Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Return to the Yukon - full transcript
Dave tests out some ground along Donahue Creek in the Yukon to see if it is worth mining.
I WANT TO GET TO THAT GOLD,
BUT IT'S GOLD FEVER,
AND I GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
♪♪
Narrator:
VETERAN MINER DAVE TURIN
IS AN EXPERT GOLD HUNTER.
Clark:
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
AND AFTER TWO YEARS
OUT OF THE GAME,
HE'S COME UP WITH A WAY
TO GET BACK IN.
THIS COULD BE MY FUTURE
IN MINING RIGHT HERE.
Narrator:
DAVE WILL TRAVEL THE COUNTRY,
FROM NORTH TO SOUTH,
SEARCHING FOR THE MILLIONS
HE BELIEVES ARE HIDDEN
IN AMERICA'S LOST MINES...
THE GOLD'S RIGHT THERE.
Narrator:
...HUNTING FOR PAY DIRT
MINING OPERATIONS LEFT
WHEN THE COUNTRY WENT TO WAR
AND THE GOLD EARLY PROSPECTORS
COULDN'T REACH.
Dave: THESE OLDTIMERS WERE GOOD,
BUT THEY DIDN'T GET IT ALL.
Narrator:
NOW HE'S ON A MISSION
TO TRACK DOWN THE GOLD
AND START HIS OWN OPERATION...
[ CHEERING ]
...IN THE HOPE
HE STRIKES IT BIG.
I'M NOT WALKING AWAY FROM IT.
HE'S OUT OF
HIS [BLEEP] DAMN MIND.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
CAN I DO THE CLAP?
Man: YEAH, LET'S DO
THE CLAP. HANG ON.
PLEASE JUST TELL ME WHEN.
ALRIGHT,
DO THE CLAP.
ARE WE ROLLING?
JUST CLAP, YEP.
SEE, I WAS JUST IN A GOOD MOOD,
AND THEN YOU GOT TO
BRING THAT UP.
♪♪
DAVE,
GET THE [BLEEP]
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
TREY, TREY!STOP, STOP.
AFTER EIGHT YEARS
OF WORKING FOR THE MAN,
I HAD ENOUGH.
I SNAPPED.
COME ON, DAVE,
LET'S FINISH THIS.
NO, NO,
NO, NO, NO.
LOOK AT HIM
[BLEEP] TAUNTING ME.
NO,
HE'S NOT!
IN THE BEGINNING, WE WERE
A CLOSE-KNIT, TIGHT TEAM.
TOWARDS THE END,
TODD STARTED TAKING
MORE OF THE REINS AWAY FROM ME,
AND HE STARTED TAKING CONTROL.
I GOT VERY FRUSTRATED.
I'LL JUST PACK MY [BLEEP] UP
AND GO.
I'M DONE.
I'M NOT PROUD OF THE FACT
THAT IT LITERALLY TOOK
A PUNCH IN THE FACE
TO GET ME OFF OF THAT CREW,
BUT NOW I'VE GOT UNFINISHED
BUSINESS WITH GOLD MINING.
♪♪
WELL,
THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN.
WE STARTED THIS BUSINESS
36 YEARS AGO.
IT'S WHERE I LEARNED
HOW TO MINE.
IT'S NOT AS EXCITING.
YOU LOOK AROUND, AND YOU'VE GOT
A BIG PILE OF ROCK,
AND YOU GO "WELL,
THAT'S A NICE PILE OF ROCK".
IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE
THE SAME EXCITEMENT AS
WHEN YOU WALK UP TO A SLUICE BOX
AND YOU SEE ALL OF THAT
FULL OF GOLD.
♪♪
I GUESS I'M A RESTLESS SPIRIT.
I WANT TO GO FIND THE GOLD.
I WANT TO KEEP HAVING
ADVENTURES.
Narrator: BUT DAVE HASN'T JUST
BEEN MOVING ROCK
THESE PAST TWO YEARS.
HE'S BEEN PLOTTING HIS COMEBACK.
Dave:
SINCE I'VE BEEN HOME,
THIS CRAZY THING'S
BEEN HAPPENING.
FAMILIES ALL ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES
HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO ME
TO LOOK AT THEIR LOST
AND ABANDONED MINES.
THANKS, CHRIS.
BYE.
HERE'S THE QUESTION.
IS IT POSSIBLE IN AMERICA
TO REJUVENATE THESE LOST MINES
AND MAKE MONEY AT IT?
THE OLD TIMERS
DIDN'T HAVE BIG DOZERS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ROCK TRUCKS,
AND I BELIEVE
WE CAN RETRIEVE THE GOLD
WITH OUR MODERN EQUIPMENT,
HELP THESE FAMILIES OUT,
AND TURN IT INTO A BUSINESS.
WELL, I'VE GOT AN INVESTOR.
HE'S THE MAN WITH THE MONEY,
BUT I'M MAKING THE DECISIONS
ON MINING.
I'M CALLING THE SHOTS.
THAT'S IT,
I'M JUST CALLING THE SHOTS.
♪♪
WE'RE HEADED UP THE YUKON RIVER.
♪♪
GOING TO A PLACE
CALLED DONAHUE CREEK.
I GOT A FRIEND
NAMED ERIC STRETCH
THAT INVITED ME UP
TO DO A LITTLE PROSPECTING
ON HIS GROUND.
♪♪
Narrator:
DAVE'S DRAWN UP A SHORT LIST
OF ABANDONED CLAIMS TO PROSPECT.
HE'S GOT SIX WEEKS OF FUNDING
TO FIND PROFITABLE GROUND,
AND HE'S STARTING IN THE YUKON.
80 MILES BY BOAT
FROM DAWSON CITY
IS THE REMOTE
DONAHUE CREEK CLAIM,
ABANDONED SINCE
THE 1896 GOLD RUSH.
♪♪
THIS COULD BE MY FUTURE
IN MINING RIGHT HERE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GO FIND ERIC.
♪♪
I GOT A LOT OF MINES TO VISIT,
SO I'VE ONLY GOT TWO DAYS
TO ASSESS THIS CLAIM.
HEY, ERIC!
YOU COULDN'T HAVE PICKED
SOME BETTER WEATHER?
OH, BUDDY,
HOW ARE YA, MAN?
HOW'S IT GOING?
GOOD TO SEE YA!
SO HERE WE ARE
AT DONAHUE CREEK.
♪♪
HOW MUCH GROUND
YOU GOT UP HERE?
OH, THERE'S ABOUT
130 CLAIMS.
WELL,
THAT'S PLENTY.
ORIGINALLY, MY DAD HAD
THE CLAIM POSTS STAKED HERE,
AND THEN, HE DROWNED
IN A BOAT ACCIDENT.
OH, OKAY.
I'M SORRY, MAN.
AND I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE
WHAT TO DO,
SO I LET IT GO.
ALRIGHT.
Narrator:
IN THE 19th CENTURY,
30,000 MINERS PULLED
OVER $1 BILLION
FROM THE YUKON BY HAND,
BUT 50 YEARS AGO,
ERIC'S DAD BELIEVED
HE'D FOUND GROUND RICH ENOUGH
TO SUPPORT A MECHANICAL
MINING OPERATION.
IS THIS ALL HAND-DUG?
YEAH, AND IT'S EVEN BIGGER
DOWN THAT WAY.
HOLY COW, WE'VE GOT
AN OLD RIVERBED.
NO WONDER
THE OLD TIMERS WERE HERE.
IN THIS AREA OF DONAHUE CREEK,
A RIVER THAT ERODED GOLD
FROM ROCK FORMATIONS UPSTREAM
CARRIED THE HEAVY METAL
DOWNSTREAM.
♪♪
IT SETTLED ON
WHAT BECAME THE CREEK BED,
CONCENTRATING AROUND
BEDROCK AND BOULDERS.
♪♪
OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS,
THE RIVER RAN DRY
AND LEFT BEHIND A SEDIMENT LAYER
CALLED PLACER.
♪♪
I'M LOOKING FOR THE SIGNS
OF THE RICH GROUND
THAT ERIC'S DAD FOUND.
IT'S FREAKIN' PLACER.
I THINK THERE'S GOLD HERE.
I CAN FEEL IT.
I PULLED SOME SAMPLES
OUT OF THE CREEK BED,
BUT A LOT OF TIMES,
THAT'S JUST THE SURFACE GOLD.
♪♪
WHAT I'M KIND OF LOOKING FOR
IS SOME BIG ROCKS.
THERE SHOULD BE GOLD
AROUND THAT.
OH, THERE'S A BIG ROCK.
OH, YEAH!
COME ON, BABY!
SO FAR, SO GOOD. I'M PLEASED
WITH WHAT I'M SEEING.
SO, LET'S PAN IT IN THE MORNING.
IT'S STARTING TO GET DARK.
SOUND GOOD?
OKAY.
♪♪
IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.
SINCE GOLD RUSH,
I'VE LOST MY IDENTITY.
I LOST MY FRIENDS.
♪♪
I'VE TRIED TO REPAIR
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS,
BUT IT HASN'T BEEN EASY.
♪♪
IN THE BEGINNING,
WE WERE A TIGHT-KNIT CREW.
WE LOVED HANGING OUT TOGETHER,
BUT AS IT PROGRESSED,
TODD STARTED TAKING
MORE OF THE CONTROL
AND WE STARTED TO LOSE
THAT FAMILY ATTITUDE.
♪♪
I'VE GOT A LOT TO PROVE
TO MYSELF.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE GUY
THAT ALWAYS GETS BACK UP,
GETS BACK IN THE FIGHT,
PUTS HIS BOOTS ON,
AND GOES TO WORK, AND HERE I AM.
WE'RE GONNA GO GET SOME GOLD
IN A PAN, SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
Narrator:
TO DECIDE WHETHER DONAHUE CREEK
IS WORTH HIS INVESTMENT,
DAVE MUST TEST
THE DIRT HE DUG LAST NIGHT.
IT'S SO REMOTE,
I CAN'T BRING IN A TEST PLANT,
SO ALL WE CAN DO IS
MAKESHIFT THE SLUICE,
USE THE WATER FROM THE STREAM,
JUST LIKE THE OLD TIMERS DID.
Dave:
ALRIGHT, YOU READY?
OH, YEAH.
WELL, IT LOOKS HEAVY.
YEAH,
IT'S PRETTY HEAVY.
[ LAUGHS ]
THIS IS A PRIMITIVE
WASH PLANT RIGHT HERE.
IT'S ALL BY HAND.
Narrator: PROSPECTORS ASSESS
THE QUALITY OF GROUND
IN DOLLARS OF GOLD PER YARD,
AND AT EACH MINE DAVE VISITS,
HE'S LOOKING FOR A SAMPLE
THAT PROVES
HE CAN COVER HIS MINING COSTS
AND MAKE A PROFIT.
Dave: BY THE TIME YOU GET
YOUR EQUIPMENT IN HERE,
YOU COULD EASILY BE
A MILLION DOLLARS INTO THIS
JUST FOR SETTING UP.
SO THIS GROUND
AT DONAHUE HAS TO BE
THE BEST GROUND I'VE EVER SEEN.
I'M HOPING TO SEE $75 A YARD,
THEN I CAN START
MAKING SOME MONEY.
YOU KEEP
YOUR SAMPLE SIZE CONSISTENT,
AND THEN YOU CAN START
FIGURING OUT DOLLARS PER YARD.
Eric: DAVE,
YOU DO THE HONORS.
ALRIGHT.
GOOD LUCK.
WE'LL SEE
WHAT THIS PAN DOES.
♪♪
I'M SEEING SOME GOLD,
ERIC.
FOUR, FIVE, SIX,
SEVEN, EIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW,
17, 18.
♪♪
I THINK IT'S $30 A YARD.
IT'S GOOD
IF I WAS CLOSE TO TOWN,
BUT THIS FAR OUT, I NEED
ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT I'M SEEING.
IT JUST DOESN'T WORK
FOR ME.
THAT CUTS TO THE CHASE
RIGHT AWAY.
Eric: I'D LIKE TO SEE
SOMETHING HAPPEN,
BUT IT'S LOCATION,
LOCATION, LOCATION.
PEOPLE FIND THIS TOO REMOTE.
♪♪
Dave:
WELL, THIS COULD WORK FOR ERIC.
HE'S GOT THE EQUIPMENT
FOR A ONE-MAN OPERATION.
FOR ME, IT'S ON TO
THE NEXT MINE.
I'M NOT GONNA STOP UNTIL
I FIND THE RIGHT ONE.
♪♪
Narrator: WITH HIS LEAD
IN THE YUKON A BUST,
DAVE IS NOW FOCUSING
ON GOLD REGIONS
HE HAS LESS EXPERIENCE MINING.
♪♪
I SPENT SO MUCH TIME
IN THE YUKON IN MY CAREER,
BUT NOW I'M GONNA GO
GOLD MINING IN THE LOWER 48.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY.
MAYBE IT'S NOT
THE RIGHT KIND OF GROUND.
MAYBE IT'S NOT ENOUGH GOLD,
BUT I KNOW THERE'S
SOME LOST TREASURE.
I BELIEVE I CAN DO THIS,
AND THAT'S WHY I'M ALL IN.
♪♪
THIS ROAD IS --
GEEZ!
I DON'T EVEN KNOW
IF YOU'D BE ABLE
TO GET EQUIPMENT IN HERE
ON THESE ROADS.
Narrator:
DAVE'S LINED UP FOUR MINES
IN GOLD-RICH NEVADA.
THE FIRST IS 10 MILES
DOWN A DIRT TRACK,
OUTSIDE THE HUMBOLDT RANGE.
♪♪
MARBLE ROCK HAS NO ACCESS
TO WATER,
MAKING CONVENTIONAL MINING
DIFFICULT,
BUT IT IS RUMORED
TO BE RICH IN NUGGETS.
SO DAVE'S BROUGHT ALONG
GEOLOGIST CLARK JAMES.
WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF
THIS WHOLE SCENARIO HERE?
WELL, SO WE'RE GONNA
GO SEE JASON SANCHEZ.
HE STARTED PROSPECTING
WITH HIS METAL DETECTOR,
AND LO AND BEHOLD,
HE FOUND A BUNCH OF GOLD.
19th-CENTURY MINERS
ABANDONED MARBLE ROCK
WHEN THE NUGGETS BECAME
TOO SMALL TO SPOT BY EYE,
BUT SINCE 2017,
JASON SANCHEZ STARTED MAKING
A 1,400-MILE ROUND TRIP
FROM MONTANA BY CAR
TO REOPEN THE MINE.
IT'S GOT
A HELL OF A HOLE HERE.
HEY, JASON!
JASON SANCHEZ,
NICE TO MEET YOU.
GOOD TO MEET YOU,
MAN.
I'D LOVE TO GET HOME
TO THE WIFE AND KIDS.
THIS IS TOO FAR.
3/4 OF EVERY MONTH
HAS BEEN SPENT HERE,
DAYLIGHT TO DARK.
