY WHEN WE FIRE
THIS PUMP UP,
IT DOESN'T BLOW A HOLE IN
THE SIDE OF IT LIKE OUR OLD ONE.
WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT HERE
PRETTY QUICK.
[ PUMP TURNS ON ]
*
WHOO!
[BLEEP] YEAH.
*
Schnabel:
WE'VE BEEN DOWN MOST OF THE DAY,
BUT THANKS TO MITCH,
WE'RE ABLE TO FIRE
BACK UP RIGHT NOW.
GIVE ME SOME DIRT!
*
WELL, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET
SOME GOLD THIS WEEK.
*
[ HORN HONKING ]
*
ALL RIGHT. ROGER THAT.
Narrator: TONY AND MONICA BEETS
PILOT A CONVOY OF TRUCKS
LADEN WITH MASSIVE PONTOONS
TO REBUILD HIS SECOND DREDGE.
*
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO FOR IT.
Narrator:
SHEAMUS IS THE FIRST TO ATTEMPT
THE 25-DEGREE INCLINE.
HERE WE GO.
Narrator:
AT THE FINAL SWITCHBACK,
TONY WAITS TO WATCH
HIS PRECIOUS CARGO GO PAST.
THE HILL IS NO MATCH FOR THE TWO
8-WHEEL-DRIVE OSHKOSHES,
ORIGINALLY DESIGNED
TO TOW 60-TON TANKS.
MIKE SCRIBA IS BRINGING UP
THE REAR WITH A NORMAL TRUCK,
HAULING A TRAILER LADEN DOWN
WITH PONTOONS AND SPARE PARTS.
*
MONICA: Yeah?
*
Narrator: TONY'S VITAL
DREDGE PONTOONS AND PARTS
WILL BE STRANDED
ON THE MOUNTAIN
UNLESS MONICA'S TUNDRA
CAN HELP MOVE
THE 40-TON TRUCK AND TRAILER.
WHAT, NOT ENOUGH POWER
IN THIS THING?
Scriba: JUST NEED
TO PULL ME UP THE HILL,
AND DON'T TWIST OFF
THE DRIVE SHAFT.
SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM
WITH THIS THING.
OKAY.
*
YOU'RE PRETTY HEAVY, HEY.
*
OH, MY [BLEEP]
THE TRUCK DRIVER EXTREME.
Narrator: WITH MONICA'S HELP,
THE CONVOY IS BACK ON THE ROAD.
THE PONTOONS ARRIVE
AT EUREKA CREEK.
TONY IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO HIS
DREAM OF RUNNING TWO DREDGES.
*
WE HAVE A LOT OF TRUCKS
GOING REALLY FAST RIGHT NOW,
SO HOPEFULLY
WE CAN GET IT DONE.
Narrator: IN COLORADO,
HUNTER HOFFMAN PROMISED HIS DAD
HE'D GET DOWN TO A NEW LAYER
OF GOLD-RICH PAY
IN JUST TWO DAYS,
BUT HE'S FAILED.
Todd: HUNTER NEEDS MY HELP.
WE'RE FAMILY. IT'S WHAT WE DO.
Hey, Hunter, I want
to smash this out.
Hunter: NONE OF US KNOW
HOW FAR DOWN WE HAVE TO GO,
BUT, YOU KNOW, EITHER WAY,
WE NEED TO MOVE DIRT.
WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE TO STRIP
THAN WHERE WE THOUGHT
WE'D BE TODAY.
OLD HUNTER, HE'S A GOOD KID.
HE SHOOTS HIGH JUST LIKE ME.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
HE'S GOT A LOT TO LEARN.
YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY
THAT WE'RE NOT RUNNING DIRT,
WE'RE JUST --
WE'RE LOSING GOLD.
You need to learn
from this, Hunter.
You need to learn from it.
YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY
MY DAD'S HERE NOW,
AND HOPEFULLY HE CAN HELP US
GET THIS DONE FASTER, SO...
BUT HE IS FRUSTRATING
TO WORK WITH.
Narrator: JUAN HAS FIXED
THE 700 EXCAVATOR,
SO THE HOFFMAN CREW
HAS ALL GUNS BLAZING.
ALL EFFORTS ARE ON SACRAMENTO.
WE'VE GOT TO GET
THIS PLACE DIALED IN.
AT FIRST, WE HAD SOME ISSUES,
BUT EVERYTHING
SEEMS TO BE RUNNING
PRETTY SMOOTHLY RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, THIS CREW KNOWS
HOW TO MOVE DIRT.
WE'RE HAULING ASS.
Narrator:
THEY'RE FINALLY SHIFTING
1,500 YARDS OF DIRT AN HOUR.
*
*
TODD TO HUNTER.
TODD TO HUNTER.
HUNTER: Yeah?
COME DOWN TO THE PIT, BECAUSE I
THINK WE'RE THERE, PRETTY MUCH.
I'M STARTING TO HIT A LAYER
OF BIGGER ROCKS.
Okay.
LOOK AT THIS.
I'M STARTING TO GET THAT COBBLE,
THE BIGGER STUFF.
I THINK WE'RE HERE, MAN.
I THINK WE'RE RIGHT IN IT.
GO PAN IT.
LET'S GO.
WE'RE GETTING BEHIND
EVERY MINUTE.
I CAN FEEL IT LIKE A WEIGHT,
LIKE A BIG, HEAVY THING
ON MY SHOULDERS.
I MEAN, WE GOT TO RUN.
*
*
*
Todd: ONE, TWO, THREE
DECENT-SIZED PIECES,
A COUPLE LITTLE TINY ONES.
I LIKE IT.
THAT'S A GOOD PAN.
THAT DIRT HAS GOLD IN IT,
SO I THINK WE'RE AT
THE RIGHT LAYER, FINALLY,
SO I THINK WE RUN IT.
ALL RIGHT.
I GOT TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
YOU WERE RIGHT.
GOOD JOB, GOOD CALL.
CALL THE GUYS IN.
LET'S START LOADING UP
TRUCKS, OKAY?
-OKAY.
-DO IT.
WE STRIPPED OFF
THAT OVERBURDEN,
AND NOW WE'RE ABOUT READY TO GET
BACK INTO THE GOLD, FINALLY.
WE'RE BEHIND, AND NOW
WE GOT TO CATCH UP.
Narrator: UP AHEAD...
Doumitt:
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE
THAT PUTS US WITH THE HOFFMANS?
OH, THERE'S NO WAY
THEY'RE AHEAD OF US.
I TOLD YOU ALREADY.
TURN THAT [BLEEP] THING OFF.
Narrator: AT SCRIBNER CREEK,
PARKER'S IN A BAD MOOD AGAIN.
THIS TIME, IT'S MEDICAL.
