- 7 hours ago
Gold Rush: Alaska - Season 16 - Episode 00: Miners Vs Miner
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00:02For six short months each year, miners brave the Yukon's unforgiving wilderness, seeking
00:12a fortune in gold, but in this pressure-filled environment, green, and desperation,
00:28I've been here for three months without any money.
00:31What's doing me now?
00:34Ignite explosive clashes.
00:36I just want to punch you all right in the face.
00:38That kid's a moron.
00:40Wrecking friendships.
00:42I didn't come over here to get my ass shit.
00:44Yeah, but I'm telling you and you don't listen.
00:47Shattering family bonds.
00:48I can be a copy.
00:50No, I do not.
00:51And burning dreams to the ground.
00:54How much experience do you have in a mind?
00:57It's not how you handle conflict.
00:59It's how you resolve it.
01:00Hey, let's get a group hug.
01:01Putting out these fires is the measure of a leader.
01:05Sorry for losing it on you.
01:06That's not the kind of boss I want to be.
01:08And can make the difference between going home broke.
01:121.93 ounces.
01:14Or striking it rich in gold.
01:168,309.75 ounces.
01:20Woo!
01:32I'm pretty young and it's tough to, you know, I never know if I'm doing the right thing or not.
01:39Throughout his early career.
01:41I did not, I have not told you how to do your job one time this whole year.
01:46Teenage mine boss, Parker Schnabel.
01:49Don't do that again.
01:51Struggles to manage veteran miners.
01:53He's throwing away thousands of dollars.
01:56He just isn't smart enough to know that.
01:59Some three times his age.
02:01For you to say that I'm not smart enough.
02:03I didn't.
02:04That's a pile of .
02:05I'm spending the money here and I make the calls.
02:15The rest of the season this plant's going to run on the jagged edge.
02:19In his first season mining in the Yukon, 18-year-old Parker is chasing an 800-ounce gold.
02:30Get out of the way so I can move here.
02:33Pushing his crew to work 24 hours a day.
02:36People get short-tempered when they don't eat, when they don't sleep, when they're overworked, tired.
02:42When we start getting treated like robots, don't expect much more than a machine would give you.
02:4820 minutes before quitting time and everybody's standing around, I've seen crews fired for that.
02:54I'm flat-out exhausted and I know it's getting to the point of being dangerous.
02:58I mean, morale is at an all-time low.
03:00Yeah.
03:01Something's got to give and I think we all agree on that.
03:04You know, I hate to push a mutiny, but I think we've got to bind together and stand against this
03:10insanity.
03:11Yeah, I agree.
03:13It's for the team. It's actually in Parker's best interest. He just doesn't realize it.
03:17Agree.
03:18We're dealing with a child.
03:19All right.
03:20Thanks, man.
03:20Yep.
03:28Parker, this schedule is not going to work.
03:32It's killing us.
03:33It's actually dangerous.
03:35That's what the hours were working, you know?
03:39So, if you can't handle it, then maybe this isn't the place for you.
03:44If you're not considering your crew, I know I'm not the only one that feels this way.
03:49If you're not happy, then you can leave. The door is always open.
03:52End of conversation. End of conversation.
03:54Don't talk.
03:55That's why people don't approach you.
03:56Okay, just leave.
03:59If you want to rally them up and come after me, you go ahead and do that.
04:03I don't give a .
04:04We're working our asses off out here.
04:07Now, he needs to see both sides.
04:09We're giving to him.
04:10Give, give, give.
04:11And he take, take, take, take.
04:12It's time to take back a little bit.
04:15I don't give a .
04:16You want to still rile things up?
04:18That's the one thing that'll get him sent home.
04:20His crew, threatening open revolt.
04:24Parker heads to Alaska, seeking his most trusted advisor, Grandpa John.
04:33Hello, Parker.
04:35Hey, Grandpa.
04:37Am I glad to see you.
04:39You, too.
04:41You've been gone since the first part of April.
04:43Yeah, no, I haven't seen you in a long time.
04:47How are things going with you, Parker?
04:49I mean, things up there are tough.