I WANT TO SEE SOME GOLD COME
OUT OF THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHAT
I WANT TO SEE.
ME, TOO.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
LET'S GO FIND
SOME NUGGETS.
♪♪
HE'S OUT HERE
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
PULLING NUGGETS OUT
TO FEED HIS FAMILY.
THAT TAKES A PRETTY SPECIAL GUY.
I THINK
I JUST HEARD A HIT.
[ METAL DETECTOR WHINES ]
DUDE!
YOU GOT ONE?
LET ME SEE.
BOOM,
THAT'S A NICE ONE THERE.
RIGHT, BUT THIS IS
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
OH, YOU'VE GOT
TO BE KIDDING ME.
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
RIGHT HERE,
RIGHT FROM THIS SPOT.
OH, MY GOSH, I'VE NEVER SEEN
A NUGGET THAT BIG BEFORE.
NEITHER HAD I.
WHOO!
IF DAVE DOESN'T BUY, THERE'S
SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM.
I MEAN, HOW YOU GONNA PULL DIRT
OFF THE GROUND 20 MINUTES,
STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP,
CHA CHING, CHA CHING,
AND THEN GO,
"UH, I DON'T WANT IT."
Dave: I JUST CAN'T MAKE
A DECISION BASED ON NUGGETS.
IT'S GOLD FEVER,
AND I GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
♪♪
♪♪
WHAT IN THE WORLD!
Narrator: DAVE TURIN'S LOOKING
FOR A GOLD-RICH
ABANDONED MINE TO REOPEN.
I JUST CAN'T MAKE A DECISION
BASED ON NUGGETS.
IT'S GOLD FEVER,
AND I GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
Narrator:
AND EVEN THOUGH NEVADA'S
MARBLE ROCK CLAIM
IS LOOKING GOOD,
HE NEEDS TO BE CERTAIN.
WELL, EVERYTHING'S HERE.
YOU'VE GOT ALL THE INDICATIONS.
JASON'S FINDING NUGGETS.
WE'VE GOT SAND
AND GRAVEL AT BEDROCK.
DO WE HAVE ANY WATER THAT
WE COULD WASH THIS GRAVEL WITH?
WATER IS VERY,
VERY SCARCE.
YOU GOT WELL OVER
TWO MILES TO PUMP.
Narrator:
WITH NO WATER
TO RUN
A CONVENTIONAL WASH PLANT,
DAVE'S BROUGHT SOME
CUSTOM TECH TO TRY OUT.
CHECK THIS OUT,
YOU GUYS.
I GOT THIS LITTLE --
IT'S A DRY WASH PLANT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
DON'T BE LAUGHING
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION.
Clark:
DUDE, THAT'S CUTE.
SO HERE'S THE DEAL.
THIS IS GONNA CAPTURE
THE FINE GOLD.
SURE HOPE SO,
DAVE.
YOU GONNA BE HERE
FOR A WHILE, BUDDY.
WELL,
LET'S TRY IT.
Dave: THIS IS THE SMALLEST PLANT
I'VE EVER STARTED,
BUT IF WE CAN SEPARATE GOLD
WITHOUT WATER IN THE DESERT,
IT'S WORTH A TRY.
THERE SHE GOES.
BRING ME
SOME MATERIAL!
[ GRUNTING ]
THESE ARE HEAVY.
Narrator:
DAVE'S HOPING THE DRY WASH PLANT
WILL PROVE THE GROUNDED MARBLE
ROCK IS WORTH INVESTING IN.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH
FINE GOLD'S IN THE GROUND.
IF THERE'S $30 A YARD
AND YOU PUT THE NUGGETS
ON TOP OF THAT,
I CAN MAKE MONEY AT THAT.
♪♪
THAT'S IT, THIS IS THE LAST
BUCKET RIGHT HERE, YOU GUYS.
THAT'S IT?YEP, THAT'S IT.
♪♪
WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL THIS
CONCENTRATE AND FIND SOME WATER,
AND THEN
WE'LL PAN IT OUT.
♪♪
IT ALL COMES DOWN
TO THIS.
♪♪
COOL.
THERE'S A LOT
RIDING ON THIS.
COME ON, GOLD,
SHOW UP.
♪♪
WHOA!LOOK AT THAT, YOU GUYS.
THAT'S GOLD.OH, MY GOSH.
THE GOOD NEWS IS
THE DRY WASH PLANT CAUGHT THAT,
AND THOSE ARE...
PRETTY DECENT.
...SIZABLE PIECES
OF GOLD RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S A FULL YARD
OF DIRT.
PLUS NUGGETS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I THINK THIS IS
20 BUCKS A YARD.
THIS IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST
DECISIONS I'VE EVER MADE.
UM...
BOTTOM LINE...
I'M GONNA PASS.
IT'S GREAT GOLD,
BUT FOR ME,
I'M GONNA PASS.
I DON'T --
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
♪♪
WE'RE TWO MILES FROM
THE NEAREST WATER.
YOU GOT TO BRING WATER IN HERE,
OR YOU GOT TO BUILD
A CUSTOM-DESIGNED
DRY WASH PLANT.
TO GO BIG,
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
I CAN'T GO TO THE INVESTORS
AND ASK FOR A MILLION DOLLARS
TO START THIS UP.
I THINK IT WORKS
FOR A TWO-MAN CREW.
SMALL MACHINE.
I GET IT.
I UNDERSTAND
YOUR POINT,
BUT IT HAS TO BE HARD
WALKING AWAY FROM THAT GOLD.
IT'S JUST NOT
GONNA WORK FOR ME.
SORRY, MAN.
I GOT TO LIVE
WITH IT.
GOOD LUCK.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU,
DAVE.
♪♪
HE'S GOT TO BE OUT OF
HIS [BLEEP] DAMN MIND.
CAN YOU THROW THAT
IN THERE?
THAT WAS A REALLY HARD DECISION.
IT WAS A LOT OF GOLD.
♪♪
Narrator: DAVE STAYS IN
THE SILVER STATE ANOTHER WEEK
TO PROSPECT TWO MORE MINES
ON HIS LIST,
STARTING FIVE MILES OUTSIDE
THE TOWN OF YERINGTON.
THIS IS IT, BIG CANYON MINE.
WE'VE GOT TO FIND GROUND
THAT HAS GOLD IN IT
AND RUN IT THROUGH THAT PLANT.
Narrator: DAVE TESTS A RIVERBED
THE OLD TIMERS
HAVE LEFT UNTOUCHED
SINCE THE 1930s.
WE NEEDED 2/3 OF AN OUNCE
FOR THAT 80 YARDS,
BUT I DON'T THINK
WE GOT IT.
Dave: THERE'S JUST NO GOLD
IN THE GROUND,
AND I CAN'T FIX THAT.
Narrator: AFTER STRIKING OUT
AT BIG CANYON,
DAVE HEADS TO THE EPICENTER
OF THE NEVADA GOLD RUSH,
THREE MILES OUTSIDE
VIRGINIA CITY...
HOLY CRAP.
THIS WAS ONE
BIG DREDGE THAT DID ALL THIS.
Narrator: ...CHASING
VIRGIN GROUND LEFT BEHIND
WHEN A DREDGING OPERATION
MYSTERIOUSLY CHANGED COURSE.
Dave: THIS TESTING STUFF'S
GETTING OLD.
ALL I'VE BEEN DOING
IS SPENDING MONEY.
I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S HALF A GRAM.
I NEEDED HALF A GRAM
IN THAT YARD TO MAKE THIS WORK.
MAYBE THE REASON
THAT DREDGE TURNED
WAS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T
ENOUGH GOLD IN THIS.
♪♪
SO A LOT OF THESE MINES
THAT I'M LOOKING AT,
THEY QUIT IN 1940.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WANTED
ALL THE ABLE-BODIED MEN
TO QUIT GOLD MINING,
AND THEY ALL GO OFF
TO WORLD WAR II.
A LOT OF 'EM NEVER RETURNED.
THEY WERE ACTIVE,
PROFITABLE MINES.
THAT GOLD'S STILL SITTING THERE.
MAYBE I CAN GO FIND IT.
A DEAD MAN'S GOLD.
THAT SOUNDS KIND OF MORBID.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: WITH HIS OPTIONS
IN THE DESERT RUNNING DRY,
DAVE HAS ONE LAST MINE
TO VISIT IN NEVADA.
♪♪
I'M ON MY WAY TO MEET
A GUY NAMED CHRIS TAYLOR.
HE THINKS HE'S SITTING
ON A LOT OF GOLD,
AND HE'S LOOKING
FOR AN INVESTOR.
♪♪
Narrator: DAVE'S HEADED
10 MILES OUT OF IMLAY
TO THE WILLOW CREEK MINE.
♪♪
WITH GOOD ACCESS ROADS,
AND A SPRING-FED WATER SOURCE,
THIS CLAIM IS
A PLACER MINER'S DREAM.
♪♪
HEY, CHRIS!
Chris: DAVE!
GOOD TO SEE YA.
ONE THING I'VE NEVER SEEN
IN NEVADA DESERT
IS THIS MUCH WATER.
IT'S AN OASIS!
Chris: WILLOW CREEK
WAS DISCOVERED,
I GUESS BACK IN 1924
WHEN AN OLD COWBOY
WAS UP ON TOP
OF THIS RANGE RIGHT HERE.
HE FOUND
A 90-OUNCE NUGGET.
8 INCHES WIDE,
18 INCHES LONG.
90-OUNCE!
90 OUNCES.
BY THE TIME NEVADA'S MINERS
WENT TO WAR IN 1941,
WILLOW CREEK HAD BEEN
STRIPPED OF NUGGETS,
BUT CHRIS HAS EVIDENCE
THEY LEFT BEHIND AN ABUNDANCE
OF VERY FINE GOLD,
KNOWN AS FLOUR GOLD.
WE'VE DONE ASSET REPORTS
IN A LAB,
AND THEY COME BACK
THREE TO SIX GRAMS A YARD.
IF THERE'S THIS KIND
OF GOLD IN HERE,
WHY HAVEN'T YOU
BEEN MINING IT?
MY BUSINESS PARTNER
STOLE $20 MILLION
FROM ABOUT 100
DIFFERENT FAMILIES.
♪♪
YOU KNOW, MY DAD
GOT TAKEN ABOUT $800,000.
DAMN, CHRIS,
THAT'S ROUGH.
IT'S PROBABLY DESTROYED
A LOT OF YOUR DAD'S RETIREMENT.
RETIREMENT?
HE'S STRUGGLING
TO STAY IN HIS HOUSE.
MAYBE WE CAN GET
SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK.
♪♪
LOOKING GOOD!
Narrator: DAVE'S RUNNING
FIVE YARDS OF PAY DIRT
TO SEE IF HIS MINING INVESTMENT
LIES AT WILLOW CREEK.
Dave:
I LIKE THIS PLACE.
WE GOT WATER IN THE DESERT.
IT'S PRETTY EASY
TO GET IN HERE AND SET UP.
Narrator:
DAVE HAS ONE PROBLEM.
A WASH PLANT SEPARATES
MATERIAL BY WEIGHT,
AND FLOUR GOLD
IS EXTREMELY LIGHT.
♪♪
AFTER THE LARGE ROCKS
AND GRAVEL ARE REMOVED,
THE GOLD-RICH MATERIAL
ENTERS THE SLUICE BOX.
HEAVIER FLAKES OF GOLD
ARE TRAPPED
BY METAL RIFFLES
AND SINK INTO MATS,
BUT THE LIGHTER PARTICLES
OF FLOUR GOLD
CAN SOMETIMES WASH
RIGHT THROUGH THE SLUICE,
AND VALUABLE GOLD IS LOST
IN THE TAILINGS.
♪♪
AFTER THIS TEST,
WE SHOULD SEE ENOUGH GOLD
FOR HIM TO INVEST
AND START TURNING
SOME LIVES AROUND.
Dave: THIS IS IT. IT'S GOT TO BE
IN THE SLUICE BOX.
LET'S PULL THE MATS OUT,
SEE WHAT WE GET.
I REALLY HOPE AND PRAY
THERE'S GOLD HERE
SO WE CAN HELP CHRIS OUT.
♪♪
♪♪
Dave: I REALLY HOPE AND PRAY
THERE'S GOLD HERE
SO WE CAN HELP CHRIS OUT.
Narrator:
DAVE TURIN IS PANNING PAY DIRT
AT WILLOW CREEK...
Dave: I'D LOVE TO SEE
$25 TO $30 A YARD HERE.
...TO DETERMINE
IF THERE'S ENOUGH GOLD
TO SET UP A MINING OPERATION.
IT'S VERY HARD TO
CLEAN THIS GOLD UP
BECAUSE THAT FLOUR GOLD
WANTS TO GO OUT
WITH THE BLACK SAND
AS I'M PANNING IT DOWN.
♪♪
I JUST DON'T WANT
TO LOSE ANY OF IT.
WELL, THAT'S THE TRICKY PART
ABOUT IT.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
WELL, LOOK AT THAT NICE
LITTLE PICKER RIGHT THERE.
FROM MY EXPERIENCE,
JUST LOOKING AT THAT,
I THINK YOU GOT ABOUT
A GRAM AND A HALF.
Dave:
$12 A YARD.
I NEED $25 A YARD.
[ SIGHS ] OKAY.
THERE MAY BE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH
OF FLOUR GOLD HERE,
BUT FOR ME,
I'VE GOT TO CAPTURE IT
WITH MY SLUICE BOX.
I CAN'T DO IT.
I UNDERSTAND.
IT'S JUST NOT
WORTH IT FOR ME.
BUSINESS IS BUSINESS.
I UNDERSTAND.
BUT I DO HAVE
A PROPOSAL FOR YA.
WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO DO
IS KEEP WORKING WITH YA.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER
COMING TO WORK FOR ME
IF I FIND
SOME GOOD GROUND?
REALLY?
I'M SERIOUS, MAN.
WELL,
I APPRECIATE THAT, DAVE.
I APPRECIATE YA.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
♪♪
Dave:
I HAVE TO MOVE ON.
I'VE BEEN RUNNING AROUND NEVADA,
AND I CANNOT
HANG ON HERE ANYMORE.
IT'S TIME FOR ME TO FIND A MINE
THAT WILL PRODUCE
AND START MAKING SOME MONEY.
♪♪
Narrator: HALFWAY THROUGH
HIS SIX-WEEK SEARCH,
DAVE'S SEEKING ADVICE
FROM AN OLD FRIEND.
DOZER DAVE!
FREDDY!
SO HOW'VE YOU BEEN
SINCE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN
WORKING WITH TODD?
YOU STAYING BUSY?
YEAH,
I'M REAL BUSY.
WHAT I'VE DONE
IS I'VE JOINED UP
WITH A GROUP
OF INVESTORS.
I'M TRYING TO FIND
A PLACE THAT I CAN MINE
IN THE LOWER 48.
YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT,
AND YOU PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE,
THAT THERE'S NOT MUCH LEFT
THAT'S EASY.
YEAH,
I GOT TA MAKE MONEY.
I MEAN, I DON'T REALLY
HAVE A SECOND CHANCE.
THERE'S TIMES, FRED,
I DON'T KNOW
IF I'M DOING
THE RIGHT THING.
MAYBE I SHOULD'VE STAYED
WITH MY FAMILY BUSINESS.
RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW.
♪♪
YOU KNOW JUST
BETTER THAN ANYBODY, DAVE,
JUST DO YOUR HOMEWORK
ON THE GROUND.
YOU GET IN THERE
AND THERE'S SOME UNKNOWNS
THAT JUST SHUT YOU DOWN.
IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN JUST JUMP INTO EASILY,
BUT IF ANYBODY CAN DO IT,
YOU CAN, DAVE.
WELL, THANKS, FREDDY.
IF YOU FIND ANY GROUND
THAT I CAN MINE, LET ME KNOW.
IF I FIND SOME,
I WON'T GIVE IT TO YA.
I'LL KEEP IT MYSELF.
YOU'LL KEEP IT YOURSELF
AND YOU WON'T EVEN TELL ME,
WILL YA,
YOU SON OF A [BLEEP]
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
Dave: I LOVE FREDDY.
HE'S GIVEN ME SOME GOOD ADVICE.
I'M GONNA KEEP LOOKING.
I'M NOT DONE YET.
♪♪
Freddy: WELL, I HOPE DAVE
SUCCEEDS AT WHAT HE'S DOING.
CHANCES ARE HE WILL
BECAUSE DAVE'S A SMART GUY.
♪♪
Dave:
WELL, I'M HEADED TO THE CENTER
OF THE FIRST GOLD RUSH
IN MONTANA.
I HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE
MY OWN HISTORY HERE.
♪♪
Narrator:
DAVE IS HEADING TO MONTANA
IN A CLAIM JUST OUTSIDE BANNACK
THAT HIS INVESTOR ALREADY OWNS,
WHERE A LOCAL MINER
BELIEVES HE'S LOCATED
THE LAST VIRGIN GROUND
AT GRASSHOPPER CREEK.
♪♪
HEY, JESSE?
YOU MUST BE
DOZER DAVE.
I AM.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
ALRIGHT, GLAD TO MEET YA!YOU, TOO!
HELLO, DAVE.
I'M ROY.
HI. HI, ROY.
NICE TO MEET YA.
SAME HERE.
WHAT DO WE GOT
GOING HERE?
WELL, THIS IS WHERE THEY DID
ALL THE PROCESSING.
I LOVE HISTORY,
SO LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK.
ALRIGHT,
LET'S DO IT, ROY.
♪♪
Narrator:
IN 1862, A HUGE GOLD DEPOSIT
WAS DISCOVERED
AT GRASSHOPPER CREEK.
THE RICH GROUND
TRANSFORMED BANNACK
INTO A BOOM TOWN.
♪♪
THIS IS AMAZING.
I MEAN, LOOK AT THIS.
THESE BUILDINGS ARE STILL
STANDING FROM THE 1860s?
YEAH.
Narrator:
WHEN THE GOLD RAN DRY,
THE TOWN WAS DESERTED,
BUT THEY LEFT BEHIND ONE SPOT
OF VIRGIN GROUND RUMORED TO BE
TOO DANGEROUS TO DIG.
HOLY CRAP,
JESSE!
THIS IS IT.
♪♪
BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO
THROUGH 30 FEET OF WATER,
THEN YOU'RE GONNA
HAVE TO DIG
ANOTHER 20 FEET
TO GET TO BEDROCK.
SO YOU THINK
YOU CAN HANDLE THAT?
♪♪
Dave:
THAT'S A LOT OF WATER.
A LOT OF WATER,
AND AS YOU'RE SUCKING IT OUT,
IT'S COMING IN,
SO YOU'RE GONNA
HAVE TO HAVE A FAST PUMP.
WITH THE POND CONSTANTLY FED
AND FILLED BY NATURAL SPRINGS,
DAVE FACES A HUGE TASK
GETTING TO THE BOTTOM
TO TEST THE GROUND BENEATH.
♪♪
Dave: THIS WATER RIGHT HERE'S
MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE.
IF THERE'S MORE WATER
COMING IN ON TOP OF ME
THAN THE PUMP WILL HANDLE,
IT'S OVER.
YOU CAN LOSE A MACHINE,
YOU CAN LOSE A PUMP.
I MEAN, IT'S SCARY.
THIS COULD BE BAD.
THE GOLD'S RIGHT THERE.
♪♪
FIRST DAY AT GRASSHOPPER CREEK.
HERE WE GO.
Narrator: DAVE'S PLANNED
A FIVE-DAY OPERATION
TO GET DOWN TO THE POND BED.
Jesse:
IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH.
I'M WISHING HIM LUCK,
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
Narrator:
THIS EIGHT-INCH PUMP
CAN SHIFT 2,000 GALLONS
OF WATER PER MINUTE
AND IS PART OF
THE $30,000 INVESTMENT.
THAT SHOULD DO IT.
I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT
THAT'S ENOUGH PUMP
TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROUNDWATER.
ALRIGHT, JESSE,
SAY A LITTLE PRAYER.
♪♪
ALRIGHT,
WE'RE PUMPING WATER!
FIRST STEP OF GRASSHOPPER CREEK
WAS GETTING A PUMP SET.
I WANT TO GET TO THAT GOLD.
♪♪
Narrator: FIVE DAYS LATER,
AND DAVE IS BACK TO SEE
IF HE'S SPENT
HIS INVESTOR'S MONEY WISELY.
♪♪
Dave:
IT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
I'VE NOT SLEPT MUCH AT ALL.
♪♪
WHOO! YEAH!
WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM.
IT'S LOOKING GOOD.
HIGH AND DRY!
♪♪
Narrator: DAVE'S INVESTORS
WON'T SPEND ANY MORE CASH
GETTING TO BEDROCK UNLESS
THE POND BED PROMISES MORE GOLD
20 FEET FURTHER DOWN.
♪♪
HERE'S OUR
MINI TEST TROMMEL.
IT RUNS OFF A LITTLE GAS ENGINE,
COUPLE BELTS.
WOW,
THAT'S PRETTY COOL.
DAVE'S RUNNING 41 BUCKETS,
CLOSE TO A FULL YARD OF DIRT.
♪♪
THAT ONE MUST HAVE GOLD IN IT.
IT IS HEAVIER.
Dave:
WE ARE 30 MINUTES FROM A TOWN,
SO WE CAN GET FUEL
UP HERE CHEAP,
WE CAN GET ALL OUR SUPPLIES
UP HERE,
SO IF THAT'S 20 BUCKS A YARD,
WE CAN MAKE MONEY AT THAT.
♪♪
ALRIGHT, BOYS, LET'S HOPE
WE SEE SOME GOLD, ROY.
[ WATER SPLASHING ]
I NEED THIS BAD.
♪♪
WHAT'S THAT
RIGHT THERE?
Roy:
HOLY CRAP, LOOK THERE.
Jesse: WHOA,
LOOK AT THAT.
I'M STARTING
TO GET GOOSEBUMPS.
♪♪
[ CHEERING ]
THAT'S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD,
HUH, BUDDY?
Dave:
IT'S PROBABLY 20 BUCKS A YARD.
THAT'S GOOD MATERIAL.
THAT'S A LOT OF GOLD.
MAYBE DAVE'S GONNA
MAKE HIS FORTUNE HERE.
THERE'S GONNA BE THE
YELLOW BRICK ROAD DOWN THERE,
I PROMISE YA.
41 BUCKETS,
GOOD JOB.
YEAH.
GOOD JOB, ROY!I'M HAPPY WITH THAT.
Narrator: DAVE HAS FINALLY
FOUND THE GROUND
HE WANTS TO MINE,
AND WITH HIS INVESTOR
ALREADY OWNING THE CLAIM,
NOTHING STANDS IN HIS WAY.
I'M READY TO GO.
I'M WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK.
WHOO! YEAH!
♪♪
Narrator: COMING UP,
DAVE'S MINING OPERATION
AT GRASSHOPPER CREEK
GETS UNDERWAY.
THIS IS IT. THIS IS GO TIME.
Narrator:
BUT TROUBLE AHEAD
COULD LEAVE DAVE'S SEASON
IN RUINS.
I CAN'T FREAKIN' BELIEVE IT.
THAT'S [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
♪♪
Dave:
IT'S PROBABLY 20 BUCKS A YARD.
THAT'S GOOD MATERIAL.
Narrator:
AFTER FOUR WEEKS OF SEARCHING,
DAVE UNCOVERED VIRGIN GROUND
AT HIS INVESTOR'S CLAIM.
[ CHEERING ]
HAVING FINISHED PROSPECTING
TWO WEEKS EARLY,
DAVE BELIEVES
HE'S BOUGHT ENOUGH TIME
TO GET GRASSHOPPER CREEK'S
LOST GOLD
BEFORE WINTER SETS IN.
Dave: I'M STAYING HERE UNTIL
THE WEATHER RUNS ME OUT OF HERE
BECAUSE I WANT TO GET
TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT,
SEE WHAT'S THERE, AND SLUICE IT.
Narrator: DAVE SPENT THE LAST
OF HIS INVESTOR'S $30,000 BUDGET
HIRING A CREW FROM MINERS
HE'S MET ALONG HIS JOURNEY.
WE PUT A MAN ON THE MOON,
WE OUT TO BE ABLE TO PULL
GOLD OUT OF THE GROUND, RIGHT?
Narrator: JOINING MONTANA NATIVE
JASON SANCHEZ
IS CHRIS TAYLOR,
FRESH FROM WILLOW CREEK, NEVADA.
I'VE BEEN TOLD
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TRIED
FOR OVER 50 YEARS NOW.
THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THE BOTTOM.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA SEE
THE BOTTOM.
Narrator: COMPLETING THE CREW
IS LOCAL MINER JESSE GOINS.
FIRE IT UP,
JESSE.
ALRIGHT.
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
I'M NOT GOING AFTER THE BEST
OPERATORS IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
I WOULD RATHER HAVE
A PERSON THAT I RESPECT
AND THEY RESPECT ME,
AND THEN WE FORMULATE A CREW.
YOU KNOW,
WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER.
♪♪
I'M HOPING THERE'S
MILLIONS OF YEARS OF GOLD
THAT SETTLED RIGHT THERE
AND I'M GOING TO GET IT.
Narrator:
DAVE HAS SUCCESSFULLY PUMPED
30 FEET OF WATER FROM THE POND
AND TAKEN A SAMPLE FROM THE BED.
NOW HE NEEDS JASON AND CHRIS
TO DIG 20 FEET DOWN
THROUGH UNSTABLE WET GROUND
TO PAY DIRT
THAT HAS EVADED MINERS
FOR OVER A CENTURY.
♪♪
[ MACHINERY SPUTTERING ]
MAN, I'M LIKE A KID
IN A CANDY STORE
WHEN IT COMES TO THIS [BLEEP]
♪♪
Dave:
WE'RE GETTING THERE.
[ MACHINERY CLANKING ]
IT'S NICE TO HAVE ANOTHER
OPERATOR NOW THAT JASON'S HERE
AND HE CAN HELP CARRY
SOME OF THE LOAD.
Narrator: TO REMOVE THE 20 FEET
OF OVERBURDEN,
JASON WILL HAVE TO EXCAVATE
1,200 TONS OF DIRT
FOR CHRIS TO REMOVE
IN THE LOADER.
Dave:
THE NICE THING ABOUT CHRIS,
KIND OF INEXPERIENCED AT MINING,
BUT HE'S WILLING TO LEARN.
I LOVE GUYS THAT ARE PASSIONATE
ABOUT WORKING.
♪♪
Jason: WHEN YOU LOOK
THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
WHETHER IT'S NEW-AGE MINERS
LIKE US
OR THE OLD SCHOOL '49ERS,
SAME PROBLEM --
EITHER LACK OF WATER
OR TOO DAMN MUCH WATER.
AND RIGHT NOW WE FIND OURSELVES
AGAINST TOO MUCH WATER.
Narrator:
THE WET GROUND IS SLOWING DOWN
DAVE'S PLAN OF REACHING BEDROCK.
Dave:
AS JASON'S DIGGING,
HE TAKES TWO SCOOPS OUT
AND ONE SLOUGHS IN.
IT'S TOO SLOW.
I GOT TO GO TO THE INVESTOR.
♪♪
HEY, RICH.
I GOT TO BRING IN
A BIGGER EXCAVATOR,
I GOT TO DIG DEEPER.
I NEED 80 GRAND.
♪♪
GIVE ME TWO WEEKS,
I'LL BE ON BEDROCK.
I'LL GET YOUR MONEY BACK,
EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE FINE.
RICH, HAVE SOME FAITH IN ME.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR AWHILE.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO --
THAT'S IT?
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY, I'LL DO IT.
ALL RIGHT, BYE.
CAN'T FRICKIN' BELIEVE IT.
♪♪
HE JUST PULLED US OUT.
THAT'S [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
♪♪
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
IF YOU GET TO THIS POINT,
IT TAKES ANOTHER $80,000
TO GET
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HOLE,
AND WE START MAKING MONEY.
WHY NOT TAKE THE RISK?
BUT THE MAN WITH THE MONEY
MAKES THE DECISIONS.
♪♪
I GOT SOME BAD NEWS,
YOU GUYS.
I JUST TALKED TO THE INVESTORS,
AND HE'S LIKE,
"WINTER'S SETTING IN,
IT'S TOO MUCH MONEY.
PACK YOUR [BLEEP] UP
AND GET OUT OF HERE."
YOU HAVE GOT
TO BE [BLEEP] ME.
IT'S MONTANA.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER,
WAIT 10 MINUTES.
COME ON,
MAN.
♪♪
[BLEEP] THAT.
SO NOW WHAT?
I DON'T KNOW,
JASON.
I MEAN, I'M NOT GONNA INVEST
MY OWN MONEY IN THIS.
IT'S THE INVESTORS' LAND,
IT'S THEIR CLAIMS,
IT'S THEIR DEAL.
WELL,
THAT'S COOL.
ALL I KNOW IS WE'RE
PACKING OUR [BLEEP] UP.
WE GOT TO GET THE PUMP BACK
TO THE PLACE AND WE'RE DONE.
WE'RE LOADING THIS STUFF UP,
MOVING IT OUT.
SO WE JUST WALK AWAY
LOOKING LIKE FAILURES?
♪♪
WE'RE DONE.
♪♪
THIS IS TOUGH.
IT FEELS LIKE I FAILED.
I BROUGHT A GROUP OF GUYS
WHO GAVE UP A LOT TO BE HERE.
NOW WE'RE HOMELESS.
WE HAVE NO MINE.