PARKER HAS GOT A BAD TOOTH
RIGHT NOW AND HE'S MISERABLE
AND I CANNOT WAIT
FOR HIM TO GET BETTER,
'CAUSE HE'S NOT FUN
TO BE AROUND RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
[ LAUGHS ]
*
*
Narrator:
IN THE KLONDIKE, IT'S TIME
FOR PARKER'S GOLD WEIGH.
HEY, YOUNGSTER.
GOLDIE, HOW'S THAT?
Schnabel: WHOSE IS THAT?
THAT'S SLUICIFER.
Ness: GOT SOME GOLD.
-QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH?
-MM-HMM.
WELL, SHALL WE WEIGH IT UP?
Doumitt: YEAH, THROW IT ON.
IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU.
Narrator: TO STAY ON TRACK
FOR A 5,000-OUNCE SEASON,
PARKER NEEDS AT LEAST 100 OUNCES
FROM BIG RED AND SLUICIFER.
Schnabel: 50.
70.
AH, 106.1.
[BLEEP] ME.
Narrator: MITCH'S BUSH FIX
HELPED SLUICIFER MINE
OVER $125,000
WORTH OF GOLD.
-WELL DONE, MITCH.
-NO PROBLEM.
I'M GLAD
IT ALL CAME TOGETHER.
-CHEERS TO THAT.
-CHEERS TO THAT.
AH, IT COST US 10 HOURS,
SO PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW,
15, 20 OUNCES OF GOLD.
BUT WE'LL GET IT NEXT TIME.
-YEAH.
-YEAH, GO FOR IT, RICK.
-OH, ALL RIGHT.
Narrator: NEXT, IT'S RICK
WITH BIG RED'S GOLD.
Ness: FEELS GOOD, BUT HOPEFULLY
IT'S BETTER THAN THAT LAST WEEK.
WE GOT 10...
20, 30...
40, 50...
70, 80...
90...
...90.5.
YIKES.
Doumitt:
THE NUMBER IS GOING UP.
WHAT'S THAT, 12 OUNCES
BETTER THAN LAST WEEK?
IT'S NOT A HUGE JUMP, BUT --
Schnabel: DEFINITELY HEADED
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
-YEAH, KEEP IT UP.
IF YOUR NUMBERS ARE GOING UP,
THEY GO UP NEXT WEEK.
IT'S NOT BAD AT ALL.
-ALL RIGHT.
SO PARKER, FOR OUR SEASON TOTAL,
IT'S 987.7.
Narrator:
987.7 OUNCES MAKES THEM
THE FIRST CREW THIS SEASON
TO SMASH
THE MILLION-DOLLAR MARK.
ALL RIGHT, WELL,
THAT'S A LOT OF [BLEEP] GOLD
IN NOT A LOT OF TIME.
-YES.
IT WAS NOT THE BEST OF WEEKS,
BUT WE'RE PUTTING GOLD IN JARS,
SO THAT'S GOOD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE
THAT PUTS US WITH THE HOFFMANS?
OH, THERE'S NO WAY
THEY'RE AHEAD OF US.
THERE'S NO [BLEEP] WAY
IN HELL.
*
*
-HOW'S IT LOOKING?
-WELL --
HEY, IT'S BETTER
THAN FOUR OUNCES.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT.
GO AHEAD.
WEIGH IT UP, DAD.
-OKAY.
Narrator: AFTER A DISASTROUS
FOUR-OUNCE DAY,
HUNTER INSISTED ON STRIPPING
OVERBURDEN TO GET DOWN TO PAY,
WHICH MEANS THEY'VE RUN THE
PLANTS FOR LESS THAN TWO DAYS.
ANYTHING MORE THAN 16 OUNCES
MEANS HUNTER WAS RIGHT.
HERE WE GO -- 49.75.
NEARLY 50 OUNCES OF GOLD,
WORTH ALMOST $60,000.
GOOD CALL, HUNTER.
THAT'S A GOOD CLEANUP.
THANKS. I'M GLAD IT,
YOU KNOW, PAID OUT.
I KNOW YOU GUYS WERE KIND OF
AT EACH OTHER,
BUT YOU GUYS
WORKED IT OUT.
KEEP DOING THAT.
THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
NOT ALL YOUR MOVES ARE GREAT,
BUT THAT ONE SEEMS TO PAN OUT,
SO THERE YOU GO.
I'LL GIVE THAT ONE TO YOU.
YOU DID GOOD, YOU DID GOOD.
LET'S GET SOME MORE GOLD.
Hunter: YOU KNOW,
I'VE BEEN PUT IN POSITION
WHERE I HAVE TO MAKE SOME
DECISIONS, SO IT'S EXCITING.
YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU WORK
REALLY HARD,
IT'S NICE TO SEE
A PAYOUT LIKE THAT.
IT'S A NICE WIN.
HUNTER'S GOT GREAT INSTINCTS,
MAYBE A LOT BETTER THAN ME.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE FALLING BEHIND,
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
FAILURE ISN'T AN OPTION.
WE'RE BACK ON THE GOLD
THERE AT SACRAMENTO.
SOON AS WE GET FAIRPLAY
IN THE GAME, WE'RE GONNA WIN.
GET OUT OF MY WAY.
GET OUT OF MY WAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF DEAD DREAMS.
Narrator:
ON THE NEXT "GOLD RUSH"...
Todd: WE HAVEN'T WON THE WAR,
BUT WE WON A BATTLE.
Man: HOLY MOLY.
Man #2: ALL I WANT TO DO
IS MINE THIS PROPERTY.
IT'S MY LIFE SAVINGS
SITTING THERE.
Tony:
I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO
AND A HALF MONTHS NOT RUNNING.
THAT'S 2 MILLION BUCKS, RIGHT?
DOES THAT IMPROVE A GUY'S MOOD?
I DON'T THINK SO.
WELL, YOU GOT QUITE THE OLD
MARIANA TRENCH GOING, HUH?
-[BLEEP] SHUT IT DOWN!
-WE CAN'T KEEP SHUTTING DOWN.
IT AIN'T WORKING OUT.
Ness: HE'S A LITTLE [BLEEP]
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE [BLEEP]
HIS PROBLEM IS.
WE GOT TO CATCH UP.
Narrator:
ON THIS "GOLD RUSH"...
YOU'RE IN CHARGE
OVER THERE.
THIS ISN'T WORKING.
GET YOUR HAND
OFF THAT LEVER.
[ THUDDING ]
YOU GUYS NEED TO GET
WITH THE PROGRAM HERE.
SERIOUSLY BEEN
AN AMATEUR HOUR.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
IT'S A DISASTER.
CLEAR BACK!
IT EXPLODED.
DEFINITELY
THE WORST CONDITION
I'VE EVER SEEN ANY
OF OUR EQUIPMENT.
WORSE, EVERY TIME
SOMEBODY ASKS ME THAT.
