- 13 hours ago
Gold Rush: Alaska - Season 16 - Episode 06: The Weasel
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00:14I'm just doing a little preventative maintenance on the trucks, grease them up.
00:18Kind of expected Ryan to show up any time now.
00:21There you go.
00:23Though it is ridiculous to be here without a mechanic.
00:29Oh, look at that, there he is.
00:33Look at this guy.
00:34My man.
00:36Fresh off the road?
00:37That's right, buddy.
00:38That drive never gets shorter.
00:40What is that, 50?
00:41It's about 56, 57 hours.
00:46Rick Ness is ready to mine some gold and has called in critical crew mechanic Ryan Kent
00:55So you're ready for work?
00:56Yeah.
00:57Let's go.
00:58Sorry I'm late.
00:59With all the unknowns up here, it didn't make any sense for you to rush up here.
01:03I think there's opportunities here.
01:04There's a lot of ground to explore.
01:06We can go check it out.
01:07Show me now.
01:11Rick spent 200 ounces of gold to buy a new opportunity, Lightning Creek.
01:20He paid half up front, but needs to pay the second 100 ounces to seller Troy Taylor in two
01:28weeks' time.
01:29The claim covers more than 1,600 acres.
01:32And after a quick prospect, Rick rolled the dice and decided where to mine.
01:40This is the diamond cut here.
01:42So the good news is it's already down to pay it.
01:45The bad news is we're not a solution.
01:48What's the season total?
01:501,800.
01:52Is that going to be a stretch down here?
01:54I've been talking to Troy about it.
01:55I think we could pull it off.
01:58And I assume they gave you all the drill results for everything that they've done here?
02:01Yeah.
02:01There is some drilling that had a ton of mining on it.
02:05Are you happy with the test results?
02:06If we could actually get the ground here to stay consistent with the test that we got,
02:11it'd be good.
02:12You know, an ounce per hundred yards is what we're looking for.
02:14And with gold prices the way they are, like, holy , man.
02:17To me, you're taking a pretty big gamble buying another piece of ground that's, you know,
02:21the only thing that's been tested is by word of mouth from somebody else.
02:25And you just spend a ton of money to buy out the ground that you're on.
02:29You're right.
02:30That's the last thing I wanted to do.
02:31And I don't know, I probably did jump the gun.
02:36You know, my family relies heavily on how we do here.
02:39You know, I'm nervous as hell.
02:41The bottom line is we've got ground, we've got a water license.
02:45We need to get the gold coming in now.
02:46Looks like we need to get a plant ready then.
02:51Hey, guys, come on down with 750.
02:53We got a visitor.
02:55You finally show up?
02:56And it's the Yukon's best dirt mover.
02:58Hey, buddy.
02:59How you doing, man?
02:59Yeah, looks like you've been busy.
03:00Our new employee.
03:02What's up, buddy?
03:02Hey, Kai, this is Ryan.
03:03Hey, Ryan.
03:04Nice to meet you.
03:05We tried to set the plant up, but there's just, there's not a lot of room down here.
03:08And I just, I didn't like the looks of it.
03:11There wasn't enough space.
03:12The bank was starting to erode right away.
03:17Last week, Rick's crew fired up Washbland Rocky for the first time this season.
03:23We got water.
03:24Whoo!
03:24Whoo!
03:26When disaster struck.
03:28The bank's eroding way too fast.
03:30Shut it off!
03:31Shut it off!
03:32It's already gone too far.
03:35Rick moved Rocky off the pad, rebuilt the foundation, and is finally ready to run again.
03:46Yep, I'm gonna stand away.
03:48Yeah.
03:55Once that's in, then we'll get the water and the pumps and the generator all hooked up.
04:07I think that's good.
04:09That's nuts on level.
04:11Next!
04:16This gen shack right here, and that's what provides the power for our plant.
04:28Got the generator over here, we're gonna get the water pump next.
04:38Good?
04:39Looks pretty level to be, don't you?
04:40Yeah.
04:46Very nice to see this coming together.
04:48By the end of the day, we might even see some gold.
04:50Clear.
04:50Let me rephrase that.
04:51By the end of the day, we better see some gold.
04:53Clear.
04:59Woo!
05:01Clear.
05:02Yep.
05:04Yeah.
05:07Looks like we never shut it off.
05:09Makes the same noise.
05:11There's nothing in it.
05:12Get the water going.
05:18There she goes.
05:21I'm super excited to see my first bucket put in the, in the flat.
05:29A little shake.
05:31A little bit.