WE HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
♪♪
IT'S LIKE,
GAH, WE'RE RIGHT THERE!
♪♪
YOU KNOW, I'D STAY ON.
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ME.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE
WHAT'S IN THE BOTTOM OF THAT.
♪♪
I SWORE I'D NEVER WORK
FOR THE MAN AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, I WORKED
FOR TODD HOFFMAN,
AND A LOT OF TIMES, I NEVER
AGREED WITH HIS DECISIONS.
TWO YEARS LATER,
IT FEELS LIKE I'M RIGHT BACK
IN THE SAME SPOT,
BUT I VOW IT'S NOT
GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN.
I'M NOT GONNA LET SOMEBODY
TELL ME HOW TO DO MY JOB
WHEN I KNOW BETTER THAN THEM.
♪♪
Narrator: THE TIME
DAVE GAVE HIMSELF TO PROSPECT
IS ALMOST UP,
AND HE'S BACK
AT THE TURIN FAMILY QUARRY
WITH A BIG DECISION TO MAKE.
♪♪
HEY, DAD.HI, DAVE, HOW YOU DOING?
I'M GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
I'M OKAY.
HOW'S BUSINESS?
WELL, IT'S PRETTY GOOD.
PRETTY BUSY.
♪♪
I'VE HAD
A ROUGH WEEK.
I WAS JUST LOOKING
FOR SOME ADVICE.
I'M TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT
WHETHER I MINE
FOR THE INVESTOR
OR I MINE
ON MY OWN.
THAT'S ALL YOU?
IT'S ALL
MY OWN MONEY.
THAT'S A TOUGH DECISION.
MINING IS NOT ALWAYS
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL THING
IN THE WORLD
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND.
AND THAT'S A TOUGH,
TOUGH BATTLE.
BUT IF I WERE YOU,
I'D GO ON YOUR OWN.
THAT'S WHAT
I THOUGHT YOU'D SAY
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT
YOU'D DO, RIGHT?
YEAH, I WOULD.
YOU TOOK A BIG RISK
WHEN YOU QUIT
TEACHING AND COACHING
AND YOU HAD
SIX LITTLE KIDS
AND YOU STARTED
THIS BUSINESS.
I DID,
AND THEN I PUT YOU TO WORK.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
IF YOU FAIL,
YOU CAN GO ON,
BUT THAT'S
THE WAY IT IS.
WE FAIL
AT A LOT OF THINGS,
AND FAILURE SOMETIMES
IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE
YOU CAN HAVE.
ONE THING YOU DID TEACH US,
IF YOU DO FAIL,
PUT YOUR BOOTS ON
AND YOU GET BACK TO WORK, RIGHT?
GET BACK TO WORK.
YEP.
YOU BET.
I THINK IT WAS GOOD ADVICE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
IT ISGOOD ADVICE.
WELL, THAT'S IT.
I'M OFF TO MAKE
SOME PHONE CALLS.
I'M GONNA FIND A MINE.
IT'S ALL UP TO ME NOW.
♪♪
LET'S GO
TO THOSE ROCKS UP HERE.
Dave: FAMILY'S THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING.
THE AMOUNT OF GOLD YOU GET,
IT DON'T MATTER.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE FAMILY,
IT'S NOT THE SAME.
♪♪
Micaiah: FISHING'S SUPER FUN
WITH MY GRANDPA.
I DON'T GET TO SEE HIM AS MUCH
AS I GET TO SEE MY DAD,
SO IT'S A BIT MORE FUN.
DON'T TELL MY DAD I SAID THAT.
♪♪
GOOD CAST.
YEAH, IT'S JUST LIKE
GOLD MINING.
WHY IS FISHING
LIKE GOLD MINING?
BECAUSE.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
TELL ME.
YOU SOMETIMES GET IT,
YOU SOMETIMES DON'T.
IT'S FUNNER THAN
GOLD MINING, THOUGH.
♪♪
WAIT, NO, FISH!
FISH ON!
YOU GOT HIM?
THERE'S A FISH.
COME ON, BUDDY.
NO!
IS HE GONE?
BROKE ME OFF.
OH, NO.
♪♪
Dave:
IT'S LIKE GOLD MINING.
SOMETIMES YOU WIN,
SOMETIMES YOU LOSE.
♪♪
Narrator: AFTER FIVE WEEKS
SEARCHING TO REOPEN A LOST MINE,
DAVE'S INVESTOR SHUT HIM DOWN.
CAN'T FRICKIN' BELIEVE IT.
♪♪
HE JUST PULLED US OUT.
Narrator: AND NOW
HE'S STRIKING OUT ON HIS OWN
TRYING TO FIND
THE RIGHT GROUND TO MINE.
Dave: I'M JUST LOOKING
FOR OPTIONS RIGHT NOW.
I'M KIND OF UNDER THE GUN.
I GOT TO FIND SOME GROUND,
SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE.
[ Ringing ]
CASEY: Hello?
HEY, CASEY,
THIS IS DAVE TURIN.
I HEAR YOU HAVE
SOME GROUND IN ARIZONA
THAT YOU MIGHT
HAVE AVAILABLE.
HOLY CRAP, I HAVEN'T
SEEN THAT ANYWHERE.
I WOULD LIKE
TO COME OUT
AND VISIT
AND SEE THE GROUND.
SOUNDS GOOD.
OKAY,
THANKS, BYE.
♪♪
YEAH, BABY!
THAT WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION,
AND IF THIS IS
AS GOOD AS IT SOUNDS,
IT'S REALLY AN ANSWERED PRAYER.
♪♪
MY BIGGEST FEAR IS I DON'T
FIND A PLACE TO GOLD MINE.
♪♪
I'M SCARED, I'M ANXIOUS.
MAYBE THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE.
♪♪
Narrator: DAVE'S DRIVEN
TWO DAYS TO ARIZONA
TO FOLLOW UP A LEAD
ON HIS OWN DIME
NOW THAT HE'S PROSPECTING
WITHOUT AN INVESTOR.
80 MILES SOUTH OF FLAGSTAFF,
MINER CASEY MORGAN
CLAIMS TO BE SITTING ON GOLD
AT THE ABANDONED
LYNX CREEK CLAIM.
♪♪
HEY.
Casey: HOW YOU DOING?
GOOD,
NICE TO MEET YOU.
HOW MUCH GOLD DID YOU GET
OUT OF THIS, YOU THINK?
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, DAVE,
IT'S GONNA SHOCK YOU.
UP TO AN OUNCE
FOR EVERY 10 YARDS.
COME ON, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
OUT OF THIS?
NO ONE BELIEVED ME.
THEY ALL THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY
AND DIDN'T HOLD ANY GOLD HERE,
BUT IT'S GOT IT.
HERE'S THE BIG QUESTION.
IF THE GROUND'S THAT GOOD,
WHY AREN'T YOU MINING IT?
DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY.
HOW MUCH MONEY
HAVE YOU INVESTED HERE?
WELL OVER $50,000.[ WHISTLES ]
SHOW ME WHERE YOU DUG
THAT SAMPLE OUT OF.
YEAH,
I WILL.
GOLD WAS DISCOVERED
IN PRESCOTT VALLEY IN 1853,
AND BY 1863, WITH A COSTLY
CIVIL WAR ON THE HORIZON,
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN
SENT INFANTRY
TO PROTECT ITS RICHES.
LINCOLN'S MINERS MADE THEIR WAY
DOWN ALL FOUR MILES OF CREEK,
BUT CASEY THINKS
THEY MISSED A CACHE OF GOLD
IN THE TRIBUTARIES.
TO TEST HIS CLAIM,
CASEY PULLED 30 YARDS OF PAY
FROM THE EASTERNMOST TRIBUTARY
AND FOUND ALMOST
THREE OUNCES OF GOLD
AT AN IMPRESSIVE $100 PER YARD.
♪♪
SO YOU GOT A LOT OF
INTERESTING LAYERS.
I'LL BET YOU THE GOLD
SITS RIGHT ON HERE
BECAUSE THIS IS TOO MUCH CLAY
FOR THE GOLD TO SINK,
AND THIS IS THE LAYER
THAT I'D BE INTERESTED IN.
RIGHT THERE.
IT'S A TRADITIONAL PLACER,
BUT HERE'S THE THING.
HOW MUCH GOLD
IS IN THERE?
♪♪
Dave:
I NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
I NEED TO CHECK OUT AND SEE
HOW MUCH GOOD, MINEABLE GOLD
IS IN THIS VALLEY.
Narrator: CASEY HAS BROUGHT
HIS MINI WASH PLANT
AND HAS A PILE OF
PAY DIRT HE PULLED
BEFORE HE RAN OUT
OF MINING FUNDS.
Dave: WE'RE GONNA RUN
A LITTLE TEST HERE
AND SEE IF WE CAN
FIND SOME GOLD.
Casey: I'M GONNA RUN TWO
FIVE-GALLON BUCKETS.
WITH HIS OWN CASH
ON THE LINE,
DAVE NEEDS LYNX CREEK TO BE
AS RICH AS CASEY CLAIMS.
IF CASEY'S TELLING ME THIS IS
CLOSE TO 100 BUCKS A YARD,
I NEED TO SEE AT LEAST 40 OR 50
CHUNKY FLAKES OF GOLD IN MY PAN.
ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
THERE'S THAT ONE.
LET ME GET ONE MORE.
♪♪
I HOPE
IT'S GOT GOLD IN IT.
♪♪
IF I DON'T HIT IT THIS TIME,
I'M SCREWED.
♪♪
COME ON, BABY,
COME ON.
HOLY [BLEEP]
LOOK AT THAT.
♪♪
THERE'S AT LEAST
50 BIG COLORS IN HERE,
AND IT'S GOOD,
CHUNKY GOLD.
LOOK AT THAT.YEAH, LOOK AT THAT.
YOU CAN PICK IT UP.
I MEAN, THAT'S A HELL
OF A PAN RIGHT THERE.
I'M IMPRESSED.
GOODNESS GRACIOUS.
ALRIGHT, DAVE,
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
IT'S LOOKS FRICKIN'
AWESOME, CASEY.
I'VE BEEN ALL OVER
THE STINKIN' PLACE
LOOKING FOR
EXACTLY THIS.
I'M GONNA TAKE IT EASY,
TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
GOT TO WORK THROUGH THIS,
FIGURE IT ALL OUT.
♪♪
BUT INSIDE,
I'M DOING SOMERSAULTS.
I'M GOING, "WHOO!
THIS IS PRETTY GOOD."
♪♪
I GOT TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU.
IT ALMOST SEEMS
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
IT'S A GREAT
PIECE OF PROPERTY,
BUT I GOT TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU.
THERE'S GONNA BE
A PROBLEM WITH THE LEASE.
I'VE LET IT LAPSE.
WELL,
THAT KIND OF CHANGES IT.
YEAH, IT DOES.
CAN I SPEAK TO THE OWNER AND SEE
IF I CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT?
IS THAT POSSIBLE?
I MEAN, I THINK IT'D BE
THE BEST THING AT THIS POINT.
I'M A TEAM PLAYER,
AND I WANTED A WIN-WIN.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE MONEY,
THE LAND OWNER MAKES MONEY,
WE MAKE MONEY.
COME ON, MAN.
[ LAUGHS ]
I GOT TO GO TALK TO
THE LAND OWNERS
AND SEE IF I CAN MAKE A DEAL
THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
BUT I THINK WE JUST
HIT A HOME RUN.
♪♪
THIS IS DAVE TURIN.
I WAS WONDERING HOW WE'RE
COMING ALONG ON THE LEASE.
OH, YEAH, THERE'S GOLD THERE.
I'M SURE THERE IS.
♪♪
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
GREAT. ALL RIGHT, BYE.
HERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT, LYNX CREEK,
HERE WE COME.
WE GOT IT!
I'VE BEEN IN SOME TOUGH SPOTS
IN MY MINING CAREER.
THERE'S BEEN FUN TIMES,
TOUGH TIMES.
THERE'S BEEN TEARS,
AND THERE'S BEEN SOME FIGHTS.
I'VE BEEN STUCK IN THE JUNGLE,
HOTTER THAN HELL.
FROZE OUT IN THE YUKON.
I'VE MADE FRIENDS,
AND I'VE LOST SOME FRIENDS.
GOLD MINING HAS SHOWED ME
THE BEST AND THE WORST IN LIFE.
AND FOR WHAT?
Clark:
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
THAT SHINY STUFF
WE DIG OUT OF THE GROUND
THAT WE CALL GOLD.
WHOO!
BUT STRIKING OUT ON MY OWN
AND INVESTING MY OWN MONEY
IS PROBABLY THE CRAZIEST THING
I'VE EVER DONE.
I'M GONNA CASH IN
ALL THE GOLD I GOT.
IT'S OUR SAVINGS,
AND IT'S SCARY.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
I STILL BELIEVE A CREW
CAN STRIKE OUT IN AMERICA,
GO TO THESE LOST ABANDONED
MINES, LIKE THE OLD TIMERS,
AND DIG UP THE GOLD.
WE'RE GOING TO ARIZONA.
All right, man,
cool.
AND THAT'S WHAT
IT'S ALL ABOUT, RIGHT?
I DON'T WANT TO BE
STICKIN' RICH.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS,
DINNER'S READY.
I JUST WANT MY FAMILY
AND THE FAMILY OF MY CREW
TO DO BETTER, TO BE BETTER,
AND PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
DEAR LORD,
JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.
AMEN.
AMEN.
AND I STILL BELIEVE
WE CAN DO THAT IN AMERICA
AND FIND THE GOLD
IN THESE LOST, ABANDONED MINES.
CHEERS, WHOO!
I GOT NO DOUBT
YOU'LL DO GREAT.
♪♪
Narrator:
COMING UP THIS SEASON...
Dave: HOME SWEET HOME
FOR A WHILE, BOYS.
Narrator:
...DAVE TURIN'S ALL IN...
Dave:
WELL, I'VE GOT $80,000
OF MY OWN MONEY
INVESTED IN THIS.
IF WE DON'T FIND
ANY GOLD,
WE'RE ALL GONNA
STARVE TO DEATH THIS WINTER.
Narrator:
...WITH A CREW OF ROOKIES.
THIS IS SCALE THAT
I'VE NEVER OPERATED IN.
FOR ME, THIS IS
THE LAST ROLL OF THE DICE.
I LOVE THIS [BLEEP]
ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME?
WHOO!
[ LAUGHS ]
Dave: WE NEED FIVE OUNCES
EVERY DAY FROM HERE ON OUT.
SHUT DOWN, SHUT IT DOWN!
YOU CAN FEEL THE TENSION
IN THE AIR.
GOD,
WE'RE GETTING NOWHERE!
I'D LIKE YOU
TO PACK UP.
THIS IS
GOING NOWHERE.
IF WE GET TO 100 OUNCES,
IT WOULD REALLY BE A MIRACLE.