*
*
HEY, LOOK, A TREE!
[ METAL CREAKING ]
[ THUD ]
*
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
*
*
*
GOT A LOT OF DIRT TO MINE.
HOPEFULLY,
WE'LL GET IT TOGETHER,
PUT SOME MORE GOLD IN THE BANK.
Narrator:
FIVE WEEKS INTO THE SEASON,
TODD HOFFMAN IS COMING UP SHORT.
THROWING
EVERYTHING AT IT.
THEN WE CAN GET
BACK ON TRACK
TO THAT 5,000 OUNCES
AND TRY TO KICK
PARKER'S ASS.
HE SHOULD HAVE 1,000 OUNCES,
BUT HE'S GOT LESS
THAN HALF THAT.
JUST NOT GETTING
THAT GOLD.
YOU KNOW, AND I GOT
THIS BET WITH PARKER.
THAT'S NOT FUNNY.
TODD'S RUNNING 300 YARDS AN HOUR
THROUGH DOUBLE TROUBLE.
I DON'T WANT TO LOSE
TO THAT KID.
AND SON HUNTER IS DOING
THE SAME WITH MONSTER RED.
WE'VE BEEN RUNNING SUPER HARD
HERE IN SACRAMENTO.
WE'RE RUNNING A LOT
OF YARDS RIGHT NOW.
*
-Hey, Hunter?
-YEAH, WHAT'S UP?
CAN YOU COME BY
THE GOLD ROOM HERE?
I'VE GOT SOMETHING
TO SHOW YOU.
UH, OKAY.
I'LL HEAD OVER.
Narrator: JACK HOFFMAN
DOES DAILY CLEANUPS
TO KEEP A CLOSE TRACK
OF THEIR PROGRESS.
WHAT'S UP?
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS THIS?
THAT'S A WHOLE DAY'S RUN.
-HOW MUCH IS THIS?
-4.05.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
YOU NEED AT LEAST
FOUR TIMES THIS.
-YEAH.
-THAT DOESN'T PAY BILLS.
WE'RE BASICALLY RUNNING
FOR NO REASON AT THIS POINT.
WELL, HUNTER, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE IN CHARGE NOW.
BUT THIS ISN'T WORKING.
*
-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT. SEE YA.
Narrator: AT 4 OUNCES
PER PLANT, PER DAY,
THE HOFFMANS WOULD HAVE
A 1,200-OUNCE SEASON,
LITTLE MORE THAN LAST YEAR'S
DISASTROUS TOTAL.
HEY, WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN
MONSTER RED.
*
HEY, BRIAN, KILL IT.
*
[ CLANKING ]
*
OVER AT DOUBLE TROUBLE,
TODD IS RUNNING DIRT
FROM THE SAME CUT.
MY DAD'S
GONNA BE PISSED.
*
Hey, Dad?
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
WE GOT TO SHUT
THE PLANT DOWN.
You're kidding me.
WE JUST HAD A 4-OUNCE
CLEANUP, OKAY?
AND THAT WAS FROM THOUSANDS
OF YARDS RUNNING.
I'M NOT GONNA SHUT DOWN.
Let's just push
through it.
It could just be
a bad layer.
WE AIN'T GONNA GET ANY GOLD
IF WE AIN'T RUNNING.
*
*
GET YOUR HAND OFF THAT.
WE'RE BURNING FUEL.
WE'RE LOSING TIME.
WE'RE WASTING DAYS
GETTING NO GOLD.
GET YOUR FRICKIN' HAND
off that lever.
*
[ MACHINE POWERS DOWN ]
*
*
YOU BETTER HAVE
A DAMN GOOD REASON
WHY YOU SHUT
THAT PLANT OFF.
I DID YOU A FAVOR 'CAUSE
WHATEVER WE'RE RUNNING
RIGHT NOW, IT HAS
NO GOLD IN IT, OKAY?
YOU HAVE BAD DAYS.
YOU GOT TO RUN THROUGH 'EM
-NO.
-TO GET TO THE GOOD DAYS.
BUT I JUST GOT 4 OUNCES.
THAT'S NOTHING.
THAT DOESN'T COUNT
TOWARDS OUR 5,000
AT ALL.
IT DOESN'T MAKE
A DENT IN IT, OKAY?
WE'VE BEEN
RUNNING [BLEEP]
THIS IS OVERBURDEN.
Narrator:
UNLIKE MOST OF THE GROUND
THE HOFFMANS HAVE MINED,
SACRAMENTO IS AN ANCIENT
GLACIAL DEPOSIT.
MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
A RECEDING GLACIER LAID DOWN
A LAYER OF GOLD-RICH
DIRT AND ROCKS.
OVER THE NEXT HUNDRED
THOUSAND YEARS,
A LAYER OF WORTHLESS
DIRT FORMED ON TOP,
UNTIL THE NEXT GLACIER CAME DOWN
AND LEFT A NEW PAY LAYER,
WHICH, IN TURN, GOT BURIED.
SO WHAT DO YOU
WANT TO DO?
WE HAVE TO STRIP.
WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN
FOR 2 DAYS,
STRIP THAT CRAP OFF,
AND GET DOWN TO THE PAY.
TWO DAYS?!
WITH ALL THE TRUCKS
WE HAVE,
WE CAN PEEL THAT OFF
IN 2 DAYS.
THAT'S CRAZY, MAN.
IT'S GONNA TAKE
MONEY AND TIME.
ALL RIGHT.
I'LL GIVE YA 2 DAYS,
BUT I'M TELLING YA
IT'S ON YOUR HEAD.
GET ON IT NOW.
GO.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU'VE GOT THE BALLS
TO COME SHUT MY PLANT OFF,
YOU BETTER HAVE THE BALLS
TO FOLLOW THROUGH
ON THIS STRIPPING.
LET'S HOPE AND PRAY
HE'S RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA
WORK ALL DAY FOR 4 OUNCES.
HE'S WRONG.
THE BIGGEST THING I CAN DO
IS JUST LEARN
FROM ALL THE MISTAKES
MY DAD MADE IN THE PAST
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
THE RIGHT DECISION.
WE HAVE TO STRIP.
WE HAVE TO SHUT DOWN
FOR 2 DAYS, BUT, WHATEVER.
*
BETWEEN SLUICIFER AND BIG RED,
WE'VE GOT TWO VERY
HUNGRY MOUTHS TO FEED,
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN
MAKE THAT WORK
WITH THE PEOPLE
AND THE EQUIPMENT WE'VE GOT.
*
Narrator:
2,000 MILES NORTH,
PARKER SCHNABEL'S
PUSHING AHEAD OF TODD
WITH TWO WASH PLANTS WORKING
HARD TOWARDS HIS 5,000-OUNCE,
$6 MILLION, GOAL.
CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY,
SO, WE DO OUR DAMNEDEST
TO BE RUNNING 24/7
ALL THE TIME.