05:32Woo!
05:34There we go.
05:35First bucket, 2025.
05:38Oh, listen to that.
05:42I say it every year.
05:44It's just some dirt, it's just some rocks, just some steel.
05:47All rattling together.
05:50But it sounds like gold to me.
05:54You can see the excitement in every one of these guys right now.
05:57Finally getting to see some gold go through the box.
05:591,800 ounces isn't going to come easy.
06:01So we definitely got to stay at it, keep the equipment good, and get to work.
06:06There's always an overwhelming amount of work to be done to get to this point.
06:10And when you finally do, you really got to take the time to celebrate it.
06:14But there's going to be someone sitting in this seat now, every hour of every day for
06:20the next five months until we get out of here.
06:22You know, we'll push it as hard as we can, maybe get 120 yards an hour out of it, and
06:26we're going to make it work.
06:28You know, hopefully this right now is the start to one hell of a season.
06:48We started early.
06:50But lately the pace has been a little bit slow.
06:54So once in a while we're going to have to get on it and breathe a little bit alive in
06:59the outfit.
07:02Mikey has cried a bit to do the get paradise hill up and gone.
07:07I was losing the early bird cut right now.
07:13King of the Klondike, Tony Beetz, has mined 1,400 ounces of his 6,500 ounce target.
07:22All of it from his early bird cut using one wash plant.
07:26Sluice a lot.
07:30I'd like to move my ass a little bit.
07:32Get some new ground to open up.
07:35Open ground is better than money in the bank.
07:37I always have piggy banks.
07:39The whole corner cut is one of them.
07:43Tony's doubling down on his fast start by opening new ground he prospected last year.
07:50We have to get this great big corner cut ready.
07:55Ash told Mike his night shift guys get a couple of rock trucks and an excavator.
08:00I don't want to have the sluice box to sit down on an idle, not sluicing at all.
08:06We're going to try to avoid that at all costs.
08:09The plan is to strip at least, claim and a half for the end of the week.
08:13A mile east of the early bird cuts, the massive 46-acre corner cut will be Tony's biggest cut to
08:22date.
08:24He needs to strip a 10-acre section of overburden 10 feet deep to reach pay, and he wants it
08:32done in just seven days.
08:37So we got a strip like crazy, so that means lots of new people.
08:42Tony has a big plan.
08:44Let's jump up and learn.
08:45That's how that works here.
08:46But nearly a month on the job, some of the greenhorns are still struggling.
08:54We're a little bit behind, so I attend new people.
08:58Most of them have never driven a rock truck, so we give them ample time to learn.
09:03But there's a limit to how many times you can tip the truck, right?
09:07If they don't get it, well, then they got to go.
09:12I learned more in this last month than I feel like I've known in my whole life, to be honest
09:17with you.
09:19Tony, as a boss, is the most straightforward man I've ever met.
09:23He lets you know where you lie, for sure.
09:27It can get a little crazy when Tony shows up.
09:29We usually get a lot of stuff done, so that's always good.
09:33Tony, he's a great boss.
09:35He tells you what to do, and he's pretty hands-off if you do it right.
09:39Well, you know, if you do it wrong, then you're going to hear about it.
09:44Tony is keeping a close eye on his rookie crew.
09:49I told that idiot to get the f*** over there anyway.
10:03Quit the f***ing with that truck, you dumb d***.
10:06I said, quit the f***ing with that f***ing cat truck.
10:10What in the f*** are you trying to do?
10:13Two greenhorns are driving through a waterlogged section of the cut,
10:18taking unnecessary risks with Tony's expensive rock trucks.
10:24Go back, go back, go back.
10:26Are you a little stupid or something?
10:29No, that f***ing transports.
10:34Okay, just f***ing sit there, don't go anywhere.
10:37Do not even move.
10:43F***ing idiot.
10:55Tony spots another rookie mishandling his rock truck across the cut at the dump site.
11:04Instead of somebody calling, no, they got to f*** around, f*** around.
11:07And then they got to twist and turn the piss out of your f***ing buck truck,
11:11trying to f*** it up.
11:13None of them still have a clue as to what is happening.
11:15Somebody got direct traffic assault.
11:25What an idiot.
11:26Back it up.
11:27Straight.
11:28Straight.
11:29Straight.
11:29Back it up.
11:30Back it up, let's go.
11:32Now you're done with me.
11:36You don't have to be nice.
11:38If you can't tell somebody f***ing stupid, how would he know?
11:49They will wreck your equipment.
11:51There's nothing funny about it.