♪♪
MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERY DAY,
AND I BELIEVE IN THEM.
♪♪
BUT IT'S GOLD FEVER,
AND I GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
♪♪
Narrator:
VETERAN MINER DAVE TURIN
IS AN EXPERT GOLD HUNTER.
Clark:
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
AND AFTER TWO YEARS
OUT OF THE GAME,
HE'S COME UP WITH A WAY
TO GET BACK IN.
THIS COULD BE MY FUTURE
IN MINING RIGHT HERE.
Narrator:
DAVE WILL TRAVEL THE COUNTRY,
FROM NORTH TO SOUTH,
SEARCHING FOR THE MILLIONS
HE BELIEVES ARE HIDDEN
IN AMERICA'S LOST MINES...
THE GOLD'S RIGHT THERE.
Narrator:
...HUNTING FOR PAY DIRT
MINING OPERATIONS LEFT
WHEN THE COUNTRY WENT TO WAR
AND THE GOLD EARLY PROSPECTORS
COULDN'T REACH.
Dave: THESE OLDTIMERS WERE GOOD,
BUT THEY DIDN'T GET IT ALL.
Narrator:
NOW HE'S ON A MISSION
TO TRACK DOWN THE GOLD
AND START HIS OWN OPERATION...
[ CHEERING ]
...IN THE HOPE
HE STRIKES IT BIG.
I'M NOT WALKING AWAY FROM IT.
HE'S OUT OF
HIS [BLEEP] DAMN MIND.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
CAN I DO THE CLAP?
Man: YEAH, LET'S DO
THE CLAP. HANG ON.
PLEASE JUST TELL ME WHEN.
ALRIGHT,
DO THE CLAP.
ARE WE ROLLING?
JUST CLAP, YEP.
SEE, I WAS JUST IN A GOOD MOOD,
AND THEN YOU GOT TO
BRING THAT UP.
♪♪
DAVE,
GET THE [BLEEP]
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
TREY, TREY!STOP, STOP.
AFTER EIGHT YEARS
OF WORKING FOR THE MAN,
I HAD ENOUGH.
I SNAPPED.
COME ON, DAVE,
LET'S FINISH THIS.
NO, NO,
NO, NO, NO.
LOOK AT HIM
[BLEEP] TAUNTING ME.
NO,
HE'S NOT!
IN THE BEGINNING, WE WERE
A CLOSE-KNIT, TIGHT TEAM.
TOWARDS THE END,
TODD STARTED TAKING
MORE OF THE REINS AWAY FROM ME,
AND HE STARTED TAKING CONTROL.
I GOT VERY FRUSTRATED.
I'LL JUST PACK MY [BLEEP] UP
AND GO.
I'M DONE.
I'M NOT PROUD OF THE FACT
THAT IT LITERALLY TOOK
A PUNCH IN THE FACE
TO GET ME OFF OF THAT CREW,
BUT NOW I'VE GOT UNFINISHED
BUSINESS WITH GOLD MINING.
♪♪
WELL,
THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN.
WE STARTED THIS BUSINESS
36 YEARS AGO.
IT'S WHERE I LEARNED
HOW TO MINE.
IT'S NOT AS EXCITING.
YOU LOOK AROUND, AND YOU'VE GOT
A BIG PILE OF ROCK,
AND YOU GO "WELL,
THAT'S A NICE PILE OF ROCK".
IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE
THE SAME EXCITEMENT AS
WHEN YOU WALK UP TO A SLUICE BOX
AND YOU SEE ALL OF THAT
FULL OF GOLD.
♪♪
I GUESS I'M A RESTLESS SPIRIT.
I WANT TO GO FIND THE GOLD.
I WANT TO KEEP HAVING
ADVENTURES.
Narrator: BUT DAVE HASN'T JUST
BEEN MOVING ROCK
THESE PAST TWO YEARS.
HE'S BEEN PLOTTING HIS COMEBACK.
Dave:
SINCE I'VE BEEN HOME,
THIS CRAZY THING'S
BEEN HAPPENING.
FAMILIES ALL ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES
HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO ME
TO LOOK AT THEIR LOST
AND ABANDONED MINES.
THANKS, CHRIS.
BYE.
HERE'S THE QUESTION.
IS IT POSSIBLE IN AMERICA
TO REJUVENATE THESE LOST MINES
AND MAKE MONEY AT IT?
THE OLD TIMERS
DIDN'T HAVE BIG DOZERS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ROCK TRUCKS,
AND I BELIEVE
WE CAN RETRIEVE THE GOLD
WITH OUR MODERN EQUIPMENT,
HELP THESE FAMILIES OUT,
AND TURN IT INTO A BUSINESS.
WELL, I'VE GOT AN INVESTOR.
HE'S THE MAN WITH THE MONEY,
BUT I'M MAKING THE DECISIONS
ON MINING.
I'M CALLING THE SHOTS.
THAT'S IT,
I'M JUST CALLING THE SHOTS.
♪♪
WE'RE HEADED UP THE YUKON RIVER.
♪♪
GOING TO A PLACE
CALLED DONAHUE CREEK.
I GOT A FRIEND
NAMED ERIC STRETCH
THAT INVITED ME UP
TO DO A LITTLE PROSPECTING
ON HIS GROUND.
♪♪
Narrator:
DAVE'S DRAWN UP A SHORT LIST
OF ABANDONED CLAIMS TO PROSPECT.
HE'S GOT SIX WEEKS OF FUNDING
TO FIND PROFITABLE GROUND,
AND HE'S STARTING IN THE YUKON.
80 MILES BY BOAT
FROM DAWSON CITY
IS THE REMOTE
DONAHUE CREEK CLAIM,
ABANDONED SINCE
THE 1896 GOLD RUSH.
♪♪
THIS COULD BE MY FUTURE
IN MINING RIGHT HERE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GO FIND ERIC.
♪♪
I GOT A LOT OF MINES TO VISIT,
SO I'VE ONLY GOT TWO DAYS
TO ASSESS THIS CLAIM.
HEY, ERIC!
YOU COULDN'T HAVE PICKED
SOME BETTER WEATHER?
OH, BUDDY,
HOW ARE YA, MAN?
HOW'S IT GOING?
GOOD TO SEE YA!
SO HERE WE ARE
AT DONAHUE CREEK.
♪♪
HOW MUCH GROUND
YOU GOT UP HERE?
OH, THERE'S ABOUT
130 CLAIMS.
WELL,
THAT'S PLENTY.
ORIGINALLY, MY DAD HAD
THE CLAIM POSTS STAKED HERE,
AND THEN, HE DROWNED
IN A BOAT ACCIDENT.
OH, OKAY.
I'M SORRY, MAN.
AND I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE
WHAT TO DO,
SO I LET IT GO.
ALRIGHT.
Narrator:
IN THE 19th CENTURY,
30,000 MINERS PULLED
OVER $1 BILLION
FROM THE YUKON BY HAND,
BUT 50 YEARS AGO,
ERIC'S DAD BELIEVED
HE'D FOUND GROUND RICH ENOUGH
TO SUPPORT A MECHANICAL
MINING OPERATION.
IS THIS ALL HAND-DUG?
YEAH, AND IT'S EVEN BIGGER
DOWN THAT WAY.
HOLY COW, WE'VE GOT
AN OLD RIVERBED.
NO WONDER
THE OLD TIMERS WERE HERE.
IN THIS AREA OF DONAHUE CREEK,
A RIVER THAT ERODED GOLD
FROM ROCK FORMATIONS UPSTREAM
CARRIED THE HEAVY METAL
DOWNSTREAM.
♪♪
IT SETTLED ON
WHAT BECAME THE CREEK BED,
CONCENTRATING AROUND
BEDROCK AND BOULDERS.
♪♪
OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS,
THE RIVER RAN DRY
AND LEFT BEHIND A SEDIMENT LAYER
CALLED PLACER.
♪♪
I'M LOOKING FOR THE SIGNS
OF THE RICH GROUND
THAT ERIC'S DAD FOUND.
IT'S FREAKIN' PLACER.
I THINK THERE'S GOLD HERE.
I CAN FEEL IT.
I PULLED SOME SAMPLES
OUT OF THE CREEK BED,
BUT A LOT OF TIMES,
THAT'S JUST THE SURFACE GOLD.
♪♪
WHAT I'M KIND OF LOOKING FOR
IS SOME BIG ROCKS.
THERE SHOULD BE GOLD
AROUND THAT.
OH, THERE'S A BIG ROCK.
OH, YEAH!
COME ON, BABY!
SO FAR, SO GOOD. I'M PLEASED
WITH WHAT I'M SEEING.
SO, LET'S PAN IT IN THE MORNING.
IT'S STARTING TO GET DARK.
SOUND GOOD?
OKAY.
♪♪
IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.
SINCE GOLD RUSH,
I'VE LOST MY IDENTITY.
I LOST MY FRIENDS.
♪♪
I'VE TRIED TO REPAIR
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS,
BUT IT HASN'T BEEN EASY.
♪♪
IN THE BEGINNING,
WE WERE A TIGHT-KNIT CREW.
WE LOVED HANGING OUT TOGETHER,
BUT AS IT PROGRESSED,
TODD STARTED TAKING
MORE OF THE CONTROL
AND WE STARTED TO LOSE
THAT FAMILY ATTITUDE.
♪♪
I'VE GOT A LOT TO PROVE
TO MYSELF.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE GUY
THAT ALWAYS GETS BACK UP,
GETS BACK IN THE FIGHT,
PUTS HIS BOOTS ON,
AND GOES TO WORK, AND HERE I AM.
WE'RE GONNA GO GET SOME GOLD
IN A PAN, SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
Narrator:
TO DECIDE WHETHER DONAHUE CREEK
IS WORTH HIS INVESTMENT,
DAVE MUST TEST
THE DIRT HE DUG LAST NIGHT.
IT'S SO REMOTE,
I CAN'T BRING IN A TEST PLANT,
SO ALL WE CAN DO IS
MAKESHIFT THE SLUICE,
USE THE WATER FROM THE STREAM,
JUST LIKE THE OLD TIMERS DID.
Dave:
ALRIGHT, YOU READY?
OH, YEAH.
WELL, IT LOOKS HEAVY.
YEAH,
IT'S PRETTY HEAVY.
[ LAUGHS ]
THIS IS A PRIMITIVE
WASH PLANT RIGHT HERE.
IT'S ALL BY HAND.
Narrator: PROSPECTORS ASSESS
THE QUALITY OF GROUND
IN DOLLARS OF GOLD PER YARD,
AND AT EACH MINE DAVE VISITS,
HE'S LOOKING FOR A SAMPLE
THAT PROVES
HE CAN COVER HIS MINING COSTS
AND MAKE A PROFIT.
Dave: BY THE TIME YOU GET
YOUR EQUIPMENT IN HERE,
YOU COULD EASILY BE
A MILLION DOLLARS INTO THIS
JUST FOR SETTING UP.
SO THIS GROUND
AT DONAHUE HAS TO BE
THE BEST GROUND I'VE EVER SEEN.
I'M HOPING TO SEE $75 A YARD,
THEN I CAN START
MAKING SOME MONEY.
YOU KEEP
YOUR SAMPLE SIZE CONSISTENT,
AND THEN YOU CAN START
FIGURING OUT DOLLARS PER YARD.
Eric: DAVE,
YOU DO THE HONORS.
ALRIGHT.
GOOD LUCK.
WE'LL SEE
WHAT THIS PAN DOES.
♪♪
I'M SEEING SOME GOLD,
ERIC.
FOUR, FIVE, SIX,
SEVEN, EIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW,
17, 18.
♪♪
I THINK IT'S $30 A YARD.
IT'S GOOD
IF I WAS CLOSE TO TOWN,
BUT THIS FAR OUT, I NEED
ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT I'M SEEING.
IT JUST DOESN'T WORK
FOR ME.
THAT CUTS TO THE CHASE
RIGHT AWAY.
Eric: I'D LIKE TO SEE
SOMETHING HAPPEN,
BUT IT'S LOCATION,
LOCATION, LOCATION.
PEOPLE FIND THIS TOO REMOTE.
♪♪
Dave:
WELL, THIS COULD WORK FOR ERIC.
HE'S GOT THE EQUIPMENT
FOR A ONE-MAN OPERATION.
FOR ME, IT'S ON TO
THE NEXT MINE.
I'M NOT GONNA STOP UNTIL
I FIND THE RIGHT ONE.
♪♪
Narrator: WITH HIS LEAD
IN THE YUKON A BUST,
DAVE IS NOW FOCUSING
ON GOLD REGIONS
HE HAS LESS EXPERIENCE MINING.
♪♪
I SPENT SO MUCH TIME
IN THE YUKON IN MY CAREER,
BUT NOW I'M GONNA GO
GOLD MINING IN THE LOWER 48.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY.
MAYBE IT'S NOT
THE RIGHT KIND OF GROUND.
MAYBE IT'S NOT ENOUGH GOLD,
BUT I KNOW THERE'S
SOME LOST TREASURE.
I BELIEVE I CAN DO THIS,
AND THAT'S WHY I'M ALL IN.
♪♪
THIS ROAD IS --
GEEZ!
I DON'T EVEN KNOW
IF YOU'D BE ABLE
TO GET EQUIPMENT IN HERE
ON THESE ROADS.
Narrator:
DAVE'S LINED UP FOUR MINES
IN GOLD-RICH NEVADA.
THE FIRST IS 10 MILES
DOWN A DIRT TRACK,
OUTSIDE THE HUMBOLDT RANGE.
♪♪
MARBLE ROCK HAS NO ACCESS
TO WATER,
MAKING CONVENTIONAL MINING
DIFFICULT,
BUT IT IS RUMORED
TO BE RICH IN NUGGETS.
SO DAVE'S BROUGHT ALONG
GEOLOGIST CLARK JAMES.
WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF
THIS WHOLE SCENARIO HERE?
WELL, SO WE'RE GONNA
GO SEE JASON SANCHEZ.
HE STARTED PROSPECTING
WITH HIS METAL DETECTOR,
AND LO AND BEHOLD,
HE FOUND A BUNCH OF GOLD.
19th-CENTURY MINERS
ABANDONED MARBLE ROCK
WHEN THE NUGGETS BECAME
TOO SMALL TO SPOT BY EYE,
BUT SINCE 2017,
JASON SANCHEZ STARTED MAKING
A 1,400-MILE ROUND TRIP
FROM MONTANA BY CAR
TO REOPEN THE MINE.
IT'S GOT
A HELL OF A HOLE HERE.
HEY, JASON!
JASON SANCHEZ,
NICE TO MEET YOU.
GOOD TO MEET YOU,
MAN.
I'D LOVE TO GET HOME
TO THE WIFE AND KIDS.
THIS IS TOO FAR.
3/4 OF EVERY MONTH
HAS BEEN SPENT HERE,
DAYLIGHT TO DARK.