RUNNING THE PLANT NONSTOP
HAS CREATED A FLOOD
THAT MITCH IS TRYING TO FIX.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST
TRYING TO CLEAR THE CULVERT
THAT DRAINS OUR SETTLING POND.
ALL NIGHT, WE WERE PUMPING
THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER
INTO OUR SETTLING POND,
AND NONE OF IT WAS GOING OUT.
NOW, IT'S CAUSED SOME
FLOODING IN THE CUT.
Narrator: TO WASH THE GOLD,
SLUICIFER PUMPS
NEARLY 200,000 GALLONS OF WATER
AN HOUR INTO THE SETTLING POND,
BUT THE WATER
IS NOT DRAINING PROPERLY.
INSTEAD, IT'S SEEPING BACK
THROUGH THE BERM INTO THE CUT.
IT'S COLLECTING
IN THE LOWEST PART OF THE CUT,
BUT IF IT GETS INTO
THE DRY PAY DIRT,
IT COULD WASH THE GOLD DOWN
DEEP IN THE FRACTURED BEDROCK,
WHERE THEY MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO RECOVER IT.
Blaschke: IF WE DON'T GET
THIS WATER TO DRAIN,
THEN WE'RE GONNA BE
DIGGING IN A POND
INSTEAD OF DIGGING
IN NICE, DRY PAY DIRT.
Narrator:
THE PUMP THAT USUALLY DRAINS
THE CUT CAN'T KEEP UP.
IT'S REALLY NOT LOOKING
GOOD IN THE CUT.
THE WATER'S COMING UP
WAY TOO FAST.
AND IF IT REACHES THE PAY,
THEN WE'RE [BLEEP]
WE NEED A MORE LONG-TERM,
GOOD SOLUTION TO THAT.
MAYBE HAVE THEM
HAVE IT DRAIN OVERNIGHT.
MAYBE AT THE END OF THE DAY
TODAY, JUST CRANK THAT PUMP UP
AND LEAVE HER
RUNNING WIDE-OPEN.
ALL RIGHT. COOL.
WELL, THIS THING'S CAPABLE
OF DOING 4,200 GALLONS A MINUTE,
SO I THINK IT'S TIME WE CRANK
HER UP AND GET THIS CUT DRY.
SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO BY MORNING.
Narrator:
NEXT MORNING, THE FLOODWATER
IS BEGINNING TO COVER THE PAY,
AND THE DEWATERING PUMP
IS SPEWING SMOKE.
[ CLANK ]
[BLEEP] [BLEEP]
STAND BACK!
REST IN PEACE, LITTLE PUMP.
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD
TO SEE WHAT'S WRONG.
THIS ONE, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR.
IT BLEW UP PRETTY HARD.
YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, I CAN
PUT MY HAND INSIDE THE MOTOR.
AND HERE'S WHAT'S LEFT
OF OUR PISTON THAT EXPLODED.
HANG ON. THERE'S THE REST
OF THE CONNECTING ROD.
IT'S PRETTY BAD WHEN YOU
CAN DISASSEMBLE AN ENGINE,
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO
REMOVE ANY OF THE PARTS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE,
DEFINITELY THE WORST CONDITION
I'VE EVER SEEN
ANY OF OUR EQUIPMENT.
THERE'S NO COMING BACK
FROM THIS ONE.
THIS MOTOR IS JUNK.
THIS PUMP'S MOVED
A LOT OF WATER FOR US,
BUT WE'VE GOT A BUNCH
OF SCRAP METAL NOW.
Narrator: TILL IT BROKE,
THE PUMP WAS DRAINING
A CRUCIAL 4,200 GALLONS
OF WATER A MINUTE,
EQUIVALENT TO OVER
33,000 WATER BOTTLES.
Schnabel: WHAT THE [BLEEP]
DID IT JUST DIE?
Blaschke: SHE SMOKED.
YOU HEARD THE TERM
OF AN ENGINE GRENADING?
IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY
DUMPED A WHOLE CASE
OF GRENADES IN THERE,
NOT JUST ONE.
HOLY [BLEEP]
UNFORTUNATELY,
WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPARES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE
SOMETHING OUT REAL QUICK.
THIS WATER LEVEL IS ALREADY
RISING QUITE A BIT.
OH, GOOD [BLEEP]
YEAH, IT'S JUST
CONTAMINATED ALREADY.
-OH, [BLEEP] YEAH.
-SEE, IT'S A [BLEEP] DISASTER.
-WHAT'S THE PLAN, THEN?
-NOT SLUICE.
*
LIKE, WE AREN'T DREDGING HERE,
SO AS MUCH AS I HATE IT,
WE HAVE TO SHUT
THE PLANT DOWN.
Narrator: IT'LL COST PARKER
$2,500 AN HOUR,
BUT SLUICIFER'S TORRENT OF WATER
IS THREATENING
TO FLOOD HIS PAY DIRT.
WE'RE IN PRETTY
ROUGH SHAPE RIGHT NOW.
*
*
*
6 TRUCKS, TWO 700s.
WE SHOULD GET THIS
DONE PRETTY FAST.
LET'S KICK SOME ASS
AND MOVE SOME DIRT.
Narrator: IN COLORADO, AFTER
A DISASTROUS FOUR-OUNCE DAY,
HUNTER HAS SHUT
THE HOFFMANS DOWN.
YOU KNOW, FOUR OUNCES A DAY,
THAT'S BULL[BLEEP]
THAT'S NOT WORTH IT.
HUNTER'S DECIDED TO CLOSE
BOTH PLANTS DOWN, JUST STRIP.
HE WANTS TO GET GOLD,
AND HE WANTS TO PROVE HIMSELF.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, AS A DAD,
BUT IT'S SCARY FOR ME.
ONCE YOU'VE CLOSED
THE PLANT DOWN,
YOU AIN'T MAKING ANY MONEY.
Hunter:
YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR
BEING IN CHARGE.
DAD IS COUNTING ON ME
TO GET THIS JOB DONE,
GET THIS DIRT MOVED.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IN HERE
AND GET IT DONE.
Narrator:
HUNTER HAS VOWED TO REMOVE
THIS WORTHLESS LAYER OF DIRT
AND HIT ANOTHER GOLD-RICH
PAY STREAK IN JUST TWO DAYS.
Spinks: YOU KNOW, TODD'S GOT
PRETTY HIGH EXPECTATIONS,
LIKE ANY FATHER WOULD
OVER HIS SON.
WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE,
WE NEED TO GET IT DONE QUICK,
AND GET BACK TO SLUICING.
BEST WAY TO DO IT IS
COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM,
PUT ALL RESOURCES TOGETHER,
AND GET RID OF THIS MATERIAL.