04:51I'm having problems with people, and you know how those go.
04:53Well, you have the challenge of your crew.
04:57A little bit hesitant to deal with an 18-year-old man.
05:00And I share somewhat your concerns.
05:03I came here when I was 19.
05:05One of the big problems is just, you know, motivating my crew.
05:09A lot of them just kind of check in and check out.
05:12Well, that's probably the biggest problem of any job is to have the crew motivated.
05:19So you've got to establish some confidence on their part to work with you.
05:24Right.
05:25I'll tell you what it really is, is the crew are attracted by the incentive of getting paid with gold.
05:35I hear you.
05:36Don't give up.
05:38I have confidence you're going to come out well.
05:41Thanks.
05:42I got some really good advice from my grandpa.
05:45You know, we've been burning the candle at both ends up there in the Klondike.
05:48And it's good to take a step back.
05:59I'm at the point now where it's become a production line job.
06:04Right now, we need to have a little bit of hope.
06:07Armed with grandpa's advice, Parker returns to the mine.
06:13I just want to say that I appreciate you guys stepping up and, you know, it's a pretty unappreciated job.
06:19But that doesn't mean that you guys should just turn into robots.
06:23That's how it's felt.
06:24I know it has.
06:24And I hate that.
06:26So I just want you guys to know that you guys will definitely be getting cuts.
06:31You know?
06:31You guys will be getting gold.
06:33I'm happy with that.
06:34I mean, that's kind of the motivation that I've been looking for personally.
06:40Thanks, guys.
06:43Let's kick some ass.
06:46This meeting needed to happen because the crew just wasn't motivated.
06:50And when you're not motivated, you don't want to be at work.
06:53So I wanted to get people on gold shares because I wanted them to care about the operation.
07:03Conflict resolved.
07:04We didn't get 800 ounces.
07:06We had 836.
07:09Parker smashes his 800 ounce gold and pays his crew their gold bonus.
07:16We are in this victory.
07:18There's no doubt about that.
07:21The promise of gold has pulled pioneers north for over a century.
07:26So they call this Duncan Creek.
07:29I've been calling it the Rally Valley.
07:32In 2020, sophomore mine boss Rick Ness has built a crew that's going to be in the
07:37a crew of hometown buddies.
07:39Let's find that million bucks.
07:42With no experience in gold mining.
07:45Hey, Rick, where's drive on this?
07:47Put it in D.
07:48D stands for .
07:50That's what you are.
07:52I love the D.
07:54Working alongside the inexperienced crew.
08:00That's how you do it, boys.
08:02Veteran Yukon mechanic, Carl Ross.
08:04I just kind of got thrown into a disaster as soon as I got here, right?
08:08Like, everything's in rough shape.
08:09With just five weeks left of the season, Rick is determined to hit his 500 ounce breakeven target.
08:17But it's still 150 ounces short.
08:21The hopper, it's all blown apart inside.
08:23So we lost almost a half a day of sluicing because we shut down earlier.
08:28And his wash plant, Monster Red, is down for repairs.
08:35What do you think, buddy?
08:36How long is it going to take?
08:37I got all paid too much work to do.
08:39Nothing's happening any time quick, right?
08:43They could have been up there welding the whole time, right?
08:45Right off.
08:48Watch one guy work like normal, right?
08:51If I work on this tonight and inside here, I'll be here until 10 o'clock at night, right?
08:54While Carl works into the night, the rest of the crew call it a day.
09:01Good thing Carl's not here.
09:02With these skewers, he'd definitely lose an eye.
09:07Oh, there's wood in the middle.
09:09How do you do this?
09:10Oh, man.
09:12Unreal.
09:16Lazy piece of .
09:17I'm sick of it.
09:18I'm going to explode.
09:21Rick, we got a situation up there.
09:23Carl's leaving.
09:24Carl's leaving?
09:25Yeah.
09:26You're kidding.
09:26No.
09:27Seriously.
09:29**** damn it.
09:37**** this guy.
09:39I'm taking all my ****.
09:42All I am to you guys, I'm not part of the crew, because that's clear, right?