I WANT TO SEE SOME GOLD COME
OUT OF THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHAT
I WANT TO SEE.
ME, TOO.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
LET'S GO FIND
SOME NUGGETS.
♪♪
HE'S OUT HERE
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
PULLING NUGGETS OUT
TO FEED HIS FAMILY.
THAT TAKES A PRETTY SPECIAL GUY.
I THINK
I JUST HEARD A HIT.
[ METAL DETECTOR WHINES ]
DUDE!
YOU GOT ONE?
LET ME SEE.
BOOM,
THAT'S A NICE ONE THERE.
RIGHT, BUT THIS IS
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
OH, YOU'VE GOT
TO BE KIDDING ME.
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
RIGHT HERE,
RIGHT FROM THIS SPOT.
OH, MY GOSH, I'VE NEVER SEEN
A NUGGET THAT BIG BEFORE.
NEITHER HAD I.
WHOO!
IF DAVE DOESN'T BUY, THERE'S
SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM.
I MEAN, HOW YOU GONNA PULL DIRT
OFF THE GROUND 20 MINUTES,
STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP,
CHA CHING, CHA CHING,
AND THEN GO,
"UH, I DON'T WANT IT."
Dave: I JUST CAN'T MAKE
A DECISION BASED ON NUGGETS.
IT'S GOLD FEVER,
AND I GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
♪♪
♪♪
WHAT IN THE WORLD!
Narrator: DAVE TURIN'S LOOKING
FOR A GOLD-RICH
ABANDONED MINE TO REOPEN.
I JUST CAN'T MAKE A DECISION
BASED ON NUGGETS.
IT'S GOLD FEVER,
AND I GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
Narrator:
AND EVEN THOUGH NEVADA'S
MARBLE ROCK CLAIM
IS LOOKING GOOD,
HE NEEDS TO BE CERTAIN.
WELL, EVERYTHING'S HERE.
YOU'VE GOT ALL THE INDICATIONS.
JASON'S FINDING NUGGETS.
WE'VE GOT SAND
AND GRAVEL AT BEDROCK.
DO WE HAVE ANY WATER THAT
WE COULD WASH THIS GRAVEL WITH?
WATER IS VERY,
VERY SCARCE.
YOU GOT WELL OVER
TWO MILES TO PUMP.
Narrator:
WITH NO WATER
TO RUN
A CONVENTIONAL WASH PLANT,
DAVE'S BROUGHT SOME
CUSTOM TECH TO TRY OUT.
CHECK THIS OUT,
YOU GUYS.
I GOT THIS LITTLE --
IT'S A DRY WASH PLANT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
DON'T BE LAUGHING
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION.
Clark:
DUDE, THAT'S CUTE.
SO HERE'S THE DEAL.
THIS IS GONNA CAPTURE
THE FINE GOLD.
SURE HOPE SO,
DAVE.
YOU GONNA BE HERE
FOR A WHILE, BUDDY.
WELL,
LET'S TRY IT.
Dave: THIS IS THE SMALLEST PLANT
I'VE EVER STARTED,
BUT IF WE CAN SEPARATE GOLD
WITHOUT WATER IN THE DESERT,
IT'S WORTH A TRY.
THERE SHE GOES.
BRING ME
SOME MATERIAL!
[ GRUNTING ]
THESE ARE HEAVY.
Narrator:
DAVE'S HOPING THE DRY WASH PLANT
WILL PROVE THE GROUNDED MARBLE
ROCK IS WORTH INVESTING IN.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH
FINE GOLD'S IN THE GROUND.
IF THERE'S $30 A YARD
AND YOU PUT THE NUGGETS
ON TOP OF THAT,
I CAN MAKE MONEY AT THAT.
♪♪
THAT'S IT, THIS IS THE LAST
BUCKET RIGHT HERE, YOU GUYS.
THAT'S IT?YEP, THAT'S IT.
♪♪
WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL THIS
CONCENTRATE AND FIND SOME WATER,
AND THEN
WE'LL PAN IT OUT.
♪♪
IT ALL COMES DOWN
TO THIS.
♪♪
COOL.
THERE'S A LOT
RIDING ON THIS.
COME ON, GOLD,
SHOW UP.
♪♪
WHOA!LOOK AT THAT, YOU GUYS.
THAT'S GOLD.OH, MY GOSH.
THE GOOD NEWS IS
THE DRY WASH PLANT CAUGHT THAT,
AND THOSE ARE...
PRETTY DECENT.
...SIZABLE PIECES
OF GOLD RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S A FULL YARD
OF DIRT.
PLUS NUGGETS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I THINK THIS IS
20 BUCKS A YARD.
THIS IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST
DECISIONS I'VE EVER MADE.
UM...
BOTTOM LINE...
I'M GONNA PASS.
IT'S GREAT GOLD,
BUT FOR ME,
I'M GONNA PASS.
I DON'T --
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
♪♪
WE'RE TWO MILES FROM
THE NEAREST WATER.
YOU GOT TO BRING WATER IN HERE,
OR YOU GOT TO BUILD
A CUSTOM-DESIGNED
DRY WASH PLANT.
TO GO BIG,
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
I CAN'T GO TO THE INVESTORS
AND ASK FOR A MILLION DOLLARS
TO START THIS UP.
I THINK IT WORKS
FOR A TWO-MAN CREW.
SMALL MACHINE.
I GET IT.
I UNDERSTAND
YOUR POINT,
BUT IT HAS TO BE HARD
WALKING AWAY FROM THAT GOLD.
IT'S JUST NOT
GONNA WORK FOR ME.
SORRY, MAN.
I GOT TO LIVE
WITH IT.
GOOD LUCK.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU,
DAVE.
♪♪
HE'S GOT TO BE OUT OF
HIS [BLEEP] DAMN MIND.
CAN YOU THROW THAT
IN THERE?
THAT WAS A REALLY HARD DECISION.
IT WAS A LOT OF GOLD.
♪♪
Narrator: DAVE STAYS IN
THE SILVER STATE ANOTHER WEEK
TO PROSPECT TWO MORE MINES
ON HIS LIST,
STARTING FIVE MILES OUTSIDE
THE TOWN OF YERINGTON.
THIS IS IT, BIG CANYON MINE.
WE'VE GOT TO FIND GROUND
THAT HAS GOLD IN IT
AND RUN IT THROUGH THAT PLANT.
Narrator: DAVE TESTS A RIVERBED
THE OLD TIMERS
HAVE LEFT UNTOUCHED
SINCE THE 1930s.
WE NEEDED 2/3 OF AN OUNCE
FOR THAT 80 YARDS,
BUT I DON'T THINK
WE GOT IT.
Dave: THERE'S JUST NO GOLD
IN THE GROUND,
AND I CAN'T FIX THAT.
Narrator: AFTER STRIKING OUT
AT BIG CANYON,
DAVE HEADS TO THE EPICENTER
OF THE NEVADA GOLD RUSH,
THREE MILES OUTSIDE
VIRGINIA CITY...
HOLY CRAP.
THIS WAS ONE
BIG DREDGE THAT DID ALL THIS.
Narrator: ...CHASING
VIRGIN GROUND LEFT BEHIND
WHEN A DREDGING OPERATION
MYSTERIOUSLY CHANGED COURSE.
Dave: THIS TESTING STUFF'S
GETTING OLD.
ALL I'VE BEEN DOING
IS SPENDING MONEY.
I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S HALF A GRAM.
I NEEDED HALF A GRAM
IN THAT YARD TO MAKE THIS WORK.
MAYBE THE REASON
THAT DREDGE TURNED
WAS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T
ENOUGH GOLD IN THIS.
♪♪
SO A LOT OF THESE MINES
THAT I'M LOOKING AT,
THEY QUIT IN 1940.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WANTED
ALL THE ABLE-BODIED MEN
TO QUIT GOLD MINING,
AND THEY ALL GO OFF
TO WORLD WAR II.
A LOT OF 'EM NEVER RETURNED.
THEY WERE ACTIVE,
PROFITABLE MINES.
THAT GOLD'S STILL SITTING THERE.
MAYBE I CAN GO FIND IT.
A DEAD MAN'S GOLD.
THAT SOUNDS KIND OF MORBID.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: WITH HIS OPTIONS
IN THE DESERT RUNNING DRY,
DAVE HAS ONE LAST MINE
TO VISIT IN NEVADA.
♪♪
I'M ON MY WAY TO MEET
A GUY NAMED CHRIS TAYLOR.
HE THINKS HE'S SITTING
ON A LOT OF GOLD,
AND HE'S LOOKING
FOR AN INVESTOR.
♪♪
Narrator: DAVE'S HEADED
10 MILES OUT OF IMLAY
TO THE WILLOW CREEK MINE.
♪♪
WITH GOOD ACCESS ROADS,
AND A SPRING-FED WATER SOURCE,
THIS CLAIM IS
A PLACER MINER'S DREAM.
♪♪
HEY, CHRIS!
Chris: DAVE!
GOOD TO SEE YA.
ONE THING I'VE NEVER SEEN
IN NEVADA DESERT
IS THIS MUCH WATER.
IT'S AN OASIS!
Chris: WILLOW CREEK
WAS DISCOVERED,
I GUESS BACK IN 1924
WHEN AN OLD COWBOY
WAS UP ON TOP
OF THIS RANGE RIGHT HERE.
HE FOUND
A 90-OUNCE NUGGET.
8 INCHES WIDE,
18 INCHES LONG.
90-OUNCE!
90 OUNCES.
BY THE TIME NEVADA'S MINERS
WENT TO WAR IN 1941,
WILLOW CREEK HAD BEEN
STRIPPED OF NUGGETS,
BUT CHRIS HAS EVIDENCE
THEY LEFT BEHIND AN ABUNDANCE
OF VERY FINE GOLD,
KNOWN AS FLOUR GOLD.
WE'VE DONE ASSET REPORTS
IN A LAB,
AND THEY COME BACK
THREE TO SIX GRAMS A YARD.
IF THERE'S THIS KIND
OF GOLD IN HERE,
WHY HAVEN'T YOU
BEEN MINING IT?
MY BUSINESS PARTNER
STOLE $20 MILLION
FROM ABOUT 100
DIFFERENT FAMILIES.
♪♪
YOU KNOW, MY DAD
GOT TAKEN ABOUT $800,000.
DAMN, CHRIS,
THAT'S ROUGH.
IT'S PROBABLY DESTROYED
A LOT OF YOUR DAD'S RETIREMENT.
RETIREMENT?
HE'S STRUGGLING
TO STAY IN HIS HOUSE.
MAYBE WE CAN GET
SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK.
♪♪
LOOKING GOOD!
Narrator: DAVE'S RUNNING
FIVE YARDS OF PAY DIRT
TO SEE IF HIS MINING INVESTMENT
LIES AT WILLOW CREEK.
Dave:
I LIKE THIS PLACE.
WE GOT WATER IN THE DESERT.
IT'S PRETTY EASY
TO GET IN HERE AND SET UP.
Narrator:
DAVE HAS ONE PROBLEM.
A WASH PLANT SEPARATES
MATERIAL BY WEIGHT,
AND FLOUR GOLD
IS EXTREMELY LIGHT.
♪♪
AFTER THE LARGE ROCKS
AND GRAVEL ARE REMOVED,
THE GOLD-RICH MATERIAL
ENTERS THE SLUICE BOX.
HEAVIER FLAKES OF GOLD
ARE TRAPPED
BY METAL RIFFLES
AND SINK INTO MATS,
BUT THE LIGHTER PARTICLES
OF FLOUR GOLD
CAN SOMETIMES WASH
RIGHT THROUGH THE SLUICE,
AND VALUABLE GOLD IS LOST
IN THE TAILINGS.
♪♪
AFTER THIS TEST,
WE SHOULD SEE ENOUGH GOLD
FOR HIM TO INVEST
AND START TURNING
SOME LIVES AROUND.
Dave: THIS IS IT. IT'S GOT TO BE
IN THE SLUICE BOX.
LET'S PULL THE MATS OUT,
SEE WHAT WE GET.
I REALLY HOPE AND PRAY
THERE'S GOLD HERE
SO WE CAN HELP CHRIS OUT.
♪♪
♪♪
Dave: I REALLY HOPE AND PRAY
THERE'S GOLD HERE
SO WE CAN HELP CHRIS OUT.
Narrator:
DAVE TURIN IS PANNING PAY DIRT
AT WILLOW CREEK...
Dave: I'D LOVE TO SEE
$25 TO $30 A YARD HERE.
...TO DETERMINE
IF THERE'S ENOUGH GOLD
TO SET UP A MINING OPERATION.
IT'S VERY HARD TO
CLEAN THIS GOLD UP
BECAUSE THAT FLOUR GOLD
WANTS TO GO OUT
WITH THE BLACK SAND
AS I'M PANNING IT DOWN.
♪♪
I JUST DON'T WANT
TO LOSE ANY OF IT.
WELL, THAT'S THE TRICKY PART
ABOUT IT.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
WELL, LOOK AT THAT NICE
LITTLE PICKER RIGHT THERE.
FROM MY EXPERIENCE,
JUST LOOKING AT THAT,
I THINK YOU GOT ABOUT
A GRAM AND A HALF.
Dave:
$12 A YARD.
I NEED $25 A YARD.
[ SIGHS ] OKAY.
THERE MAY BE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH
OF FLOUR GOLD HERE,
BUT FOR ME,
I'VE GOT TO CAPTURE IT
WITH MY SLUICE BOX.
I CAN'T DO IT.
I UNDERSTAND.
IT'S JUST NOT
WORTH IT FOR ME.
BUSINESS IS BUSINESS.
I UNDERSTAND.
BUT I DO HAVE
A PROPOSAL FOR YA.
WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO DO
IS KEEP WORKING WITH YA.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER
COMING TO WORK FOR ME
IF I FIND
SOME GOOD GROUND?
REALLY?
I'M SERIOUS, MAN.
WELL,
I APPRECIATE THAT, DAVE.
I APPRECIATE YA.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
♪♪
Dave:
I HAVE TO MOVE ON.
I'VE BEEN RUNNING AROUND NEVADA,
AND I CANNOT
HANG ON HERE ANYMORE.
IT'S TIME FOR ME TO FIND A MINE
THAT WILL PRODUCE
AND START MAKING SOME MONEY.
♪♪
Narrator: HALFWAY THROUGH
HIS SIX-WEEK SEARCH,
DAVE'S SEEKING ADVICE
FROM AN OLD FRIEND.
DOZER DAVE!
FREDDY!
SO HOW'VE YOU BEEN
SINCE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN
WORKING WITH TODD?
YOU STAYING BUSY?
YEAH,
I'M REAL BUSY.
WHAT I'VE DONE
IS I'VE JOINED UP
WITH A GROUP
OF INVESTORS.
I'M TRYING TO FIND
A PLACE THAT I CAN MINE
IN THE LOWER 48.
YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT,
AND YOU PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE,
THAT THERE'S NOT MUCH LEFT
THAT'S EASY.
YEAH,
I GOT TA MAKE MONEY.
I MEAN, I DON'T REALLY
HAVE A SECOND CHANCE.
THERE'S TIMES, FRED,
I DON'T KNOW
IF I'M DOING
THE RIGHT THING.
MAYBE I SHOULD'VE STAYED
WITH MY FAMILY BUSINESS.
RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW.
♪♪
YOU KNOW JUST
BETTER THAN ANYBODY, DAVE,
JUST DO YOUR HOMEWORK
ON THE GROUND.
YOU GET IN THERE
AND THERE'S SOME UNKNOWNS
THAT JUST SHUT YOU DOWN.
IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN JUST JUMP INTO EASILY,
BUT IF ANYBODY CAN DO IT,
YOU CAN, DAVE.
WELL, THANKS, FREDDY.
IF YOU FIND ANY GROUND
THAT I CAN MINE, LET ME KNOW.
IF I FIND SOME,
I WON'T GIVE IT TO YA.
I'LL KEEP IT MYSELF.
YOU'LL KEEP IT YOURSELF
AND YOU WON'T EVEN TELL ME,
WILL YA,
YOU SON OF A [BLEEP]
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
Dave: I LOVE FREDDY.
HE'S GIVEN ME SOME GOOD ADVICE.
I'M GONNA KEEP LOOKING.
I'M NOT DONE YET.
♪♪
Freddy: WELL, I HOPE DAVE
SUCCEEDS AT WHAT HE'S DOING.
CHANCES ARE HE WILL
BECAUSE DAVE'S A SMART GUY.
♪♪
Dave:
WELL, I'M HEADED TO THE CENTER
OF THE FIRST GOLD RUSH
IN MONTANA.
I HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE
MY OWN HISTORY HERE.
♪♪
Narrator:
DAVE IS HEADING TO MONTANA
IN A CLAIM JUST OUTSIDE BANNACK
THAT HIS INVESTOR ALREADY OWNS,
WHERE A LOCAL MINER
BELIEVES HE'S LOCATED
THE LAST VIRGIN GROUND
AT GRASSHOPPER CREEK.
♪♪
HEY, JESSE?
YOU MUST BE
DOZER DAVE.
I AM.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
ALRIGHT, GLAD TO MEET YA!YOU, TOO!
HELLO, DAVE.
I'M ROY.
HI. HI, ROY.
NICE TO MEET YA.
SAME HERE.
WHAT DO WE GOT
GOING HERE?
WELL, THIS IS WHERE THEY DID
ALL THE PROCESSING.
I LOVE HISTORY,
SO LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK.
ALRIGHT,
LET'S DO IT, ROY.
♪♪
Narrator:
IN 1862, A HUGE GOLD DEPOSIT
WAS DISCOVERED
AT GRASSHOPPER CREEK.
THE RICH GROUND
TRANSFORMED BANNACK
INTO A BOOM TOWN.
♪♪
THIS IS AMAZING.
I MEAN, LOOK AT THIS.
THESE BUILDINGS ARE STILL
STANDING FROM THE 1860s?
YEAH.
Narrator:
WHEN THE GOLD RAN DRY,
THE TOWN WAS DESERTED,
BUT THEY LEFT BEHIND ONE SPOT
OF VIRGIN GROUND RUMORED TO BE
TOO DANGEROUS TO DIG.
HOLY CRAP,
JESSE!
THIS IS IT.
♪♪
BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO
THROUGH 30 FEET OF WATER,
THEN YOU'RE GONNA
HAVE TO DIG
ANOTHER 20 FEET
TO GET TO BEDROCK.
SO YOU THINK
YOU CAN HANDLE THAT?
♪♪
Dave:
THAT'S A LOT OF WATER.
A LOT OF WATER,
AND AS YOU'RE SUCKING IT OUT,
IT'S COMING IN,
SO YOU'RE GONNA
HAVE TO HAVE A FAST PUMP.
WITH THE POND CONSTANTLY FED
AND FILLED BY NATURAL SPRINGS,
DAVE FACES A HUGE TASK
GETTING TO THE BOTTOM
TO TEST THE GROUND BENEATH.
♪♪
Dave: THIS WATER RIGHT HERE'S
MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE.
IF THERE'S MORE WATER
COMING IN ON TOP OF ME
THAN THE PUMP WILL HANDLE,
IT'S OVER.
YOU CAN LOSE A MACHINE,
YOU CAN LOSE A PUMP.
I MEAN, IT'S SCARY.
THIS COULD BE BAD.
THE GOLD'S RIGHT THERE.
♪♪
FIRST DAY AT GRASSHOPPER CREEK.
HERE WE GO.
Narrator: DAVE'S PLANNED
A FIVE-DAY OPERATION
TO GET DOWN TO THE POND BED.
Jesse:
IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH.
I'M WISHING HIM LUCK,
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
Narrator:
THIS EIGHT-INCH PUMP
CAN SHIFT 2,000 GALLONS
OF WATER PER MINUTE
AND IS PART OF
THE $30,000 INVESTMENT.
THAT SHOULD DO IT.
I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT
THAT'S ENOUGH PUMP
TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROUNDWATER.
ALRIGHT, JESSE,
SAY A LITTLE PRAYER.
♪♪
ALRIGHT,
WE'RE PUMPING WATER!
FIRST STEP OF GRASSHOPPER CREEK
WAS GETTING A PUMP SET.
I WANT TO GET TO THAT GOLD.
♪♪
Narrator: FIVE DAYS LATER,
AND DAVE IS BACK TO SEE
IF HE'S SPENT
HIS INVESTOR'S MONEY WISELY.
♪♪
Dave:
IT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
I'VE NOT SLEPT MUCH AT ALL.
♪♪
WHOO! YEAH!
WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM.
IT'S LOOKING GOOD.
HIGH AND DRY!
♪♪
Narrator: DAVE'S INVESTORS
WON'T SPEND ANY MORE CASH
GETTING TO BEDROCK UNLESS
THE POND BED PROMISES MORE GOLD
20 FEET FURTHER DOWN.
♪♪
HERE'S OUR
MINI TEST TROMMEL.
IT RUNS OFF A LITTLE GAS ENGINE,
COUPLE BELTS.
WOW,
THAT'S PRETTY COOL.
DAVE'S RUNNING 41 BUCKETS,
CLOSE TO A FULL YARD OF DIRT.
♪♪
THAT ONE MUST HAVE GOLD IN IT.
IT IS HEAVIER.
Dave:
WE ARE 30 MINUTES FROM A TOWN,
SO WE CAN GET FUEL
UP HERE CHEAP,
WE CAN GET ALL OUR SUPPLIES
UP HERE,
SO IF THAT'S 20 BUCKS A YARD,
WE CAN MAKE MONEY AT THAT.
♪♪
ALRIGHT, BOYS, LET'S HOPE
WE SEE SOME GOLD, ROY.
[ WATER SPLASHING ]
I NEED THIS BAD.
♪♪
WHAT'S THAT
RIGHT THERE?
Roy:
HOLY CRAP, LOOK THERE.
Jesse: WHOA,
LOOK AT THAT.
I'M STARTING
TO GET GOOSEBUMPS.
♪♪
[ CHEERING ]
THAT'S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD,
HUH, BUDDY?
Dave:
IT'S PROBABLY 20 BUCKS A YARD.
THAT'S GOOD MATERIAL.
THAT'S A LOT OF GOLD.
MAYBE DAVE'S GONNA
MAKE HIS FORTUNE HERE.
THERE'S GONNA BE THE
YELLOW BRICK ROAD DOWN THERE,
I PROMISE YA.
41 BUCKETS,
GOOD JOB.
YEAH.
GOOD JOB, ROY!I'M HAPPY WITH THAT.
Narrator: DAVE HAS FINALLY
FOUND THE GROUND
HE WANTS TO MINE,
AND WITH HIS INVESTOR
ALREADY OWNING THE CLAIM,
NOTHING STANDS IN HIS WAY.
I'M READY TO GO.
I'M WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK.
WHOO! YEAH!
♪♪
Narrator: COMING UP,
DAVE'S MINING OPERATION
AT GRASSHOPPER CREEK
GETS UNDERWAY.
THIS IS IT. THIS IS GO TIME.
Narrator:
BUT TROUBLE AHEAD
COULD LEAVE DAVE'S SEASON
IN RUINS.
I CAN'T FREAKIN' BELIEVE IT.
THAT'S [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
♪♪
Dave:
IT'S PROBABLY 20 BUCKS A YARD.
THAT'S GOOD MATERIAL.
Narrator:
AFTER FOUR WEEKS OF SEARCHING,
DAVE UNCOVERED VIRGIN GROUND
AT HIS INVESTOR'S CLAIM.
[ CHEERING ]
HAVING FINISHED PROSPECTING
TWO WEEKS EARLY,
DAVE BELIEVES
HE'S BOUGHT ENOUGH TIME
TO GET GRASSHOPPER CREEK'S
LOST GOLD
BEFORE WINTER SETS IN.
Dave: I'M STAYING HERE UNTIL
THE WEATHER RUNS ME OUT OF HERE
BECAUSE I WANT TO GET
TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT,
SEE WHAT'S THERE, AND SLUICE IT.
Narrator: DAVE SPENT THE LAST
OF HIS INVESTOR'S $30,000 BUDGET
HIRING A CREW FROM MINERS
HE'S MET ALONG HIS JOURNEY.
WE PUT A MAN ON THE MOON,
WE OUT TO BE ABLE TO PULL
GOLD OUT OF THE GROUND, RIGHT?
Narrator: JOINING MONTANA NATIVE
JASON SANCHEZ
IS CHRIS TAYLOR,
FRESH FROM WILLOW CREEK, NEVADA.
I'VE BEEN TOLD
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TRIED
FOR OVER 50 YEARS NOW.
THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THE BOTTOM.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA SEE
THE BOTTOM.
Narrator: COMPLETING THE CREW
IS LOCAL MINER JESSE GOINS.
FIRE IT UP,
JESSE.
ALRIGHT.
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
I'M NOT GOING AFTER THE BEST
OPERATORS IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
I WOULD RATHER HAVE
A PERSON THAT I RESPECT
AND THEY RESPECT ME,
AND THEN WE FORMULATE A CREW.
YOU KNOW,
WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER.
♪♪
I'M HOPING THERE'S
MILLIONS OF YEARS OF GOLD
THAT SETTLED RIGHT THERE
AND I'M GOING TO GET IT.
Narrator:
DAVE HAS SUCCESSFULLY PUMPED
30 FEET OF WATER FROM THE POND
AND TAKEN A SAMPLE FROM THE BED.
NOW HE NEEDS JASON AND CHRIS
TO DIG 20 FEET DOWN
THROUGH UNSTABLE WET GROUND
TO PAY DIRT
THAT HAS EVADED MINERS
FOR OVER A CENTURY.
♪♪
[ MACHINERY SPUTTERING ]
MAN, I'M LIKE A KID
IN A CANDY STORE
WHEN IT COMES TO THIS [BLEEP]
♪♪
Dave:
WE'RE GETTING THERE.
[ MACHINERY CLANKING ]
IT'S NICE TO HAVE ANOTHER
OPERATOR NOW THAT JASON'S HERE
AND HE CAN HELP CARRY
SOME OF THE LOAD.
Narrator: TO REMOVE THE 20 FEET
OF OVERBURDEN,
JASON WILL HAVE TO EXCAVATE
1,200 TONS OF DIRT
FOR CHRIS TO REMOVE
IN THE LOADER.
Dave:
THE NICE THING ABOUT CHRIS,
KIND OF INEXPERIENCED AT MINING,
BUT HE'S WILLING TO LEARN.
I LOVE GUYS THAT ARE PASSIONATE
ABOUT WORKING.
♪♪
Jason: WHEN YOU LOOK
THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
WHETHER IT'S NEW-AGE MINERS
LIKE US
OR THE OLD SCHOOL '49ERS,
SAME PROBLEM --
EITHER LACK OF WATER
OR TOO DAMN MUCH WATER.
AND RIGHT NOW WE FIND OURSELVES
AGAINST TOO MUCH WATER.
Narrator:
THE WET GROUND IS SLOWING DOWN
DAVE'S PLAN OF REACHING BEDROCK.
Dave:
AS JASON'S DIGGING,
HE TAKES TWO SCOOPS OUT
AND ONE SLOUGHS IN.
IT'S TOO SLOW.
I GOT TO GO TO THE INVESTOR.
♪♪
HEY, RICH.
I GOT TO BRING IN
A BIGGER EXCAVATOR,
I GOT TO DIG DEEPER.
I NEED 80 GRAND.
♪♪
GIVE ME TWO WEEKS,
I'LL BE ON BEDROCK.
I'LL GET YOUR MONEY BACK,
EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE FINE.
RICH, HAVE SOME FAITH IN ME.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR AWHILE.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO --
THAT'S IT?
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY, I'LL DO IT.
ALL RIGHT, BYE.
CAN'T FRICKIN' BELIEVE IT.
♪♪
HE JUST PULLED US OUT.
THAT'S [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
♪♪
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
IF YOU GET TO THIS POINT,
IT TAKES ANOTHER $80,000
TO GET
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HOLE,
AND WE START MAKING MONEY.
WHY NOT TAKE THE RISK?
BUT THE MAN WITH THE MONEY
MAKES THE DECISIONS.
♪♪
I GOT SOME BAD NEWS,
YOU GUYS.
I JUST TALKED TO THE INVESTORS,
AND HE'S LIKE,
"WINTER'S SETTING IN,
IT'S TOO MUCH MONEY.
PACK YOUR [BLEEP] UP
AND GET OUT OF HERE."
YOU HAVE GOT
TO BE [BLEEP] ME.
IT'S MONTANA.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER,
WAIT 10 MINUTES.
COME ON,
MAN.
♪♪
[BLEEP] THAT.
SO NOW WHAT?
I DON'T KNOW,
JASON.
I MEAN, I'M NOT GONNA INVEST
MY OWN MONEY IN THIS.
IT'S THE INVESTORS' LAND,
IT'S THEIR CLAIMS,
IT'S THEIR DEAL.
WELL,
THAT'S COOL.
ALL I KNOW IS WE'RE
PACKING OUR [BLEEP] UP.
WE GOT TO GET THE PUMP BACK
TO THE PLACE AND WE'RE DONE.
WE'RE LOADING THIS STUFF UP,
MOVING IT OUT.
SO WE JUST WALK AWAY
LOOKING LIKE FAILURES?
♪♪
WE'RE DONE.
♪♪
THIS IS TOUGH.
IT FEELS LIKE I FAILED.
I BROUGHT A GROUP OF GUYS
WHO GAVE UP A LOT TO BE HERE.
NOW WE'RE HOMELESS.
WE HAVE NO MINE.
WE HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
♪♪
IT'S LIKE,
GAH, WE'RE RIGHT THERE!