[ HORN HONKS TWICE ]
Narrator: HUNTER'S COMMANDEERED
THE ENTIRE CREW,
INCLUDING
ALL THE GREENHORN MINERS
TODD'S TAKEN ON THIS SEASON.
GOT A LOT OF NEW GUYS HERE.
I THINK I'M THE ONLY PERSON
ROCK TRUCKING
THAT HAS ACTUALLY
DONE THIS BEFORE.
IT'S PRETTY CRAZY
DRIVING A 40-TON TRUCK.
SUPER NERVOUS ABOUT THIS,
JUST GETTING USED TO BACKING UP.
LORD.
SPINKS:
Pull forward some more.
Pull forward.
I CAN'T REACH THE FRONT
OF THE TRUCK.
Roger.
YOU KNOW, I GET THAT
THESE GUYS ARE NEW,
I GET THAT
IT'S THEIR FIRST YEAR,
BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED
TO PICK UP THE PACE
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
COSTING US MONEY RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: THE GREENHORNS AREN'T
UNDERSTANDING BASIC SIGNALS.
[ HORN HONKS TWICE ]
[ HORN HONKS TWICE ]
HOLY [BLEEP]
When I give it a double tap,
you're good to dump.
YOU GUYS NEED TO GET
WITH THE PROGRAM HERE.
LET'S GO. LET'S GO.
LET'S GO.
IT'S SERIOUSLY BEEN
AN AMATEUR HOUR.
*
*
WHAT THE FRICK?
You are not loaded.
Good Lord.
THAT WAS A FREAKING
FOUR-WHEELERS SIDE-BY-SIDE HORN.
I CAN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOU SAID.
YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO START
PAYING ATTENTION
TO WHAT HORNS
ARE HONKING.
LOST MY CONCENTRATION THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY
IT'S SO DIFFICULT.
My fault.
I'll try to work on that.
Narrator:
A CREW OF SIX ROCK-TRUCK DRIVERS
SHOULD MOVE 15,000 YARDS OF DIRT
A DAY.
HUNTER'S CREW OF ROOKIES
HAS ONLY MOVED HALF THAT.
Hunter: HOPEFULLY,
WE ALL LEARN FROM TODAY,
AND HOPEFULLY TOMORROW
WE GET A LOT MORE WORK DONE.
*
Pierce: YESTERDAY
WAS A PRETTY LONG DAY,
AND TODAY IS GONNA BE
ABOUT THE SAME,
BUT YOU GOT TO DO
WHAT YOU GOT TO DO SOMETIMES.
WHAT THE [BLEEP]
[BLEEP] DAMN IT.
JUAN IBARRA,
DO YOU COPY, JUAN?
I JUST LOST A HYDRAULIC HOSE.
THIS THING IS [BLEEP]
LITERALLY THE LAST THING
WE NEED.
Narrator: ANDY BATTLES ON
IN THE REMAINING 700 EXCAVATOR,
BUT THEY CAN ONLY
SHIFT HALF THE DIRT.
Spinks:
EVERY TIME WE GOT TO HAVE
THESE LITTLE SET BACKS,
IT JUST TAKES EVERYTHING
THAT MUCH MORE TIME.
EVERY MINUTE COUNTS.
EVERY LOAD COUNTS.
IT ALL ADDS UP
AT THE END OF THE SEASON.
-HEY, HOW ARE WE DOING?
-NOT GOOD.
-WHAT HAPPENED?
-LOST A HOSE ON THAT 700.
Todd: HOW BAD?
[ SIGHS ] I CAN'T EVEN FIND
WHERE IT GOES,
SO IT'S GONNA BE
ANOTHER LONG NIGHT.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE
KIDDING ME.
Hey, Hunter.
COPY.
We need to talk -- now.
YEAH.
Spinks: YOU KNOW, THE DYNAMICS
OF FATHER/SONS ARE ALWAYS TOUGH.
I'M SURE TODD'S
NOT GONNA BE HAPPY.
HE'S COSTING HIM
A LOT OF MONEY
WHEN THINGS ARE SHUT DOWN
EVERY DAY,
AS WELL AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
THIS IS KIND OF PUTTING
A DAMPER IN OUR PRODUCTION,
AND I'M NOT VERY HAPPY
ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE A LONG WAY
THROUGH THE SEASON
TO NOT HAVE
EQUIPMENT RUNNING.
*
DUDE,
YOU SAID TWO DAYS.
WHY ARE WE NOT STARTING?
'CAUSE, WE HAD BREAKDOWNS,
AND WE DIDN'T GET IT DONE, OKAY?
WE'RE NOT DONE. WE'RE NOT DOWN
TO THE PAY LAYER YET.
DUDE, YOU SAID TWO DAYS.
-WOULD YOU --
-WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?
WE LOSE A FEW DAYS RUNNING,
OKAY,
OR WE RUN DIRT THAT HAS
NO GOLD IN IT, OKAY?
UGH, DUDE,
REALLY, COME ON.
YOU'RE KILLING ME.
BOTTOM LINE -- WE HAVE TO
GET THIS CRAP OFF,
OTHERWISE IT'S
A WASTE OF OUR TIME.
ALL RIGHT.
TOMORROW, BINGO.
YOU BETTER STRIP THE HELL
OUT OF THAT PLACE.
-OKAY.
-OKAY?
*
YOU KNOW, I KNOW MY DAD'S
PISSED OFF, BUT, YOU KNOW,
IF MY DAD WOULD HAVE HIRED
MORE EXPERIENCED GUYS,
WE'D PROBABLY BE DONE BY NOW.
Todd: YOU KNOW, HUNTER,
HE NEEDS TO PROVE HIMSELF.
CAN'T AFFORD ANY SCREW-UPS.
I HAVE EVERYTHING TIMED OUT.
I FEEL LIKE I'M ON
A SCHEDULE FOR 5,000,
AND EVERY TIME
THAT WE HAVE A DELAY,
IT JUST FEELS LIKE THAT DREAM
IS JUST SLIPPING AWAY
FARTHER AND FARTHER.
*
Narrator: AT HIS SECOND DREDGE
IN THISTLE CREEK,
TONY BEETS IS IN FULL
TEARDOWN MODE WITH HIS FOREMAN,
SHEAMUS CHRISTIE.
Christie:
TONY, COME LOOK AT THIS.
PONTOON'S REALLY BULGED.
THE HULL OF THE 500-TON DREDGE
IS MADE OF MASSIVE
STEEL PONTOONS.
TOTALLY DEFORMED,
TWISTED, WARPED.
NOT ONLY ROUND,
THEY'RE SPLITTING, CRACKED.
TAKE THESE APART, THEY'LL
NEVER GO BACK TOGETHER.
ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO,
TONY?
WE CAN'T FLOAT A DREDGE
WITHOUT PONTOONS.
THAT'S THAT ONE THAT WAS
IN PIECES, THOUGH.