11:53They don't give that f***, right?
12:01So, them two trucks that I told to stay there, where the f*** did they go?
12:15There was a cat truck and a Volvo truck.
12:18I told to stay there.
12:19Where did you two go?
12:26There are ten rock truck drivers now.
12:29I will find out.
12:33But soon, there might be eight.
12:38I will find that f***er, I'll get rid of him, believe me.
12:53Tony.
12:58There was a cat truck and a Volvo truck that told to stay there.
13:02Where did you two go?
13:07At Indian River, Tony's on the hunt for two rock truck drivers who ignored his instruction
13:14to stop and wait for him in the corner cut.
13:19The truck that I told to stay there, where are you?
13:29I'm back in the cut now.
13:30I managed to make it up the hill and dump the load I had.
13:33So, there's something wrong with you hearing?
13:35Because if you can't listen, maybe you should go home and think about it.
13:38So, park the truck, get out, go to camp, we'll see you in the morning.
13:45When I say something, you should learn to listen.
13:48Yes, sir.
13:50Where is the other guy that was behind you?
13:55I'm not sure who is behind me, sir.
13:57Well, that guy better speak up.
13:58Who the f*** was behind him with the load that they told to stay there?
14:04There was a Volvo truck.
14:08I want to know which one it is.
14:19So, there's a f***ing weasel in the crowd, huh?
14:28You've got to have a little chat out there.
14:30Why would you have to have a little gunist if you weren't behind me?
14:33The devil.
14:38Gentlemen get over there.
14:41Get the f*** out of the truck.
14:43You get the f*** out of the truck.
14:46Who the f*** was the second truck?
14:51Because when I'll find him, I'll fire the ****.
14:56Because if you see how the **** was twisting up the road down there, gentlemen, that's
15:00not how it works.
15:01When it's sitting in your **** ass, don't get thinking, OK?
15:05OK, go load the **** gravel, get the **** out of the way.
15:08I'm pretty pissed off.
15:10There's a weasel in the crowd.
15:12Just make a challenge, I'll find that ****, I'll fire that **** and the other one can
15:19go sit in camp for the day.
15:23The second driver has gotten away with disobeying Tony, for now.
15:30Tony is driving around like madman scared me to death.
15:33Tony has been on a bit of a firing spree.
15:36I'm not going to say anything.
15:37The best I can do is just keep my head down and hope everything else goes OK.
15:42I hope he forgot a little bit.
16:01We have a big goal this year, 2,000 ounces.
16:05The plant looks really nice sitting up on the way site.
16:09I'm pretty happy with it.
16:10We have a massive pay pile, which is excellent.
16:14Second-year mine boss, Kevin Beads, has banked 162 ounces of gold.
16:21For the last week and a half, he's been stockpiling pay from his newly opened pyramid cut and repairing
16:29his wash plant.
16:31We'll take our time.
16:33We're going to do it right, do it once.
16:35And then when we get sluicing, we never have to turn the **** off.
16:38With Brennan gone, we're down a foreman.
16:40And with Caden leaving as well, I'm now down a mechanic.
16:43Thankfully, Buzz has been able to take a lot of the welding-related projects,
16:47which has been a great help.
16:49Now, I don't think Tony would really take as much time to get sluicing as we are.
16:54He'd probably ram it through as quickly as **** possible.
17:00Hey, lad.
17:01Go for a ride.
17:02See what he's up there.
17:03Well, first we have to find it.
17:05We'll find it.
17:07While making his rounds, Tony brings wife Minnie to check in on their eldest son's operation.
17:17I see his plant.
17:18And what in the heck is he doing with it?
17:24They jump out.
17:26You have to park it before they can jump out.
17:32Oh, hello.
17:35You can see we got the plant moved.
17:37Yeah.
17:38Nice and high.
17:41So you haven't been sluicing for a while, huh?
17:43No, I've been down for about a week and a half, I'd say, so.
17:45What the ****?
17:49You have to make money.
17:51Yep.
17:51You know?
17:52Very much.
17:53Very much.
17:54Instead of spending all your savings.
17:56Yeah.
17:57Yeah.
17:58But we're getting repairs done.
18:00So hopefully we won't have to fix **** for a good **** amount of time.
18:06And get running next week.
18:09That's no ****.
18:10No, you don't.
18:11Get going.
18:13You have to lose and go on.
18:16Ah.
18:17We'll get going today, tomorrow.
18:23Okay, that'd be good.
18:24We'll come and check out on our royalties.
18:28Get it rolling.
