Jade Fever (2015–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Got a Rope - full transcript
Claudia, Robin and the crew scramble to get their heavy equipment up a mountain before rising rivers make it impossible to get to the mining claim.
(upbeat music)
- I'm Claudia Bunce.
I love Jade!
- Woo Hoo, tubes of Jade.
- Up here near the Yukon in Jade City
we've got the worlds richest
deposits of nephrite Jade
and the Chinese want it.
(chuckling)
- This is gonna be the
million dollar rock.
- Now we just have to find it.
Woo-hoo, go!
I will dig till my hands bleed.
Jade makes people do crazy things.
(chuckling)
- Time to go.
- Got your Gravol?
- Right here.
- Okay.
- Good to go.
- Robin!
Here's the one check.
See you in an hour and a half.
- Yep
- [Announcer] This morning
Claudia's husband Robin
and his right hand man Ghee
are heading out on an ariel survey.
- Come back alive.
- [Announcer] They're going
up to scout Wolverine,
the Bunce's most remote, isolated
and promising Jade mining claim.
- Dease Lake traffic helicopter
lifting off
southbound departure.
- [Announcer] They have to check out
the long treacherous road to Wolverine
and see if it's even passible.
- [Pilot] Just tell me how high
you want to be off the road
on the way out there.
- [Announcer] After Claudia's crew found
grade A Jade cores at their Dynasty site,
- Woo-hoo, that's what
you call the (beep) goods!
- [Announcer] Her investor's
decided to bankroll
a full Jade mining season
with a multi million dollar budget.
- (laughing)
- [Announcer] So as they drill
for more Jade at Dynasty,
Claudia's hedging her
bet's for the season.
She wants to take a shot
at a lifelong dream;
mining at Wolverine.
Wolverine is situated
in the BC Jade field's,
home to most of the world's nephrite Jade.
Finding Jade there should be easy.
Getting there won't be.
They'll need to walk
their heavy equipment in.
Each machine must get to
Wolverine on it's own power,
slowly crawling over a
120 kilometer dirt track.
- [Claudia] It's hell.
That road is hell.
It's not even a road, it's a goat trail.
- Well, that's how far
we made it last year,
right there.
- Oh, is this where you broke down?
- [Robin] Yeah.
- [Claudia] It's a trail of tears,
caused many men to cry.
- [Robin] It is a very challenging road.
You're going three to
five kilometers an hour.
It seems like you're
never going to get there.
We're crossing over 75 streams and rivers
and in the spring after the snow melt
ya never know what you're gonna find.
- [Pilot] Snow's disappearing
out here quite quickly.
You know, a couple days ago
this was all snow through here.
- [Claudia} The time crunch
is really, really Crucial
right now.
If the river rises we can't
cross the Turnagain River,
we could be held up two more weeks.
So we need to get out there.
- I think it's gonna be a long trip.
- [Ghee] You think, I know.
Maybe five days with no breakdowns.
This is probably the point
where I'm starting to think about suicide.
[Robin] Don't jump yet.
This isn't Bre-X.
(chuckles)
- [Pilot] Point it out to me here.
- Right up on the top
of the hill here, yeah.
- [Pilot] Oh yeah.
- [Robin] Just anywhere
around here is fine.
- There's jade boulders.
- Yeah, there's a few of them here.
It's definitely a challenge,
but the Wolverine claim
has lots of huge boulders.
They're laying everywhere.
So, the potential is very high.
- [Ghee] That's a nice rock.
- [Announcer] There are lot's
of boulders at Wolverine,
the trick is finding the few
that are pure grade A jade.
- [Claudia] They've had 4 or
5 million dollar boulders.
So, yeah, our goal is to find
that million dollar boulder.
My dad mined this claim over 40 years ago.
It's been a dream of mine for a long time
to go back in there.
Just a few more things
to get ready tomorrow,
and then showtime.
- [Claudia] I'm still in my pajamas
but it's not even 9 yet.
I'm good, right?
- You're good.
- I have to be a drill
sergeant this morning,
I'm going into anxiety mode.
We've gotta get these guys out.
Robin, I forgot to tell you yesterday.
There's a million things
that need to be done
before these guy's can go.
If you need fuel for Wolverine,
I need to know.
So our crew going out to
Wolverine will be Ghee;
Ghee's our go to guy for everything.
And then R-2 will be going out as well.
He's actually Robin but
I already have a Robin
so we just call him R-2.
And the last member of
our Wolverine crew...
- [Josh] Woo-hoo.
- [Claudia] My son, Joshua.
- Two wheel drive Tuesday's, (beep).
- [Claudia] Joshua's gonna be operating
the excavator going out to Wolverine
so that's exciting and extremely scary.
- [Josh] This is like snowmobiling.
Oh, now we're stuck.
(dog whins)
I know.
And that my Husky puppy, Cooper
is what they call time well wasted.
I do this cause I can, man.
Cause it's like my Constitutional
responsibility, I guess you could say.
My oldman's always
talking about getting in
all the experience you can and stuff
and always taking opportunities
when you get them.