SO THESE PONTOONS ARE
SITTING OUT IN THE OPEN, TONY.
WHAT'S TO SAY THEY DIDN'T
FILL UP WITH WATER
AND HAVE DONE
THE SAME THING?
*
[ HORN HONKS ]
Narrator:
TONY BEETS IS LEADING A CONVOY
ALONG 30 MILES OF DIRT ROAD,
Monica: DEEP INTO THE SOUTHERN
KLONDIKE.
IT'S A LITTLE SQUISHY
HERE, GUYS.
GEEZ, THIS ROAD'S ROUGH.
WHOA.
TODAY'S GONNA BE A BIG DAY.
Narrator:
TONY'S SECOND DREDGE HAS A TWIN
THAT MINED THIS GROUND
AT HENDERSON CREEK
OVER 60 YEARS AGO.
WHEN THE GOLD PRICE DROPPED,
IT WAS ABANDONED,
AND THE PARTS HAVE BEEN
SITTING HERE FOR DECADES.
*
[ BLEEP ]
Christie: BITS AND PIECES HERE
THAT ARE REALLY WEATHERED.
IT'S REALLY A LOT
OF DAMAGE DONE.
YEAH?
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
REALLY GOOD.
YEAH, AND THERE'S
ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE
OVER THERE I NOTICED.
I COULD SEE ALL THESE
BEING VERY USEFUL.
Narrator: IN THE BONEYARD,
TONY HAS FOUND
ALL THE PONTOONS HE NEEDS
TO FLOAT HIS SECOND DREDGE.
Monica: WHAT'S YOUR PLAN
FOR GETTING ALL THIS STUFF OUT?
YOU?
*
THESE PONTOONS ARE IN
ALMOST PRISTINE CONDITION.
THEY ALMOST LOOK BRAND-NEW.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED
TO PUT THE DREDGE TOGETHER.
Monica: HEY, LOOK, A TREE!
[BLEEP] EXTREME TRUCKING HERE.
COME AHEAD. TURN TO YOUR LEFT.
TURN TO YOUR LEFT.
Narrator:
IN JUST FOUR HOURS, MONICA HAS
ALL THE PONTOONS LOADED.
NOW THE BEETS CREW
HAS 30 MILES OF BUSH ROADS
TO GET THEM BACK TO EUREKA.
GOING BACK DOWN THAT ROAD
MIGHT BE INTERESTING
WITH SOME OF THAT STUFF.
THERE ARE SOME PRETTY TIGHT,
HAIRY CORNERS,
BUT THAT'S ALL PART OF THE FUN.
*
Blaschke:
I FOUND ANOTHER ENGINE.
Narrator: IN THE KLONDIKE,
PARKER SCHNABEL'S CREEK CUT
IS FLOODING,
AND THE ENGINE ON THE
DEWATERING PUMP HAS EXPLODED.
HE'S HAD TO SHUT DOWN SLUICIFER
AND IS LOSING $2,500 AN HOUR.
THE GOOD NEWS IS,
IT'S THE RIGHT HORSEPOWER.
THE BAD NEWS IS, IT WAS
DESIGNED FOR A GENERATOR,
NOT A WATER PUMP.
Ness:
AS LONG AS THE BELL HOUSING
LINES UP, THAT'S THE BIGGEST.
YEAH,
THAT'S THE BIGGEST DEAL.
ONE WAY TO FIND OUT.
Schnabel: YEAH,
TIME'S THE ONLY PROBLEM, RIGHT?
HOW LONG
UNTIL YOU'RE DONE HERE?
I'M NOT SURE.
THIS COULD BE A FOUR-HOUR JOB,
OR IT COULD BE A FOUR-DAY THING.
I WOULD SAY SIX
IS WHAT I'M SHOOTING FOR,
ASSUMING WE'VE GOT
ALL THE PARTS.
Narrator: WITHOUT THE PUMP,
THE CUT IS FLOODING,
SINKING GOLD DEEP
INTO FRACTURES IN THE BEDROCK.
Blaschke:
MY PLAN IS TO TRY TO SEE
IF THE BELL HOUSING
AND EVERYTHING
MATCHES UP FOR THE PUMP.
HOPEFULLY, IT'S NOT
TOO BIG OF A DEAL,
BUT UNTIL WE GET
THIS ENGINE OFF HERE
AND GO TO LINE UP THE NEW ONE,
WE WON'T REALLY KNOW.
WE GOT SOME WORK TO DO.
Narrator: MITCH'S PLAN --
REMOVE THE DESTROYED ENGINE
FROM THE PUMP.
HE'LL THEN OFFER UP
THE NEW ENGINE.
ONLY IF THE BELL HOUSING AND
DRIVE MECHANISM FIT PERFECTLY
WILL THE NEW ENGINE BE ABLE
TO POWER THE PUMP.
Blaschke:
BRING HER IN NICE AND EASY.
WE'LL JUST GET HER CLOSE,
SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT.
Man: I'LL JUST SWING IT
THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT.
Ness: PLEASE BE CLOSE.
WINCH DOWN!
Schnabel:
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.
[BLEEP] [BLEEP]
IS THAT
UP AGAINST THAT BRACKET?
Man: YEP.
THAT WON'T LIVE LIKE THAT.
Narrator:
THE COUPLINGS WON'T ALIGN.
THE OLD MOUNTING BRACKETS
ARE BLOCKING THE NEW ENGINE.
SO WHAT WE SHOULD DO,
CUT ALL THIS [BLEEP] CLEAN
AND SEE IF WE'RE REMOTELY
CLOSE ON THE BELL HOUSING.
HOW MUCH LONGER
WILL THAT TAKE?
I MEAN, IT'S DEFINITELY
A LOT MORE WORK.
YOU KNOW, OUT HERE,
WE DON'T HAVE
EVERYTHING WE NEED
ALL THE TIME,
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO
MAKE SOMETHING WORK.
LET'S GET TO CUTTING.
WORSE EVERY TIME
SOMEBODY ASKS ME THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE WAY
WE OPERATE IS THAT,
ONCE WE START SLUICING,
WE DON'T STOP, RIGHT?
BECAUSE THAT'S THE WHOLE KEY
TO OUR SEASON.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A DAY
OR A NIGHT OR A WEEKEND
OR A HOLIDAY
OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THAT PLANT NOT RUNNING
IS A MAJOR ISSUE.
A FEW BREAKDOWNS,
AND IT'S JUST AMAZING
HOW EASY IT IS
TO FALL BEHIND.
BUT I CAN'T LET IT GET ME DOWN.
I'M JUST BALING UP HAY HERE
DOWN AT SLUICIFER CUT
'CAUSE THE WATER
HAS BACKED UP SO FAST.
Narrator: MITCH HAS REMOVED
THE OLD MOUNTS.