18:29Later.
18:33I mean, he's going to make money too, right?
18:35Everybody's got bills.
18:36Everybody got bills.
18:41Kevin always has been a bit of a perfectionist.
18:43It was like that when he was young too.
18:46Then it's like you kind of go, really, dude?
18:48The price of gold is **** high.
18:51So you think you'd be on it?
18:52You would think?
18:53Yeah.
18:55No sluicing, no money.
18:56Still money going out.
18:58Yeah.
19:06There's lots of **** on the plant.
19:08You think it fixed up now.
19:10We've got to go through this thing.
19:12Make sure this plant is tip-top shape.
19:15Get this up and running.
19:16Need a whole lot longer.
19:17To get his wash plant running,
19:20Kevin has tasked expectant father, Buzz Legault,
19:24with the repairs.
19:26I'm going to be leaving soon here,
19:28thinking, having a little baby girl come up.
19:33So...
19:33Very excited.
19:35You've got to treasure every moment
19:36that you have with your children.
19:43Buzz has been able to take a lot off my plate,
19:45but I know it's going to have to head off.
19:47I've got to go talk to Buzz
19:48so we can get sluicing again.
19:51So...
19:51See what we can make **** work.
20:03Hey, Buzz.
20:04Hey, Kevin.
20:06Ready to **** go?
20:09Quite a bit more stuff that needs to be fixed up.
20:12Okay, ****.
20:15So Tony and Mimi stopped by.
20:18But I really, really do want to get sluicing ASAP.
20:25But there's still more **** wrong.
20:28Okay.
20:30I would like to get sluicing as soon as you **** can.
20:35The birth of my daughter is something
20:37that I'm definitely not going to miss.
20:39Well, like you said, make it **** happen.
20:41The pressure is on.
20:42But you've got a couple of days.
20:46Yeah.
20:47Okay.
20:48Thanks, man.
20:49Best of luck.
20:55Definitely want to see some gold in the box
20:57before I take off.
20:59But, you know, things are looking a little bleak right now.
21:04I'm going to get my house in gear.
21:05I get this done as quick as I can.
21:07I'm freaking before I have to go.
21:10But, uh, when it's time to go, I'm going.
21:19Buzz is on the plant, so we have a couple of days.
21:23He's going to have his work cut out for him.
21:41We've got a lot of hurdles here.
21:42And, you know, if this one's going to be a success,
21:46it's going to be hard fought.
21:47But, ****, man, are we going to deserve it?
21:51I gave Troy a down payment on that.
21:53I told him I'd have him another 100 houses.
21:56You know, I'm betting our future on this.
22:00Rick Ness is finally on the gold,
22:04with wash plant Rocky churning through 120 yards of pay an hour.
22:13Now it's business as usual.
22:15Now it's like we keep that plant running like it's our **** job.
22:19Right now, that's Kyle's job.
22:20So we're leaving him here to do it.
22:22By the end of the week, Rick and his crew will know
22:25whether his $700,000 gamble on Lightning Creek will pay out.
22:32We're not really going to know for sure what's in there.
22:36It's going to be our second full day of running Rocky here.
22:54For **** sake.
22:55That don't look good.
23:00That end spray bar is not doing ****.
23:05There's way too much water coming over the ass end of that.
23:07We're losing material out the side.
23:10And there could be gold in it.
23:15I think the pump's just too high.
23:18All right, I got to walk you now.
23:19We're going to go over there and check.
23:20I'm good.
23:22Yeah, that's as low as she goes.
23:24I'm going to jump up there and look real quick.
23:27That's as low as it goes?
23:28That's it, man.
23:35All the water pressure is getting back up and going up.
23:37I'm going to go through the pre-wash instead.
23:39Yeah, there's one up here and nothing even coming out of it.
23:43Well, you got to shut it down?
23:44All right, I think I'll get the pump.
23:47We shut down when we're trying to get 1,800 ounces.
23:52It's not ideal.
23:53Nah, Rick won't like that.
23:54Right now, we're not really washing anything going
23:56across that shaker deck.
24:08Yeah, we got a bunch of stuck in it.
24:11We're sucking in a bunch of rocks.
24:14And that's blocking the water flow.
24:16It's back to, you know, there's a lot of pressure left on it.
24:19So the pressure has nowhere else to go but back up to the spray bars.
24:22I mean, we cannot afford this downtime.
24:25We're going to go widen out the nozzle tips a little bit.
24:27That way, if we get any little bit of rock, it still shoots through.