♪♪
YOU KNOW, I'D STAY ON.
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ME.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE
WHAT'S IN THE BOTTOM OF THAT.
♪♪
I SWORE I'D NEVER WORK
FOR THE MAN AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, I WORKED
FOR TODD HOFFMAN,
AND A LOT OF TIMES, I NEVER
AGREED WITH HIS DECISIONS.
TWO YEARS LATER,
IT FEELS LIKE I'M RIGHT BACK
IN THE SAME SPOT,
BUT I VOW IT'S NOT
GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN.
I'M NOT GONNA LET SOMEBODY
TELL ME HOW TO DO MY JOB
WHEN I KNOW BETTER THAN THEM.
♪♪
Narrator: THE TIME
DAVE GAVE HIMSELF TO PROSPECT
IS ALMOST UP,
AND HE'S BACK
AT THE TURIN FAMILY QUARRY
WITH A BIG DECISION TO MAKE.
♪♪
HEY, DAD.HI, DAVE, HOW YOU DOING?
I'M GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
I'M OKAY.
HOW'S BUSINESS?
WELL, IT'S PRETTY GOOD.
PRETTY BUSY.
♪♪
I'VE HAD
A ROUGH WEEK.
I WAS JUST LOOKING
FOR SOME ADVICE.
I'M TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT
WHETHER I MINE
FOR THE INVESTOR
OR I MINE
ON MY OWN.
THAT'S ALL YOU?
IT'S ALL
MY OWN MONEY.
THAT'S A TOUGH DECISION.
MINING IS NOT ALWAYS
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL THING
IN THE WORLD
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND.
AND THAT'S A TOUGH,
TOUGH BATTLE.
BUT IF I WERE YOU,
I'D GO ON YOUR OWN.
THAT'S WHAT
I THOUGHT YOU'D SAY
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT
YOU'D DO, RIGHT?
YEAH, I WOULD.
YOU TOOK A BIG RISK
WHEN YOU QUIT
TEACHING AND COACHING
AND YOU HAD
SIX LITTLE KIDS
AND YOU STARTED
THIS BUSINESS.
I DID,
AND THEN I PUT YOU TO WORK.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
IF YOU FAIL,
YOU CAN GO ON,
BUT THAT'S
THE WAY IT IS.
WE FAIL
AT A LOT OF THINGS,
AND FAILURE SOMETIMES
IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE
YOU CAN HAVE.
ONE THING YOU DID TEACH US,
IF YOU DO FAIL,
PUT YOUR BOOTS ON
AND YOU GET BACK TO WORK, RIGHT?
GET BACK TO WORK.
YEP.
YOU BET.
I THINK IT WAS GOOD ADVICE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
IT ISGOOD ADVICE.
WELL, THAT'S IT.
I'M OFF TO MAKE
SOME PHONE CALLS.
I'M GONNA FIND A MINE.
IT'S ALL UP TO ME NOW.
♪♪
LET'S GO
TO THOSE ROCKS UP HERE.
Dave: FAMILY'S THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING.
THE AMOUNT OF GOLD YOU GET,
IT DON'T MATTER.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE FAMILY,
IT'S NOT THE SAME.
♪♪
Micaiah: FISHING'S SUPER FUN
WITH MY GRANDPA.
I DON'T GET TO SEE HIM AS MUCH
AS I GET TO SEE MY DAD,
SO IT'S A BIT MORE FUN.
DON'T TELL MY DAD I SAID THAT.
♪♪
GOOD CAST.
YEAH, IT'S JUST LIKE
GOLD MINING.
WHY IS FISHING
LIKE GOLD MINING?
BECAUSE.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
TELL ME.
YOU SOMETIMES GET IT,
YOU SOMETIMES DON'T.
IT'S FUNNER THAN
GOLD MINING, THOUGH.
♪♪
WAIT, NO, FISH!
FISH ON!
YOU GOT HIM?
THERE'S A FISH.
COME ON, BUDDY.
NO!
IS HE GONE?
BROKE ME OFF.
OH, NO.
♪♪
Dave:
IT'S LIKE GOLD MINING.
SOMETIMES YOU WIN,
SOMETIMES YOU LOSE.
♪♪
Narrator: AFTER FIVE WEEKS
SEARCHING TO REOPEN A LOST MINE,
DAVE'S INVESTOR SHUT HIM DOWN.
CAN'T FRICKIN' BELIEVE IT.
♪♪
HE JUST PULLED US OUT.
Narrator: AND NOW
HE'S STRIKING OUT ON HIS OWN
TRYING TO FIND
THE RIGHT GROUND TO MINE.
Dave: I'M JUST LOOKING
FOR OPTIONS RIGHT NOW.
I'M KIND OF UNDER THE GUN.
I GOT TO FIND SOME GROUND,
SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE.
[ Ringing ]
CASEY: Hello?
HEY, CASEY,
THIS IS DAVE TURIN.
I HEAR YOU HAVE
SOME GROUND IN ARIZONA
THAT YOU MIGHT
HAVE AVAILABLE.
HOLY CRAP, I HAVEN'T
SEEN THAT ANYWHERE.
I WOULD LIKE
TO COME OUT
AND VISIT
AND SEE THE GROUND.
SOUNDS GOOD.
OKAY,
THANKS, BYE.
♪♪
YEAH, BABY!
THAT WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION,
AND IF THIS IS
AS GOOD AS IT SOUNDS,
IT'S REALLY AN ANSWERED PRAYER.
♪♪
MY BIGGEST FEAR IS I DON'T
FIND A PLACE TO GOLD MINE.
♪♪
I'M SCARED, I'M ANXIOUS.
MAYBE THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE.
♪♪
Narrator: DAVE'S DRIVEN
TWO DAYS TO ARIZONA
TO FOLLOW UP A LEAD
ON HIS OWN DIME
NOW THAT HE'S PROSPECTING
WITHOUT AN INVESTOR.
80 MILES SOUTH OF FLAGSTAFF,
MINER CASEY MORGAN
CLAIMS TO BE SITTING ON GOLD
AT THE ABANDONED
LYNX CREEK CLAIM.
♪♪
HEY.
Casey: HOW YOU DOING?
GOOD,
NICE TO MEET YOU.
HOW MUCH GOLD DID YOU GET
OUT OF THIS, YOU THINK?
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, DAVE,
IT'S GONNA SHOCK YOU.
UP TO AN OUNCE
FOR EVERY 10 YARDS.
COME ON, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
OUT OF THIS?
NO ONE BELIEVED ME.
THEY ALL THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY
AND DIDN'T HOLD ANY GOLD HERE,
BUT IT'S GOT IT.
HERE'S THE BIG QUESTION.
IF THE GROUND'S THAT GOOD,
WHY AREN'T YOU MINING IT?
DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY.
HOW MUCH MONEY
HAVE YOU INVESTED HERE?
WELL OVER $50,000.[ WHISTLES ]
SHOW ME WHERE YOU DUG
THAT SAMPLE OUT OF.
YEAH,
I WILL.
GOLD WAS DISCOVERED
IN PRESCOTT VALLEY IN 1853,
AND BY 1863, WITH A COSTLY
CIVIL WAR ON THE HORIZON,
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN
SENT INFANTRY
TO PROTECT ITS RICHES.
LINCOLN'S MINERS MADE THEIR WAY
DOWN ALL FOUR MILES OF CREEK,
BUT CASEY THINKS
THEY MISSED A CACHE OF GOLD
IN THE TRIBUTARIES.
TO TEST HIS CLAIM,
CASEY PULLED 30 YARDS OF PAY
FROM THE EASTERNMOST TRIBUTARY
AND FOUND ALMOST
THREE OUNCES OF GOLD
AT AN IMPRESSIVE $100 PER YARD.
♪♪
SO YOU GOT A LOT OF
INTERESTING LAYERS.
I'LL BET YOU THE GOLD
SITS RIGHT ON HERE
BECAUSE THIS IS TOO MUCH CLAY
FOR THE GOLD TO SINK,
AND THIS IS THE LAYER
THAT I'D BE INTERESTED IN.
RIGHT THERE.
IT'S A TRADITIONAL PLACER,
BUT HERE'S THE THING.
HOW MUCH GOLD
IS IN THERE?
♪♪
Dave:
I NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
I NEED TO CHECK OUT AND SEE
HOW MUCH GOOD, MINEABLE GOLD
IS IN THIS VALLEY.
Narrator: CASEY HAS BROUGHT
HIS MINI WASH PLANT
AND HAS A PILE OF
PAY DIRT HE PULLED
BEFORE HE RAN OUT
OF MINING FUNDS.
Dave: WE'RE GONNA RUN
A LITTLE TEST HERE
AND SEE IF WE CAN
FIND SOME GOLD.
Casey: I'M GONNA RUN TWO
FIVE-GALLON BUCKETS.
WITH HIS OWN CASH
ON THE LINE,
DAVE NEEDS LYNX CREEK TO BE
AS RICH AS CASEY CLAIMS.
IF CASEY'S TELLING ME THIS IS
CLOSE TO 100 BUCKS A YARD,
I NEED TO SEE AT LEAST 40 OR 50
CHUNKY FLAKES OF GOLD IN MY PAN.
ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
THERE'S THAT ONE.
LET ME GET ONE MORE.
♪♪
I HOPE
IT'S GOT GOLD IN IT.
♪♪
IF I DON'T HIT IT THIS TIME,
I'M SCREWED.
♪♪
COME ON, BABY,
COME ON.
HOLY [BLEEP]
LOOK AT THAT.
♪♪
THERE'S AT LEAST
50 BIG COLORS IN HERE,
AND IT'S GOOD,
CHUNKY GOLD.
LOOK AT THAT.YEAH, LOOK AT THAT.
YOU CAN PICK IT UP.
I MEAN, THAT'S A HELL
OF A PAN RIGHT THERE.
I'M IMPRESSED.
GOODNESS GRACIOUS.
ALRIGHT, DAVE,
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
IT'S LOOKS FRICKIN'
AWESOME, CASEY.
I'VE BEEN ALL OVER
THE STINKIN' PLACE
LOOKING FOR
EXACTLY THIS.
I'M GONNA TAKE IT EASY,
TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
GOT TO WORK THROUGH THIS,
FIGURE IT ALL OUT.
♪♪
BUT INSIDE,
I'M DOING SOMERSAULTS.
I'M GOING, "WHOO!
THIS IS PRETTY GOOD."
♪♪
I GOT TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU.
IT ALMOST SEEMS
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
IT'S A GREAT
PIECE OF PROPERTY,
BUT I GOT TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU.
THERE'S GONNA BE
A PROBLEM WITH THE LEASE.
I'VE LET IT LAPSE.
WELL,
THAT KIND OF CHANGES IT.
YEAH, IT DOES.
CAN I SPEAK TO THE OWNER AND SEE
IF I CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT?
IS THAT POSSIBLE?
I MEAN, I THINK IT'D BE
THE BEST THING AT THIS POINT.
I'M A TEAM PLAYER,
AND I WANTED A WIN-WIN.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE MONEY,
THE LAND OWNER MAKES MONEY,
WE MAKE MONEY.
COME ON, MAN.
[ LAUGHS ]
I GOT TO GO TALK TO
THE LAND OWNERS
AND SEE IF I CAN MAKE A DEAL
THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
BUT I THINK WE JUST
HIT A HOME RUN.
♪♪
THIS IS DAVE TURIN.
I WAS WONDERING HOW WE'RE
COMING ALONG ON THE LEASE.
OH, YEAH, THERE'S GOLD THERE.
I'M SURE THERE IS.
♪♪
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
GREAT. ALL RIGHT, BYE.
HERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT, LYNX CREEK,
HERE WE COME.
WE GOT IT!
I'VE BEEN IN SOME TOUGH SPOTS
IN MY MINING CAREER.
THERE'S BEEN FUN TIMES,
TOUGH TIMES.
THERE'S BEEN TEARS,
AND THERE'S BEEN SOME FIGHTS.
I'VE BEEN STUCK IN THE JUNGLE,
HOTTER THAN HELL.
FROZE OUT IN THE YUKON.
I'VE MADE FRIENDS,
AND I'VE LOST SOME FRIENDS.
GOLD MINING HAS SHOWED ME
THE BEST AND THE WORST IN LIFE.
AND FOR WHAT?
Clark:
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
THAT SHINY STUFF
WE DIG OUT OF THE GROUND
THAT WE CALL GOLD.
WHOO!
BUT STRIKING OUT ON MY OWN
AND INVESTING MY OWN MONEY
IS PROBABLY THE CRAZIEST THING
I'VE EVER DONE.
I'M GONNA CASH IN
ALL THE GOLD I GOT.
IT'S OUR SAVINGS,
AND IT'S SCARY.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
I STILL BELIEVE A CREW
CAN STRIKE OUT IN AMERICA,
GO TO THESE LOST ABANDONED
MINES, LIKE THE OLD TIMERS,
AND DIG UP THE GOLD.
WE'RE GOING TO ARIZONA.
All right, man,
cool.
AND THAT'S WHAT
IT'S ALL ABOUT, RIGHT?
I DON'T WANT TO BE
STICKIN' RICH.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS,
DINNER'S READY.
I JUST WANT MY FAMILY
AND THE FAMILY OF MY CREW
TO DO BETTER, TO BE BETTER,
AND PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
DEAR LORD,
JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.
AMEN.
AMEN.
AND I STILL BELIEVE
WE CAN DO THAT IN AMERICA
AND FIND THE GOLD
IN THESE LOST, ABANDONED MINES.
CHEERS, WHOO!
I GOT NO DOUBT
YOU'LL DO GREAT.
♪♪
Narrator:
COMING UP THIS SEASON...
Dave: HOME SWEET HOME
FOR A WHILE, BOYS.
Narrator:
...DAVE TURIN'S ALL IN...
Dave:
WELL, I'VE GOT $80,000
OF MY OWN MONEY
INVESTED IN THIS.
IF WE DON'T FIND
ANY GOLD,
WE'RE ALL GONNA
STARVE TO DEATH THIS WINTER.
Narrator:
...WITH A CREW OF ROOKIES.
THIS IS SCALE THAT
I'VE NEVER OPERATED IN.
FOR ME, THIS IS
THE LAST ROLL OF THE DICE.
I LOVE THIS [BLEEP]
ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME?
WHOO!
[ LAUGHS ]
Dave: WE NEED FIVE OUNCES
EVERY DAY FROM HERE ON OUT.
SHUT DOWN, SHUT IT DOWN!
YOU CAN FEEL THE TENSION
IN THE AIR.
GOD,
WE'RE GETTING NOWHERE!
I'D LIKE YOU
TO PACK UP.
THIS IS
GOING NOWHERE.
IF WE GET TO 100 OUNCES,
IT WOULD REALLY BE A MIRACLE.
♪♪
MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERY DAY,
AND I BELIEVE IN THEM.
♪♪