TIME FOR ANOTHER SHOT
AT MARRYING THE ENGINE
WITH THE PUMP.
LET'S WINCH DOWN!
*
HOLD!
THERE IT IS.
-THERE WE GO.
-THAT'LL WORK.
-YES. SCORE.
Blaschke: EVERYTHING'S LOOKING
REALLY GOOD HERE.
WE'RE GONNA BOLT IT UP,
HOOK EVERYTHING ELSE UP.
WE KNOW WE CAN MAKE
IT WORK FROM HERE.
Narrator: AFTER LOSING 10 HOURS
AND UP TO $25,000 IN LOST GOLD,
MITCH AND RICK FINALLY MOVE THE
FRANKENSTEINED PUMP INTO PLACE.
Blaschke: HOPEFULLY WHEN WE FIRE
THIS PUMP UP,
IT DOESN'T BLOW A HOLE IN
THE SIDE OF IT LIKE OUR OLD ONE.
WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT HERE
PRETTY QUICK.
[ PUMP TURNS ON ]
*
WHOO!
[BLEEP] YEAH.
*
Schnabel:
WE'VE BEEN DOWN MOST OF THE DAY,
BUT THANKS TO MITCH,
WE'RE ABLE TO FIRE
BACK UP RIGHT NOW.
GIVE ME SOME DIRT!
*
WELL, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET
SOME GOLD THIS WEEK.
*
[ HORN HONKING ]
*
ALL RIGHT. ROGER THAT.
Narrator: TONY AND MONICA BEETS
PILOT A CONVOY OF TRUCKS
LADEN WITH MASSIVE PONTOONS
TO REBUILD HIS SECOND DREDGE.
*
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO FOR IT.
Narrator:
SHEAMUS IS THE FIRST TO ATTEMPT
THE 25-DEGREE INCLINE.
HERE WE GO.
Narrator:
AT THE FINAL SWITCHBACK,
TONY WAITS TO WATCH
HIS PRECIOUS CARGO GO PAST.
THE HILL IS NO MATCH FOR THE TWO
8-WHEEL-DRIVE OSHKOSHES,
ORIGINALLY DESIGNED
TO TOW 60-TON TANKS.
MIKE SCRIBA IS BRINGING UP
THE REAR WITH A NORMAL TRUCK,
HAULING A TRAILER LADEN DOWN
WITH PONTOONS AND SPARE PARTS.
*
MONICA: Yeah?
*
Narrator: TONY'S VITAL
DREDGE PONTOONS AND PARTS
WILL BE STRANDED
ON THE MOUNTAIN
UNLESS MONICA'S TUNDRA
CAN HELP MOVE
THE 40-TON TRUCK AND TRAILER.
WHAT, NOT ENOUGH POWER
IN THIS THING?
Scriba: JUST NEED
TO PULL ME UP THE HILL,
AND DON'T TWIST OFF
THE DRIVE SHAFT.
SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM
WITH THIS THING.
OKAY.
*
YOU'RE PRETTY HEAVY, HEY.
*
OH, MY [BLEEP]
THE TRUCK DRIVER EXTREME.
Narrator: WITH MONICA'S HELP,
THE CONVOY IS BACK ON THE ROAD.
THE PONTOONS ARRIVE
AT EUREKA CREEK.
TONY IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO HIS
DREAM OF RUNNING TWO DREDGES.
*
WE HAVE A LOT OF TRUCKS
GOING REALLY FAST RIGHT NOW,
SO HOPEFULLY
WE CAN GET IT DONE.
Narrator: IN COLORADO,
HUNTER HOFFMAN PROMISED HIS DAD
HE'D GET DOWN TO A NEW LAYER
OF GOLD-RICH PAY
IN JUST TWO DAYS,
BUT HE'S FAILED.
Todd: HUNTER NEEDS MY HELP.
WE'RE FAMILY. IT'S WHAT WE DO.
Hey, Hunter, I want
to smash this out.
Hunter: NONE OF US KNOW
HOW FAR DOWN WE HAVE TO GO,
BUT, YOU KNOW, EITHER WAY,
WE NEED TO MOVE DIRT.
WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE TO STRIP
THAN WHERE WE THOUGHT
WE'D BE TODAY.
OLD HUNTER, HE'S A GOOD KID.
HE SHOOTS HIGH JUST LIKE ME.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
HE'S GOT A LOT TO LEARN.
YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY
THAT WE'RE NOT RUNNING DIRT,
WE'RE JUST --
WE'RE LOSING GOLD.
You need to learn
from this, Hunter.
You need to learn from it.
YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY
MY DAD'S HERE NOW,
AND HOPEFULLY HE CAN HELP US
GET THIS DONE FASTER, SO...
BUT HE IS FRUSTRATING
TO WORK WITH.
Narrator: JUAN HAS FIXED
THE 700 EXCAVATOR,
SO THE HOFFMAN CREW
HAS ALL GUNS BLAZING.
ALL EFFORTS ARE ON SACRAMENTO.
WE'VE GOT TO GET
THIS PLACE DIALED IN.
AT FIRST, WE HAD SOME ISSUES,
BUT EVERYTHING
SEEMS TO BE RUNNING
PRETTY SMOOTHLY RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, THIS CREW KNOWS
HOW TO MOVE DIRT.
WE'RE HAULING ASS.
Narrator:
THEY'RE FINALLY SHIFTING
1,500 YARDS OF DIRT AN HOUR.
*
*
TODD TO HUNTER.
TODD TO HUNTER.
HUNTER: Yeah?
COME DOWN TO THE PIT, BECAUSE I
THINK WE'RE THERE, PRETTY MUCH.
I'M STARTING TO HIT A LAYER
OF BIGGER ROCKS.
Okay.
LOOK AT THIS.
I'M STARTING TO GET THAT COBBLE,
THE BIGGER STUFF.
I THINK WE'RE HERE, MAN.
I THINK WE'RE RIGHT IN IT.
GO PAN IT.
LET'S GO.
WE'RE GETTING BEHIND
EVERY MINUTE.
I CAN FEEL IT LIKE A WEIGHT,
LIKE A BIG, HEAVY THING
ON MY SHOULDERS.
I MEAN, WE GOT TO RUN.
*
*
*
Todd: ONE, TWO, THREE
DECENT-SIZED PIECES,
A COUPLE LITTLE TINY ONES.
I LIKE IT.
THAT'S A GOOD PAN.
THAT DIRT HAS GOLD IN IT,
SO I THINK WE'RE AT
THE RIGHT LAYER, FINALLY,
SO I THINK WE RUN IT.
ALL RIGHT.
I GOT TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
YOU WERE RIGHT.
GOOD JOB, GOOD CALL.
CALL THE GUYS IN.
LET'S START LOADING UP
TRUCKS, OKAY?
-OKAY.
-DO IT.