So, now we got something to do.
We've got an excuse to run the loader.
We're getting stuff unstuck.
- [Claudia] Going out to
Wolverine will be the huge
challenge for Joshua.
He's had little time on the excavator.
- Alright boy, hold on.
- [Claudia] So yeah, it's a
big deal for us to trust Joshua
to get a piece of equipment out there.
(dog barks)
It's an opportunity to
prove it to himself,
to prove it to us.
- [Josh] Stand by for a second, Cooper.
Oh, we're makin her.
Can't believe I got stuck in
this little amount of snow.
(dog barks)
Cooper.
(upbeat music)
- So going up to Scrappy Larry's
gonna get a trailer.
- [Claudia] We need an extra trailer
to haul stuff out to Wolverine.
So that's Robin's job,
is go up to Scrappy's,
don't spend too much time there,
bring home the trailer.
- [Larry] What ya up to?
- [Robin] Larry has a
collection of everything.
- [Claudia] Scrappy Larry,
he does all of our hauling
scrap, trucking, if you need parts.
- Everything's for sale,
what suits your fancy?
- Come to get a trailer.
- I got one sittin right over here,
it's an Army trailer,
very good, well tested,
economic, tires are just like new.
- [Robin] Well constructed.
- [Larry] Yeah, I think so.
- So, what do you...
- Open to offer's.
I had a guy comin he was
gonna give me 2 grand for it.
I mean you don't find
trailers like this every day.
- 1,500?
- Um, that's
Cash?
- Well, now you're talking my language.
I think I could work something out.
That's gonna be a good day.
(chuckles)
- Scrappy's an extremely charming guy.
- See anything else that catches your eye?
I'll give you a special deal.
- Robin always falls for it.
- [Larry] It's a little
bit of a fixer-upper.
It's got really good tires.
This is just like brand new.
Everything works;
wipers, air conditioning, everything.
Claudia would love that.
- [Robin] Yeah.
- [Larry] There's an old
English Brothers motor,
Easthope.
- [Robin] Yeah, you got
this one and that other one
that were made in Vancouver, right?
- [Larry] That was
brought in in the 1930's
on a dogsled team.
- [Robin] Um-hum.
- [Larry] And that's the truth.
- [Robin] You don't find too many things,
especially mechanical stuff
that was made in Vancouver.
It's a piece of actual BC history.
So what do you want.
- [Larry] How about 500 bucks?
That's a pretty good deal.
You're never gonna get them again.
There's just none around.
This is the last.
- [Robin] (exhales)
Okay, come on now.
Make me an offer.
- 350.
- Oh, this is as sweet a deal I can do.
400, that's as low as I can go.
That's a good deal.
- I gotta get it.
- Thank you, sir.
Another satisfied customer.
- [Announcer] Larry even
offers free delivery.
- Don't you worry.
- Claudia's gonna give me (beep)
(both laughing)
- [Robin] Claudia goes
shopping and buys clothes,
I collect junk.
(chuckling)
(upbeat music)
- I told Robin hours
ago to go get a trailer
and just a trailer.
Cause we're runnin out of time
we've gotta get to Wolverine.
That's the trailer you thought
would be perfect for camp?
- Yep.
- That's all you got.
- That's all I got.
- Uh-huh.
- Yeah.
- What?
- Nothin.
(both chuckling)
Just a motor.
An antique motor.
- Really?
So what do you mean?
What did you get?
- A motor made in Vancouver.
From back in the 20's.
- Really?
- Really.
- Why?
You never send Robin
with a truck to Larry's.
Your priority is weird.
- Nope.
- Yeah, it is.
It's Scrappy for a reason.
It's crap with an S.
Scrap.
That trip into Wolverine is the farthest
and roughest road we've
ever taken to go find jade.
Okay, Robin you've gotta go right now.
Time is our enemy.
The snow's melting,
it's all going into the rivers.
We need to get going into Wolverine.
(horn honking)
(upbeat music)
- [Larry] I'm not feelin too well today.
(chuckles)
- [Claudia] Are you hung over again?
- Oh, yeah big time.
(all laughing)
- [Announcer] Claudia's called in a favor
from Scrappy Larry.
She's put him in charge of transporting
the most vital piece of equipment
for mining at Wolverine.
With his vintage Army truck and trailer,
Larry has to haul the 50 ton D-8 bulldozer
over 100 kilometers to the staging area
at the trail-head to Wolverine.
- [Larry] Can we roll that off there?
- [Robin] Let's do her.
(engine revs)
(upbeat music)
- Larry's truck seems okay,
but his trailer seems a little sketchy.
- [Larry] Good enough.
(chuckles)
You got her.
The truck is built to haul 100 ton tanks.
It's just the trailers a,
it's older.
All strapped in and ready.
First trip with a heavy load on.
But, I think she's gonna be good.
(horn honking)
- It should be fine.
I hope so.
- [Announcer] The push to Wolverine
started 4 months ago on a visit to China.
- [Allen] This place and they
are making like a big carving.
- [Announcer] Robin and
Claudia's partner, Allen
wanted to show them how big the market is
for their British Columbia jade.