24:31Water from the nearby creek is pumped to wash plant Rocky
24:36and fed into two spray bars that wash the pay.
24:40But small rocks from the creek have blocked the plant's nozzles on one side,
24:47raising the water pressure in the pre-wash spray bars,
24:51blasting pay out of the plant.
24:54Ryan's simple fix, widen the shaker deck's spray bar nozzles
24:58so the rocks can pass through and the gold-rich pay can be cleaned properly.
25:06Yeah, because there's some big ones in there.
25:10There's our problem.
25:11We got a pry bar stuck in there.
25:14Hey, where did that come from?
25:16Yeah, that's better.
25:17So we're going from that to that.
25:19Yeah.
25:22I'll get them clipped on.
25:24We'll fire up the water, but downtime kind of kicking our ass, but...
25:27Get them fixed.
25:28We'll get her fixed up.
25:30All right.
25:30I like it.
25:33Well, I'll get that shaker deck and...
25:34Yeah, I'll go ahead and get the pump fired up when you give a thumbs up.
25:37Great.
25:53After a 30-minute shutdown, Rick's crew are back on the gold.
26:01Now that we got those rocks cleared out of those spray bars, the water pressure seems...
26:06It's nice and even now.
26:08It looks better.
26:09It's running better.
26:10Luckily, it wasn't for that long.
26:15Success.
26:16Yeah, no.
26:17The water looks a lot better.
26:18It's not blasting over the backside anymore.
26:20I don't want to shut down again.
26:22Rick don't want to shut down again.
26:37We're moving a lot of dirt.
26:39We're moving more dirt than we ever have before.
26:45We gotta stay ahead stripping-wise.
26:51At Indian River, Tony is pushing Foreman Cousin Mike and his crew to open up a 10-acre section
26:59of the corner cutter by the end of the week.
27:07They don't really have the corner cutter ready, so I got driving around there this morning.
27:13We gotta keep an eye on this truck driver.
27:25Tony's watching his crew like a hawk after a rock truck driver disobeyed him earlier in
27:32the week.
27:33It took my wagon of therudellers, but...
27:34And put an eye on the door in the future.
27:35People come here and say they can do things.
27:38And, boy, they must think you're stupid.
27:40You gotta get rid of them because they cost you money.
27:44So if I don't light the fire on them people, then it's gonna get only worse and worse and
27:50worse.
27:52Next thing you know, there is happening.
27:59I was out very late last night drinking, so I'm
28:00not a rock drunk.
28:08I was not paying attention.
28:09Sometimes I say, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
28:11I know exactly.
28:12I don't know.
28:13I don't know.
28:13I don't know.
28:13I don't know.
28:13I don't know.
28:21I was out very late last night drinking, so.
28:26That's 48 hours now without sleep.
28:32Oh, I went the wrong way.
28:34I went the wrong way too.
28:40What the are you doing?
28:44Where's this truck going?
28:49me.
28:50everything up.
28:58You having troubles?
29:03No answer.
29:07Is this guy trying to talk to me?
29:14Ah, ah.
29:16Thanks for sakes.
29:19I've seen a couple of weird behaviors from him.
29:24Oh, I think he's drinking on the job.
29:28I'm pretty sure Jared's face does work.
29:34He can't be having that around yet.
29:36He's going to hurt himself or hurt somebody else.
30:01Hey.
30:02I don't know what's going on with Jared, but I think he's drunk or something.
30:06He can go home.
30:08He can go home.
30:14I have no idea where the hell I'm going right now.
30:20There he is.
30:27Jared.
30:27Jared.
30:30You drunk or something?
30:33Look at me.
30:34You drunk?
30:37I don't think you're fine.
30:39Here, stop the truck.
30:40Stop the truck.
30:41Yeah, stop it.
30:43Park it.
30:44Get out.
30:45You in the truck.
30:49In the truck.
30:53Jared.
30:55You drunk?
30:56No.
30:57Hey, look at me.
31:05You drunk?
31:06Oh.
31:06You're being goofy all day.
31:08Hey, look at me.
31:13You can't even look at me straight.
31:15You're driving like an idiot, hunting like you're not right in the head.
31:20You smell like alcohol, too.
31:24I'll get you to camp.
31:27Grab your .
31:29At Indian River, Beats foreman, cousin Mike, has pulled rock truck driver Jared off the job.
31:37I think this guy is drunk.
31:46You're going to be a lippy with me?
31:47Because then you're going to guarantee.
31:49No, absolutely not.
31:49Absolutely not.
31:49I don't give a .
31:51Can I be honest with you?