WE STRIPPED OFF
THAT OVERBURDEN,
AND NOW WE'RE ABOUT READY TO GET
BACK INTO THE GOLD, FINALLY.
WE'RE BEHIND, AND NOW
WE GOT TO CATCH UP.
Narrator: UP AHEAD...
Doumitt:
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE
THAT PUTS US WITH THE HOFFMANS?
OH, THERE'S NO WAY
THEY'RE AHEAD OF US.
I TOLD YOU ALREADY.
TURN THAT [BLEEP] THING OFF.
Narrator: AT SCRIBNER CREEK,
PARKER'S IN A BAD MOOD AGAIN.
THIS TIME, IT'S MEDICAL.
PARKER HAS GOT A BAD TOOTH
RIGHT NOW AND HE'S MISERABLE
AND I CANNOT WAIT
FOR HIM TO GET BETTER,
'CAUSE HE'S NOT FUN
TO BE AROUND RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
[ LAUGHS ]
*
*
Narrator:
IN THE KLONDIKE, IT'S TIME
FOR PARKER'S GOLD WEIGH.
HEY, YOUNGSTER.
GOLDIE, HOW'S THAT?
Schnabel: WHOSE IS THAT?
THAT'S SLUICIFER.
Ness: GOT SOME GOLD.
-QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH?
-MM-HMM.
WELL, SHALL WE WEIGH IT UP?
Doumitt: YEAH, THROW IT ON.
IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU.
Narrator: TO STAY ON TRACK
FOR A 5,000-OUNCE SEASON,
PARKER NEEDS AT LEAST 100 OUNCES
FROM BIG RED AND SLUICIFER.
Schnabel: 50.
70.
AH, 106.1.
[BLEEP] ME.
Narrator: MITCH'S BUSH FIX
HELPED SLUICIFER MINE
OVER $125,000
WORTH OF GOLD.
-WELL DONE, MITCH.
-NO PROBLEM.
I'M GLAD
IT ALL CAME TOGETHER.
-CHEERS TO THAT.
-CHEERS TO THAT.
AH, IT COST US 10 HOURS,
SO PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW,
15, 20 OUNCES OF GOLD.
BUT WE'LL GET IT NEXT TIME.
-YEAH.
-YEAH, GO FOR IT, RICK.
-OH, ALL RIGHT.
Narrator: NEXT, IT'S RICK
WITH BIG RED'S GOLD.
Ness: FEELS GOOD, BUT HOPEFULLY
IT'S BETTER THAN THAT LAST WEEK.
WE GOT 10...
20, 30...
40, 50...
70, 80...
90...
...90.5.
YIKES.
Doumitt:
THE NUMBER IS GOING UP.
WHAT'S THAT, 12 OUNCES
BETTER THAN LAST WEEK?
IT'S NOT A HUGE JUMP, BUT --
Schnabel: DEFINITELY HEADED
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
-YEAH, KEEP IT UP.
IF YOUR NUMBERS ARE GOING UP,
THEY GO UP NEXT WEEK.
IT'S NOT BAD AT ALL.
-ALL RIGHT.
SO PARKER, FOR OUR SEASON TOTAL,
IT'S 987.7.
Narrator:
987.7 OUNCES MAKES THEM
THE FIRST CREW THIS SEASON
TO SMASH
THE MILLION-DOLLAR MARK.
ALL RIGHT, WELL,
THAT'S A LOT OF [BLEEP] GOLD
IN NOT A LOT OF TIME.
-YES.
IT WAS NOT THE BEST OF WEEKS,
BUT WE'RE PUTTING GOLD IN JARS,
SO THAT'S GOOD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE
THAT PUTS US WITH THE HOFFMANS?
OH, THERE'S NO WAY
THEY'RE AHEAD OF US.
THERE'S NO [BLEEP] WAY
IN HELL.
*
*
-HOW'S IT LOOKING?
-WELL --
HEY, IT'S BETTER
THAN FOUR OUNCES.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT.
GO AHEAD.
WEIGH IT UP, DAD.
-OKAY.
Narrator: AFTER A DISASTROUS
FOUR-OUNCE DAY,
HUNTER INSISTED ON STRIPPING
OVERBURDEN TO GET DOWN TO PAY,
WHICH MEANS THEY'VE RUN THE
PLANTS FOR LESS THAN TWO DAYS.
ANYTHING MORE THAN 16 OUNCES
MEANS HUNTER WAS RIGHT.
HERE WE GO -- 49.75.
NEARLY 50 OUNCES OF GOLD,
WORTH ALMOST $60,000.
GOOD CALL, HUNTER.
THAT'S A GOOD CLEANUP.
THANKS. I'M GLAD IT,
YOU KNOW, PAID OUT.
I KNOW YOU GUYS WERE KIND OF
AT EACH OTHER,
BUT YOU GUYS
WORKED IT OUT.
KEEP DOING THAT.
THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
NOT ALL YOUR MOVES ARE GREAT,
BUT THAT ONE SEEMS TO PAN OUT,
SO THERE YOU GO.
I'LL GIVE THAT ONE TO YOU.
YOU DID GOOD, YOU DID GOOD.
LET'S GET SOME MORE GOLD.
Hunter: YOU KNOW,
I'VE BEEN PUT IN POSITION
WHERE I HAVE TO MAKE SOME
DECISIONS, SO IT'S EXCITING.
YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU WORK
REALLY HARD,
IT'S NICE TO SEE
A PAYOUT LIKE THAT.
IT'S A NICE WIN.
HUNTER'S GOT GREAT INSTINCTS,
MAYBE A LOT BETTER THAN ME.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE FALLING BEHIND,
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
FAILURE ISN'T AN OPTION.
WE'RE BACK ON THE GOLD
THERE AT SACRAMENTO.
SOON AS WE GET FAIRPLAY
IN THE GAME, WE'RE GONNA WIN.
GET OUT OF MY WAY.
GET OUT OF MY WAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF DEAD DREAMS.
Narrator:
ON THE NEXT "GOLD RUSH"...
Todd: WE HAVEN'T WON THE WAR,
BUT WE WON A BATTLE.
Man: HOLY MOLY.
Man #2: ALL I WANT TO DO
IS MINE THIS PROPERTY.
IT'S MY LIFE SAVINGS
SITTING THERE.
Tony:
I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO
AND A HALF MONTHS NOT RUNNING.
THAT'S 2 MILLION BUCKS, RIGHT?
DOES THAT IMPROVE A GUY'S MOOD?
I DON'T THINK SO.
WELL, YOU GOT QUITE THE OLD
MARIANA TRENCH GOING, HUH?
-[BLEEP] SHUT IT DOWN!
-WE CAN'T KEEP SHUTTING DOWN.
IT AIN'T WORKING OUT.
Ness: HE'S A LITTLE [BLEEP]
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE [BLEEP]
HIS PROBLEM IS.