- [Claudia] Holy (beep)
- [Allen] Yeah.
Dragon boat.
- [Claudia] Beautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful work.
- [Allen] Two and a half
years to finish this.
- Two and a half years, 15 people?
- [Allen] Yeah.
- This is real BC jade.
- Just because of the
colors and everything
we know even the area
that it had come out of.
- [Robin] These chains are
not glued their carved,
it's just one solid piece.
- This guys utilizing the
lower and the higher grade.
Okay, how much is this for?
- 8 million Chinese,
that's about 1.5 million Canadian.
- [Claudia] 1.5 million Canadian.
I gotta get a group of
people together to buy it.
(all laughing)
- [Robin] Okay, this is mine.
- [Claudia] We know that there is some
really gorgeous stuff on our site,
so we want to go, we
want to see it carved.
It gives us an opportunity
to give them something
that they cherish, and it
gives us an opportunity
to put lots of people to work
and allows us to be miners.
(upbeat music)
- I'm throwing them in here.
- It's a good day, woo-woo.
- Yeah, getting rid of us.
(clapping)
- [Announcer] Back in Jade City,
preparation continues for
the 120 kilometer trek
to Wolverine.
The journey could take up to 10 days
and the living conditions for
the 3 man crew are primitive.
- No weekend camping trip, man.
I see two little bunks in there.
That worries me.
Where am I sleeping?
- In there, on the floor.
- Oh.
There ya go.
Never been out to Wolverine.
I've never been out in that area before.
I've heard about it my entire life.
My Grandpa used to mine
up there when I was,
like before I was born.
So I'm super excited.
I'm really looking forward to going out
and getting some work done
and doin everything I can for my folks.
Kylee.
But it's never a good day when
I gotta leave my girl behind.
- Do you have everything?
- Except for you.
Sleeping in that.
- In that trailer there?
- Yeah.
- How many beds in there.
- Two.
( both chuckle)
- Ah, Joshua.
Let's go!
Now is crunch time.
Okay, we're outta here.
- Kylee.
- Bye.
- [Announcer] With their
bunkhouse and trailer
of fuel tanks in tow,
Claudia and her crew are on their way
to meet Scrappy Larry at the staging area,
100 kilometers away.
- Little bit too much weight on it but
you're talkin over 100,000 pounds.
Well, so far, so good.
(upbeat music)
- Oh (beep).
Everything looks okay.
Son of a gun.
(chuckles)
Oh, here it is.
Right here.
Holy mackerel.
- [Announcer] A pin
securing Larry's old trailer
to his Army truck is
loosening under the weight
of the heavy load.
If it slips out the trailer and D-8
will break away from Larry's truck.
- Too much weight on it.
If the pin comes out we'll
lose the Cat, everything.
(upbeat music)
- Just move this so we can
get in with the welding truck.
- [Announcer] Scrappy Larry's
trip to haul a bulldozer
to the staging area has been scuttled
by a loose trailer pin.
So he's offloaded the dozer
and rushed the trailer back to his yard.
- I got the welder on her,
we're getting her fixed up.
I'll just head down there
soon as I get her done.
I'll go all night if I have to.
- [Announcer] But Claudia and
her crew don't have all night.
There's plenty to do
before the grueling trip
into Wolverine.
- We need to load that Bedford
which is the scariest thing right now.
- [Announcer] The crew's bunkhouse,
their sleeping quarters, for the trip
needs to be loaded onto
the narrow Bedford.
- [Claudia] This can
go all kinds of wrong.
- We need two planks
for each tire.
- [Claudia] I have faith.
- Go ahead backup.
- [Robin] We're gonna
be right on the edge.
Put your foot on the end Josh.
- [Josh] Okay, watch him.
- [Robin] Woo, how's that
one lookin over there?
- [Josh] Yeah, It's Okay.
- God, Robin be careful in case it slips.
Those bald little tires.
- [Josh] Oh, this is too far over already.
He's too far on this side.
And this is gonna get worse,
nobody's gonna listen to
me or make any type of...
- [Robin] He's turning right now.
He's gotta onto the trailer real fast.
- [Claudia] Oh my God.
- [Josh] Watch the from here.
- [Robin] Good.
- [Claudia] Not good on this end.
- [Robin] Pull the planks out.
- [Claudia] No they can't
it's on it, half on it.
I don't like it.
- [Robin] No the bottom one,
pull the bottom out.
Good, right there.
- Yeah, it ain't never easy.
- [Josh] That is brutal.
- [Claudia] Oh my God.
- [Josh] I've heard nothing
but like how crazy this road is
and it's like sketchy.
- [Claudia] If this falls
over, we're in big trouble.
- [Announcer] The load
is still to top heavy
and with tougher road conditions ahead
Robin wants to add more
blocks to stabilize it.
- [Robin] Right there.
Well, I need those back there.
- Oh, on the front.
Daddy wants these in the front of it.
Joshua, just gonna ignore me?
- [Josh] Well, you got it.
Right now, I mean like
where does he need them.