31:52Yeah.
31:53I drank too much last night.
31:56Will you give me another shot?
31:57All right?
31:58You can let me sleep this off.
32:02Or am I fired?
32:04Oh, I just got to see because I think you're drunk right now.
32:11Take your bag.
32:12Yeah, I'll go.
32:19Tony, do you copy?
32:24I have someone here.
32:25I think he's drunk.
32:26Who is it?
32:28Jared.
32:29Smell the alcohol here.
32:31Okay.
32:34You stay here.
32:37True yours.
32:37I agree to leave.
32:39I agree to leave.
32:40You're drunk?
32:41Yeah.
32:42You have been drinking?
32:43So you were lying, too?
32:44You're drunk and lying.
32:45I told you.
32:46I told you.
32:46No.
32:47You told me you were hungover from last night.
32:49I was hungover from last night.
32:51If I didn't stop drinking, I would have not been able to make it to work.
32:55Anyway, take me back to Dawson City.
32:57That's fine.
32:57No, no, no.
32:57That's not how that works.
32:58You don't make the call.
32:59Oh, it's not how it works.
32:59So you up while you get fired.
33:01You got 30 minutes to get the out of here.
33:03I'm trying to work.
33:04Get here.
33:04You're trying to work with me being drunk?
33:06What?
33:06You're running a piece of heavy equipment.
33:08Yeah.
33:09People around and you're being drunk.
33:11Sorry?
33:12Sorry.
33:12Like, give your head a shake.
33:13I don't know how old you are.
33:14Can I just have a nap and come back?
33:1730 minutes, you're out.
33:20Is that one out?
33:21Yeah.
33:2230 minutes.
33:22Yeah.
33:23Idiot.
33:23I figured I'd seen the drive doing funny.
33:27So get the out.
33:28Don't get drunk.
33:29That.
33:30Get out.
33:38I really don't give a for them that.
33:42Get rid of it.
33:45You're just pretty happy nothing serious happened.
33:48I mean, these people drink.
33:50They sit in the truck.
33:51I'll just fire them.
33:52I'm just always very grateful and happy that nobody got hurt and nothing happened.
33:57Because you can always get another rock truck or whatever you'll kill somebody.
34:01That's far from funny when people get hurt or worse.
34:04So when you have one of that, you're just happy you cut it in time and get rid of them.
34:18I really, really do want to get sluicing ASAP.
34:21The pressure is on to try and get as much as possible this year, as fast as possible.
34:26Perfectionist Kevin Beetz is under pressure from his landlord parents, Tony and Minnie,
34:32to get sluicing and deliver their royalties.
34:37With the plant, there's a lot of just maintenance that we need to do.
34:41Buzz has a whole list that we just need to do so it doesn't become big off projects.
34:50It's no time.
34:52Better get this done.
34:54Buzz is trying to complete Kevin's maintenance repairs.
35:02Kevin wants to get this plant all in chipped off shape here before I leave.
35:10I'll get that crack all sealed up.
35:13But that there is the last piece of the puzzle.
35:19Hey man, it's all fixed up now.
35:21I can get this plant put back together and get it back in action, man.
35:32That's ready to rumble.
35:34Yeah.
35:36Alrighty.
35:37The loader's on the way.
35:38It's been a couple of weeks since we had gold coming in.
35:41It'd be nice and start paying bills.
35:43That would be nice, yes.
35:44Yes.
35:46Hey Buzz.
35:47Hey guys.
35:48Hey Buzz.
35:48There she goes.
35:50Oh, there you go.
35:51It's all freaking ready.
35:52Oh, Gary's here.
35:54Well, let's get her fired up.
35:55Let's do it.
35:57Kevin is finally ready to start running his stockpile of pyramid cut pay dirt.
36:11Beauty.
36:12Alright, now on switches.
36:14First things first, discharge conveyor.
36:17On.
36:21There we go.
36:24Huh.
36:24Screen deck.
36:29We are shaking.
36:33Okay, everybody's ready.
36:42First bucket is on his way.
36:46Hey, let's plug it in.
37:01There we go.
37:02It was a hiccup.
37:12Wait, wait, kill the feeder.
37:15Kill the feeder, please.
37:16Kill the feeder.
37:18How did I kill the feeder again?
37:19I forgot.
37:27There was a pile of dirt left in the pre-wash from the...
37:30When we shut down, that is forming a pile so it's not able to flow.
37:34Can I get you to bring me one of those long shovels?