If you'd specify.
- [Claudia] Right there,
all in the front, Joshua.
That specifically what I
said Josh, very clearly.
- Seems like you got it under control.
- [Claudia] Okay.
- [Josh] You see.
When you start jamming
a bunch of stuff in.
- I wasn't jamming, I was
getting it ready to go in.
- [Josh] I did, because
you were (beep) hustling me
about putting those boards in there.
- That's fine, that's fine.
- [Josh] Stop hustling me Claudia.
- At least they're there.
- No they're not cause
it's not there anymore,
just had to get taken out.
- Joshua, stop.
Kill me.
(chuckles)
Got a rope?
- [Robin] Josh, you gotta
pull the planks out.
Joshua, sometimes he comes across
that he thinks he can do it better
but he hasn't had the experience.
- Your other sides goin off already.
You can't turn that way.
Straighten out.
- [Claudia] Joshua always
feels like he needs
to shout or scream or fight
for his voice to be heard.
- [Josh] Things gonna catch
on the edge of that metal.
Hold on yeah, you gotta wait.
What in the (beep)?
- [Claudia] Yeah I don't
know if Joshua's up to it.
We're gonna give it a go.
We're gonna let him try.
- [Josh] Yeah, he'll come right under it.
- We're hooked up.
That one's ready to go.
That one's ready to go.
- [Announcer] Spring
melt is swelling rivers
and blocking roads,
threatening the start of
the whole mining season.
There's no time to waste,
but Scrappy Larry and the D-8 bulldozer
are nowhere in sight.
- [Claudia] This is a big screw-up,
we need to get our equipment there.
We need to get these guys drivin in.
We're runnin outta time.
(upbeat music)
- Make a move here so we can maybe
get a couple hours of walkin in today.
Get the (beep) off this landing.
- [Announcer] It's a race
against swelling rivers,
a treacherous 120
kilometers road and time.
Claudia's crew can't start
their trek into Wolverine
until Scrappy Larry
delivers the D-8 bulldozer,
but he's still not here.
- This is like the worst case scenario.
We don't have time.
Time is not on our side.
(upbeat music)
(engine revs)
(bear grunts)
(horn honks)
- [Robin] There he is.
- Okay, he's comin, he's comin.
So in the end Scrappy Larry made it.
That's a big thing.
(chuckles)
- [Robin] You got her in there and...
- [Larry] It's all done,
it was nerve racking,
but the welding helped.
I was so worried something was gonna snap
but welded it all in solid.
It's very good now.
- Okay, woo.
(both laughing)
- Yeah, perfect timing.
Let's get you some food
and get you on the road.
- Warm up the equipment here
and ready to rock I guess.
It's a long march that's about to begin.
- [Claudia] Start your engine sir.
Let's get this show on the road.
So, Ghee will be operating the Cat.
- Good luck, man.
- Okay, man.
- [Claudia] R-2 will be
driving Betty the Bedford.
- I got my rubber boots next door here,
I'm expecting some puddles.
- [Claudia] And Joshua will
be operating the excavator.
- So are you nervous about
taking the excavator in?
- No, it's good.
I'd way rather be running
the excavator anyways.
I live for this (beep), man.
I'm a greenhorn, I'm just learnin.
- [Claudia] Josh go star yours.
- [Josh] So for my parents
to give me the responsibility
and get in that piece of equipment
it was a big deal.
- Yeah, okay.
When you're the boss,
you don't want to walk the excavator in.
That's why you have
somebody else to drive it.
You fly in the helicopter and watch them.
(chuckles)
- Woo-hoo!
Look Mom, no hands.
- My boys are leaving home.
- Okay, see you guy's later.
- [Robin] They'll make it.
It'll be good.
- [Claudia] We'll see if today
will be a wish granted day.
Wish number one was to
get to the landing here.
(chuckles)
Done.
Wish number two was to get on the trail.
Done.
(chuckles)
Wish three, go at least
five kilometers today,
hopefully done.
- I wish I could be there for the boy's
to take care of them, feed them,
tuck them into bed,
and get them on their way in the morning
because that road is hell.
These guy's are gonna be sore, exhausted,
hardly be able to move.
It's a suicide mission.
(chuckles)
- I just became unexcited
about this trip, my Bro.
- It'll be the worst week this summer.
I know it.
- God if we could just make it in.
Don't even start mining or anything,
just let's just do little baby steps.
Let's just make it to Wolverine.
- Well, as long as they go all the way
without the breakdowns.
Everything is good.
(insect buzzing)
(coughs)
(spits)
- Was that good?
- Fresh meat.
- [Announcer] Next time on Jade Fever.
- Just noticed my track hanging off.
- Now you show it.
- Now we're not even to the
(beep) part of the road.
- [Josh] Having all our
eggs in one sketchy basket,
pretty crazy.
- We need now a 700 liter tank.
- Yeah.
- Well, as long as we don't puncture it.
- Okay, here we go.
I'm trying not to fall in.
- Get out, get out.
- [Josh] Go, go, go.
Holy (beep).
We're in trouble, this is big.
This rock is worn right out.
Nice place to break down.
(exhales)
Trapped out here together.
Yee-haw.
- I'm Claudia Bunce.
I love Jade!
- Woo Hoo, tubes of Jade.
- Up here near the Yukon in Jade City
we've got the worlds richest
deposits of nephrite Jade
and the Chinese want it.
(chuckling)
- This is gonna be the
million dollar rock.
- Now we just have to find it.
Woo-hoo, go!
I will dig till my hands bleed.
Jade makes people do crazy things.
(chuckling)
- Time to go.
- Got your Gravol?
- Right here.
- Okay.
- Good to go.
- Robin!
Here's the one check.
See you in an hour and a half.
- Yep
- [Announcer] This morning
Claudia's husband Robin
and his right hand man Ghee
are heading out on an ariel survey.
- Come back alive.
- [Announcer] They're going
up to scout Wolverine,
the Bunce's most remote, isolated
and promising Jade mining claim.
- Dease Lake traffic helicopter
lifting off
southbound departure.
- [Announcer] They have to check out
the long treacherous road to Wolverine
and see if it's even passible.
- [Pilot] Just tell me how high
you want to be off the road
on the way out there.
- [Announcer] After Claudia's crew found
grade A Jade cores at their Dynasty site,
- Woo-hoo, that's what
you call the (beep) goods!
- [Announcer] Her investor's
decided to bankroll
a full Jade mining season
with a multi million dollar budget.
- (laughing)
- [Announcer] So as they drill
for more Jade at Dynasty,
Claudia's hedging her
bet's for the season.
She wants to take a shot
at a lifelong dream;
mining at Wolverine.
Wolverine is situated
in the BC Jade field's,
home to most of the world's nephrite Jade.
Finding Jade there should be easy.
Getting there won't be.
They'll need to walk
their heavy equipment in.
Each machine must get to
Wolverine on it's own power,
slowly crawling over a
120 kilometer dirt track.
- [Claudia] It's hell.
That road is hell.
It's not even a road, it's a goat trail.
- Well, that's how far
we made it last year,
right there.
- Oh, is this where you broke down?
- [Robin] Yeah.
- [Claudia] It's a trail of tears,
caused many men to cry.
- [Robin] It is a very challenging road.
You're going three to
five kilometers an hour.
It seems like you're
never going to get there.
We're crossing over 75 streams and rivers
and in the spring after the snow melt
ya never know what you're gonna find.
- [Pilot] Snow's disappearing
out here quite quickly.
You know, a couple days ago
this was all snow through here.
- [Claudia} The time crunch
is really, really Crucial
right now.
If the river rises we can't
cross the Turnagain River,
we could be held up two more weeks.
So we need to get out there.
- I think it's gonna be a long trip.
- [Ghee] You think, I know.
Maybe five days with no breakdowns.
This is probably the point
where I'm starting to think about suicide.
[Robin] Don't jump yet.
This isn't Bre-X.
(chuckles)
- [Pilot] Point it out to me here.
- Right up on the top
of the hill here, yeah.
- [Pilot] Oh yeah.
- [Robin] Just anywhere
around here is fine.
- There's jade boulders.
- Yeah, there's a few of them here.
It's definitely a challenge,
but the Wolverine claim
has lots of huge boulders.
They're laying everywhere.
So, the potential is very high.
- [Ghee] That's a nice rock.
- [Announcer] There are lot's
of boulders at Wolverine,
the trick is finding the few
that are pure grade A jade.
- [Claudia] They've had 4 or
5 million dollar boulders.
So, yeah, our goal is to find
that million dollar boulder.
My dad mined this claim over 40 years ago.
It's been a dream of mine for a long time
to go back in there.
Just a few more things
to get ready tomorrow,
and then showtime.
- [Claudia] I'm still in my pajamas
but it's not even 9 yet.
I'm good, right?
- You're good.
- I have to be a drill
sergeant this morning,
I'm going into anxiety mode.
We've gotta get these guys out.
Robin, I forgot to tell you yesterday.
There's a million things
that need to be done
before these guy's can go.
If you need fuel for Wolverine,
I need to know.
So our crew going out to
Wolverine will be Ghee;
Ghee's our go to guy for everything.
And then R-2 will be going out as well.
He's actually Robin but
I already have a Robin
so we just call him R-2.
And the last member of
our Wolverine crew...
- [Josh] Woo-hoo.
- [Claudia] My son, Joshua.
- Two wheel drive Tuesday's, (beep).
- [Claudia] Joshua's gonna be operating
the excavator going out to Wolverine
so that's exciting and extremely scary.
- [Josh] This is like snowmobiling.
Oh, now we're stuck.
(dog whins)
I know.
And that my Husky puppy, Cooper
is what they call time well wasted.
I do this cause I can, man.
Cause it's like my Constitutional
responsibility, I guess you could say.
My oldman's always
talking about getting in
all the experience you can and stuff
and always taking opportunities
when you get them.
So, now we got something to do.
We've got an excuse to run the loader.
We're getting stuff unstuck.