37:38Failure to clean out the pre-wash has left concrete-like dirt
37:43that can't be broken down by the spray bars,
37:46creating a blockage and causing the new pay to pile up.
37:51So, fix this for good.
37:55You have to shut down to clean out the pre-wash
37:57and have somebody in here for the shovel cleaning out the rocks.
38:01But we need to get Slewson again,
38:03so we just need to do Tony's,
38:07ah, it, run it mentality.
38:10Fighting his perfectionist need to shut down,
38:13Kevin's opting for a temporary fix.
38:18So, rather than pile this dirt up 60 feet,
38:22you have to shovel it.
38:24Ah.
38:29Someone go turn up the pump, please.
38:32Can you get it up to 1600, please?
38:35Okay, one six, coming up.
38:37We're getting it.
38:38Just a few minor adjustments.
38:41Ah!
38:45There we go.
38:46There we go.
38:49Get this at least moving.
38:56Ah, that's looking way better.
38:59Perfect.
39:01Okay, now we can turn on the feeder,
39:03but set it at three, please.
39:14Kevin's efforts clear the blockage.
39:20Well, good to be Slewson, guys.
39:22Well, looks good, Buzz.
39:24I think you did a good job getting it ready to run.
39:25Oh, thanks, man.
39:27I appreciate that.
39:28I'll just do my best.
39:30That's all we can do?
39:31Yeah.
39:32Looking good.
39:37Kevin's baby's going, so that's a good thing.
39:40I just hope everything goes a lot smoother with my baby
39:45than it did here.
39:47All the repairs seem to be holding, so yeah, it looks good.
39:52Ah, got a rip.
39:56So I am well aware of this tendency.
40:00I like to get everything just right.
40:04And I guess Tony's right.
40:06I've had to learn to be good enough is good enough.
40:09You know what I mean?
40:10Instead of just, it has to be right.
40:26It's the first mat pull of the season.
40:28Moment of truth, we'll pull the mats,
40:29and I'm going to actually finally see if the diamond cut's got any gold.
40:33What's going on?
40:34First cleanup.
40:35I figured it's your first time, so I might as well jump in the rock truck,
40:38give you a chance to get over there and kind of see what it's like.
40:40All right.
40:44Is it everything you imagined, Kai?
40:46Glamour.
40:47And more.
40:48These cleanups are on my shoulders.
40:50You know what I mean?
40:50I'm always worried about letting them down.
40:52It's one of the nice things about having a small crew.
40:54It makes me feel like we're all in it together.
40:57In my eyes, the absolute perfect team.
40:59You guys are the real gold.
41:01Did you hear that, Kai?
41:02You're the real gold.
41:04Who?
41:04You.
41:05I'm the real gold.
41:06You guys are the real gold out here.
41:08For me.
41:09Oh, don't break my new expensive buckets.
41:13Are we buying buckets?
41:14We got that bucket money now?
41:19Let's get started.
41:26Alright.
41:29It's looking pretty good.
41:31Water's doing what it's supposed to.
41:33And just nice and consistent.
41:36Kevin, I'm pretty happy that we got the plant going, takes a lot of stress off my mind,
41:42it adds a whole different kind, but at least this stress makes money, so it was a step
41:46in the right direction.
41:49Kevin's wash plant is up and running.
41:53That's it, all packed up, ready to go.
41:57But he's losing another valuable crew member.
42:08Hey, Buzz, how's it going?
42:09Not too bad, not too bad.
42:11So yeah, it must be about time for you to get going, eh?
42:13The little one's real close coming now, so it's countdown's on, eh?
42:19Yep, the real one.
42:20Yeah, I just want to say thanks, Buzz, for all you've done.
42:21No, it's been pretty cool, man, pretty good.
42:24You know, I appreciate the opportunity, definitely.
42:26I think it's worked out, honestly, so we have a little bit of luck on our side.
42:31We found a bit of gold when we fired up and it runs.
42:34That's awesome.
42:35Right?
42:36Yeah.
42:36You're coming back after, I assume, right?
42:38Yes, sir.
42:40Safe travels.
42:42Thanks, man.
42:42And best of luck.
42:43Hope it all goes smooth for you.
42:44Yep.
42:57All right, guys.
42:59So another gold wine?
43:02No, we're just here to see you because we missed you so much, Dad.
43:05Good, good, good, Mike.
43:07How is it in the Indian heart?
43:09You just went in the corner cut here.
43:11That'll be a youth's cut.
43:12So now you stole my people and you've been hiring a lot.
43:16How's it going with all of them?