- [Claudia] Going out to
Wolverine will be the huge
challenge for Joshua.
He's had little time on the excavator.
- Alright boy, hold on.
- [Claudia] So yeah, it's a
big deal for us to trust Joshua
to get a piece of equipment out there.
(dog barks)
It's an opportunity to
prove it to himself,
to prove it to us.
- [Josh] Stand by for a second, Cooper.
Oh, we're makin her.
Can't believe I got stuck in
this little amount of snow.
(dog barks)
Cooper.
(upbeat music)
- So going up to Scrappy Larry's
gonna get a trailer.
- [Claudia] We need an extra trailer
to haul stuff out to Wolverine.
So that's Robin's job,
is go up to Scrappy's,
don't spend too much time there,
bring home the trailer.
- [Larry] What ya up to?
- [Robin] Larry has a
collection of everything.
- [Claudia] Scrappy Larry,
he does all of our hauling
scrap, trucking, if you need parts.
- Everything's for sale,
what suits your fancy?
- Come to get a trailer.
- I got one sittin right over here,
it's an Army trailer,
very good, well tested,
economic, tires are just like new.
- [Robin] Well constructed.
- [Larry] Yeah, I think so.
- So, what do you...
- Open to offer's.
I had a guy comin he was
gonna give me 2 grand for it.
I mean you don't find
trailers like this every day.
- 1,500?
- Um, that's
Cash?
- Well, now you're talking my language.
I think I could work something out.
That's gonna be a good day.
(chuckles)
- Scrappy's an extremely charming guy.
- See anything else that catches your eye?
I'll give you a special deal.
- Robin always falls for it.
- [Larry] It's a little
bit of a fixer-upper.
It's got really good tires.
This is just like brand new.
Everything works;
wipers, air conditioning, everything.
Claudia would love that.
- [Robin] Yeah.
- [Larry] There's an old
English Brothers motor,
Easthope.
- [Robin] Yeah, you got
this one and that other one
that were made in Vancouver, right?
- [Larry] That was
brought in in the 1930's
on a dogsled team.
- [Robin] Um-hum.
- [Larry] And that's the truth.
- [Robin] You don't find too many things,
especially mechanical stuff
that was made in Vancouver.
It's a piece of actual BC history.
So what do you want.
- [Larry] How about 500 bucks?
That's a pretty good deal.
You're never gonna get them again.
There's just none around.
This is the last.
- [Robin] (exhales)
Okay, come on now.
Make me an offer.
- 350.
- Oh, this is as sweet a deal I can do.
400, that's as low as I can go.
That's a good deal.
- I gotta get it.
- Thank you, sir.
Another satisfied customer.
- [Announcer] Larry even
offers free delivery.
- Don't you worry.
- Claudia's gonna give me (beep)
(both laughing)
- [Robin] Claudia goes
shopping and buys clothes,
I collect junk.
(chuckling)
(upbeat music)
- I told Robin hours
ago to go get a trailer
and just a trailer.
Cause we're runnin out of time
we've gotta get to Wolverine.
That's the trailer you thought
would be perfect for camp?
- Yep.
- That's all you got.
- That's all I got.
- Uh-huh.
- Yeah.
- What?
- Nothin.
(both chuckling)
Just a motor.
An antique motor.
- Really?
So what do you mean?
What did you get?
- A motor made in Vancouver.
From back in the 20's.
- Really?
- Really.
- Why?
You never send Robin
with a truck to Larry's.
Your priority is weird.
- Nope.
- Yeah, it is.
It's Scrappy for a reason.
It's crap with an S.
Scrap.
That trip into Wolverine is the farthest
and roughest road we've
ever taken to go find jade.
Okay, Robin you've gotta go right now.
Time is our enemy.
The snow's melting,
it's all going into the rivers.
We need to get going into Wolverine.
(horn honking)
(upbeat music)
- [Larry] I'm not feelin too well today.
(chuckles)
- [Claudia] Are you hung over again?
- Oh, yeah big time.
(all laughing)
- [Announcer] Claudia's called in a favor
from Scrappy Larry.
She's put him in charge of transporting
the most vital piece of equipment
for mining at Wolverine.
With his vintage Army truck and trailer,
Larry has to haul the 50 ton D-8 bulldozer
over 100 kilometers to the staging area
at the trail-head to Wolverine.
- [Larry] Can we roll that off there?
- [Robin] Let's do her.
(engine revs)
(upbeat music)
- Larry's truck seems okay,
but his trailer seems a little sketchy.
- [Larry] Good enough.
(chuckles)
You got her.
The truck is built to haul 100 ton tanks.
It's just the trailers a,
it's older.
All strapped in and ready.
First trip with a heavy load on.
But, I think she's gonna be good.
(horn honking)
- It should be fine.
I hope so.
- [Announcer] The push to Wolverine
started 4 months ago on a visit to China.
- [Allen] This place and they
are making like a big carving.
- [Announcer] Robin and
Claudia's partner, Allen
wanted to show them how big the market is
for their British Columbia jade.
- [Claudia] Holy (beep)
- [Allen] Yeah.