43:17Well, Mike and me would have certainly appreciated if you would have trained them a little bit though.
43:24Because them driving all over the place.
43:27It doesn't seem to matter if it's dry or wet.
43:29They're everywhere.
43:29We've got some characters in the crowd, but you've got to go through them.
43:33We had one driving around drunk, so that's...
43:36What?
43:37And then you've got a drunk idiot driving, walking around, and it's just...
43:40It's the people more so than anything else because they hurt other people, right?
43:44Yeah, and it won't bother them because they're in a rock truck.
43:46Yeah.
43:47That's scary.
43:48It is.
43:49Yeah.
43:50You've got to go.
43:50That's serious stuff.
43:52Hey, Monica, how's things going in the gold room?
43:54Good.
43:54Keeping busy?
43:56Please, Mike, you'll come because I can't see.
43:59So far, the early bird cut has produced a weekly average of 250 ounces of gold.
44:10Are you ready, Michael?
44:11Yeah.
44:1360?
44:1570?
44:1530?
44:16100?
44:17110?
44:18120?
44:18130?
44:18450?
44:1960?
44:1970?
44:24190?
44:26200?
44:26220?
44:27330?
44:2840?
44:30350?
44:3070?
44:3180?
44:3190?
44:32300?
44:33310?
44:34320?
44:34330?
44:35340?
44:36350?
44:36360?
44:394?
44:40410?
44:40420?
44:41430?
44:42440?
44:42450?
44:43460?
44:47460?
44:49467.8?
44:50467.8?
44:52467.8?
44:53It's record-breaking weekly haul is worth over one and a half million dollars.
45:00That's doing pretty damn good.
45:02It's a pretty good hobby.
45:04Yeah, yeah?
45:04Yeah.
45:04It's you.
45:05We have to take a holiday.
45:07Okay.
45:08Where are we going?
45:09I'll book it right now.
45:11I'll go make some more.
45:12How's that?
45:23Yeah, yeah.
45:24Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick.
45:26Oh, look at him.
45:27Heep!
45:29Heep!
45:29Heep!
45:30Heep!
45:30Heep!
45:32Woo!
45:35The Ness crew are waiting for their first gold weigh of the season to see if Rick's diamond
45:41cut will pay out.
45:44This is a weird one.
45:45It's starting on new ground again.
45:46Yeah, yeah.
45:47Well, we can't come on new ground and expect to hit Raleigh Valley, Vegas Valley kind of
45:51.
45:51I mean, I know it's going to be a learning deal, but...
45:53Yeah, it's definitely still a risk.
45:55Speaking of that, so we can grab the gold and weigh it up.
45:57Let's see it.
46:00To be successful, Rick's crew need one ounce per hundred yards, so at least 40 ounces of
46:07gold.
46:11Four days, around 100 yards an hour.
46:13You want to count the numbers?
46:15Sure.
46:15First one?
46:16We got it.
46:17Let's go.
46:21One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, seven point three, five.
46:32Worth just $25,000.
46:36I think that's a big waste of time is what that is.
46:39That's terrible.
46:41Yeah.
46:42Yep.
46:44Not even quite two ounces a day.
46:46That's a big waste of time right there.
46:48Yep.
46:48Does that even pay for...
46:50No.
46:51It doesn't even start...
46:52I didn't think so.
46:52It doesn't even start the list of things that it has to pay for.
46:55I can't afford to be up here and not bring anything home.
46:58You know, part of me is, yeah, that's some new ground, but the other part's like,
47:02dude, I hope you can figure it out, because if you go broke, I go broke.
47:06It hasn't happened yet.
47:07I don't intend it to happen this year.
47:10But, yeah, I mean, right now it's, yeah, I'm wondering, did I make the right decision, you know?
47:19We've got over a hundred claims on this bunch here.
47:21So, you know, that was obviously the wrong spot to start, but we can move on from that.
47:26F*** it.
47:27First gold way.
47:27We're done.
47:28F*** it.
47:28Yeah, let's go home.
47:32Lightning Creek was definitely a gamble.
47:35Seven ounces, that's, uh, it's not going to pay my bills nor his bills.
47:38So, hopefully, uh, Rick find a new spot.
47:42That will be the answer.
47:43So, unfortunately, the diamond cut, that's a fail.
47:47We'll see what happens next.
47:49We just got to find the gold, because the diamond cut did not have it.
47:53We're running out of time to get a hundred ounces a try.
47:55So, we've got to be ready to pivot.
47:57We've got to go up the valley.
47:58We've got to look for better gold.
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