Dragon boat.
- [Claudia] Beautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful work.
- [Allen] Two and a half
years to finish this.
- Two and a half years, 15 people?
- [Allen] Yeah.
- This is real BC jade.
- Just because of the
colors and everything
we know even the area
that it had come out of.
- [Robin] These chains are
not glued their carved,
it's just one solid piece.
- This guys utilizing the
lower and the higher grade.
Okay, how much is this for?
- 8 million Chinese,
that's about 1.5 million Canadian.
- [Claudia] 1.5 million Canadian.
I gotta get a group of
people together to buy it.
(all laughing)
- [Robin] Okay, this is mine.
- [Claudia] We know that there is some
really gorgeous stuff on our site,
so we want to go, we
want to see it carved.
It gives us an opportunity
to give them something
that they cherish, and it
gives us an opportunity
to put lots of people to work
and allows us to be miners.
(upbeat music)
- I'm throwing them in here.
- It's a good day, woo-woo.
- Yeah, getting rid of us.
(clapping)
- [Announcer] Back in Jade City,
preparation continues for
the 120 kilometer trek
to Wolverine.
The journey could take up to 10 days
and the living conditions for
the 3 man crew are primitive.
- No weekend camping trip, man.
I see two little bunks in there.
That worries me.
Where am I sleeping?
- In there, on the floor.
- Oh.
There ya go.
Never been out to Wolverine.
I've never been out in that area before.
I've heard about it my entire life.
My Grandpa used to mine
up there when I was,
like before I was born.
So I'm super excited.
I'm really looking forward to going out
and getting some work done
and doin everything I can for my folks.
Kylee.
But it's never a good day when
I gotta leave my girl behind.
- Do you have everything?
- Except for you.
Sleeping in that.
- In that trailer there?
- Yeah.
- How many beds in there.
- Two.
( both chuckle)
- Ah, Joshua.
Let's go!
Now is crunch time.
Okay, we're outta here.
- Kylee.
- Bye.
- [Announcer] With their
bunkhouse and trailer
of fuel tanks in tow,
Claudia and her crew are on their way
to meet Scrappy Larry at the staging area,
100 kilometers away.
- Little bit too much weight on it but
you're talkin over 100,000 pounds.
Well, so far, so good.
(upbeat music)
- Oh (beep).
Everything looks okay.
Son of a gun.
(chuckles)
Oh, here it is.
Right here.
Holy mackerel.
- [Announcer] A pin
securing Larry's old trailer
to his Army truck is
loosening under the weight
of the heavy load.
If it slips out the trailer and D-8
will break away from Larry's truck.
- Too much weight on it.
If the pin comes out we'll
lose the Cat, everything.
(upbeat music)
- Just move this so we can
get in with the welding truck.
- [Announcer] Scrappy Larry's
trip to haul a bulldozer
to the staging area has been scuttled
by a loose trailer pin.
So he's offloaded the dozer
and rushed the trailer back to his yard.
- I got the welder on her,
we're getting her fixed up.
I'll just head down there
soon as I get her done.
I'll go all night if I have to.
- [Announcer] But Claudia and
her crew don't have all night.
There's plenty to do
before the grueling trip
into Wolverine.
- We need to load that Bedford
which is the scariest thing right now.
- [Announcer] The crew's bunkhouse,
their sleeping quarters, for the trip
needs to be loaded onto
the narrow Bedford.
- [Claudia] This can
go all kinds of wrong.
- We need two planks
for each tire.
- [Claudia] I have faith.
- Go ahead backup.
- [Robin] We're gonna
be right on the edge.
Put your foot on the end Josh.
- [Josh] Okay, watch him.
- [Robin] Woo, how's that
one lookin over there?
- [Josh] Yeah, It's Okay.
- God, Robin be careful in case it slips.
Those bald little tires.
- [Josh] Oh, this is too far over already.
He's too far on this side.
And this is gonna get worse,
nobody's gonna listen to
me or make any type of...
- [Robin] He's turning right now.
He's gotta onto the trailer real fast.
- [Claudia] Oh my God.
- [Josh] Watch the from here.
- [Robin] Good.
- [Claudia] Not good on this end.
- [Robin] Pull the planks out.
- [Claudia] No they can't
it's on it, half on it.
I don't like it.
- [Robin] No the bottom one,
pull the bottom out.
Good, right there.
- Yeah, it ain't never easy.
- [Josh] That is brutal.
- [Claudia] Oh my God.
- [Josh] I've heard nothing
but like how crazy this road is
and it's like sketchy.
- [Claudia] If this falls
over, we're in big trouble.
- [Announcer] The load
is still to top heavy
and with tougher road conditions ahead
Robin wants to add more
blocks to stabilize it.
- [Robin] Right there.
Well, I need those back there.
- Oh, on the front.
Daddy wants these in the front of it.
Joshua, just gonna ignore me?
- [Josh] Well, you got it.
Right now, I mean like
where does he need them.
If you'd specify.
- [Claudia] Right there,
all in the front, Joshua.
That specifically what I
said Josh, very clearly.
- Seems like you got it under control.
- [Claudia] Okay.
- [Josh] You see.
When you start jamming
a bunch of stuff in.
- I wasn't jamming, I was
getting it ready to go in.
- [Josh] I did, because
you were (beep) hustling me
about putting those boards in there.
- That's fine, that's fine.
- [Josh] Stop hustling me Claudia.
- At least they're there.
- No they're not cause
it's not there anymore,
just had to get taken out.
- Joshua, stop.
Kill me.
(chuckles)
Got a rope?
- [Robin] Josh, you gotta
pull the planks out.
Joshua, sometimes he comes across
that he thinks he can do it better
but he hasn't had the experience.
- Your other sides goin off already.
You can't turn that way.
Straighten out.
- [Claudia] Joshua always
feels like he needs
to shout or scream or fight
for his voice to be heard.
- [Josh] Things gonna catch
on the edge of that metal.
Hold on yeah, you gotta wait.
What in the (beep)?
- [Claudia] Yeah I don't
know if Joshua's up to it.
We're gonna give it a go.
We're gonna let him try.
- [Josh] Yeah, he'll come right under it.
- We're hooked up.
That one's ready to go.
That one's ready to go.
- [Announcer] Spring
melt is swelling rivers
and blocking roads,
threatening the start of
the whole mining season.
There's no time to waste,
but Scrappy Larry and the D-8 bulldozer
are nowhere in sight.
- [Claudia] This is a big screw-up,
we need to get our equipment there.
We need to get these guys drivin in.
We're runnin outta time.
(upbeat music)
- Make a move here so we can maybe
get a couple hours of walkin in today.
Get the (beep) off this landing.
- [Announcer] It's a race
against swelling rivers,
a treacherous 120
kilometers road and time.
Claudia's crew can't start
their trek into Wolverine
until Scrappy Larry
delivers the D-8 bulldozer,
but he's still not here.
- This is like the worst case scenario.
We don't have time.
Time is not on our side.
(upbeat music)
(engine revs)
(bear grunts)
(horn honks)
- [Robin] There he is.
- Okay, he's comin, he's comin.
So in the end Scrappy Larry made it.
That's a big thing.
(chuckles)
- [Robin] You got her in there and...
- [Larry] It's all done,
it was nerve racking,
but the welding helped.
I was so worried something was gonna snap
but welded it all in solid.
It's very good now.
- Okay, woo.
(both laughing)
- Yeah, perfect timing.
Let's get you some food
and get you on the road.
- Warm up the equipment here
and ready to rock I guess.
It's a long march that's about to begin.
- [Claudia] Start your engine sir.
Let's get this show on the road.
So, Ghee will be operating the Cat.
- Good luck, man.
- Okay, man.
- [Claudia] R-2 will be
driving Betty the Bedford.
- I got my rubber boots next door here,
I'm expecting some puddles.
- [Claudia] And Joshua will
be operating the excavator.
- So are you nervous about
taking the excavator in?
- No, it's good.
I'd way rather be running
the excavator anyways.
I live for this (beep), man.
I'm a greenhorn, I'm just learnin.
- [Claudia] Josh go star yours.
- [Josh] So for my parents
to give me the responsibility
and get in that piece of equipment
it was a big deal.
- Yeah, okay.
When you're the boss,
you don't want to walk the excavator in.
That's why you have
somebody else to drive it.
You fly in the helicopter and watch them.
(chuckles)
- Woo-hoo!
Look Mom, no hands.
- My boys are leaving home.
- Okay, see you guy's later.
- [Robin] They'll make it.
It'll be good.
- [Claudia] We'll see if today
will be a wish granted day.
Wish number one was to
get to the landing here.
(chuckles)
Done.
Wish number two was to get on the trail.
Done.
(chuckles)
Wish three, go at least
five kilometers today,
hopefully done.
- I wish I could be there for the boy's
to take care of them, feed them,
tuck them into bed,
and get them on their way in the morning
because that road is hell.
These guy's are gonna be sore, exhausted,
hardly be able to move.
It's a suicide mission.
(chuckles)
- I just became unexcited
about this trip, my Bro.
- It'll be the worst week this summer.
I know it.
- God if we could just make it in.
Don't even start mining or anything,
just let's just do little baby steps.
Let's just make it to Wolverine.
- Well, as long as they go all the way
without the breakdowns.
Everything is good.
(insect buzzing)
(coughs)
(spits)
- Was that good?
- Fresh meat.
- [Announcer] Next time on Jade Fever.
- Just noticed my track hanging off.
- Now you show it.
- Now we're not even to the
(beep) part of the road.
- [Josh] Having all our
eggs in one sketchy basket,
pretty crazy.
- We need now a 700 liter tank.
- Yeah.
- Well, as long as we don't puncture it.
- Okay, here we go.
I'm trying not to fall in.
- Get out, get out.
- [Josh] Go, go, go.
Holy (beep).
We're in trouble, this is big.
This rock is worn right out.
Nice place to break down.
(exhales)
Trapped out here together.
Yee-haw.