09:46All you're in is your **** mechanic.
09:48I'm going to **** leave.
09:49I've been **** one ****.
09:51No ****.
09:51That's not the case.
09:52How am I part of the **** crew?
09:54I get to go to work or I get to go stay late.
09:56That was my final straw.
09:58Right?
09:59**** them.
10:00**** everybody.
10:00**** yourselves.
10:01Your friends.
10:02They're awesome guys.
10:03They're dog **** workers.
10:04I'm sick of it.
10:05Right?
10:05I made this clear.
10:06Right?
10:07Yeah, and we just had a talk about it about how we were going to get through the rest of
10:10this **** season and deal with it next year.
10:13But why are we doing it again?
10:13Why are we doing this again right now?
10:14****.
10:15We talked about this.
10:16I said I stupidly thought things would get better, and we talked about it and came to
10:20a **** conclusion.
10:21**** you guys, man.
10:22So **** unappreciated.
10:25Like I said you guys can **** do the season without me, take your gold bonus star and
10:29**** your **** up your ****.
10:34****.
10:40****.
10:40****.
10:41****.
10:41****.
10:41****.
10:41****.
10:41****.
10:42****.
10:44****.
10:44****.
10:44****.
10:46****.
10:47****.
10:47Because there's nobody here that can **** work a 12 hour **** day.
10:50At Duncan Creek, Rick's operation is at a stand still, having fallen out with his only
10:57mechanic, Karl Ross.
10:59It's been building.
11:01And if he leaves, we're in a pretty bad spot.
11:06A lot of issues here that should have been addressed earlier.
11:10Desperate to hit his 500-ounce goal, Rick tries to get Carl back on board.
11:17I'm doing my best to try and make it work, but the only way that I see through it is
11:21to finish, try to learn something.
11:23You don't think we should try to.
11:25But the fact of the matter is, I'm supposed to be part of the team and I'm not.
11:28Rain or shine, I'm in there pouring rain out there welding, right?
11:31Everyone's sitting in their trucks doing whatever.
11:32It's mostly my fault just not being hard enough on these guys and drilling it into them.
11:37Carl, you're in the backbone of this place.
11:39I know, and it's just, like I say, we need to keep you around, like seriously, we're pretty much done.
11:42I like to think that I'm an important person, and then when I don't get changed like I'm important, it
11:46assesses me that you think that I don't think that.
11:49Like right now, I'm trying to just lift us all out of here with the shirts on our backs, really.
11:54Well, you've seen my concerns, right?
11:56Yeah, no, I get it.
11:58I'm not saying you're not justified at all.
12:00What do you guys want to do?
12:02I'd like you to stay.
12:03You know, I spoke my mind here.
12:06And like, you know, I'm better, I'm sorry for being rude to you.
12:09I apologize.
12:10Like I said, I was hot.
12:12I'll stick around, right?
12:13But, well, that's good to hear.
12:15And let's just go take care of it right now, get everybody up there, and we'll just have a little
12:19talk.
12:19Okay.
12:20Works for me, buddy.
12:20Yeah.
12:27This is a frustrating season.
12:29I think we can all admit that.
12:31And the problem with that is that you can tend to check out, and that's going to stop.
12:38That's the only way we're going to get through this season.
12:41Carl's a good guy.
12:42I got a lot of respect for him and what he's done, and it's not fair.
12:47We have to all just step up, help each other, and do our parts.
12:51Yeah, the whole not-my-job attitude, I'm done with it, right?
12:54Yeah.
12:55So, you know, we work as a team, right?
12:58Pretty simple.
13:00We all agree to that?
13:02Yeah.
13:03Absolutely, man.
13:04Yes, sir.
13:05We got a limited amount of time left, but let's finish strong.
13:08Yeah.
13:10Let's go!
13:17Carl's back in action.
13:19You know, sometimes it takes a quick brawl, get some words out.
13:23Should be back to business as usual, I hope.
13:26Hopefully we got no more problems.
13:28With Carl back in the fold and his crew whipped into shape, Rick gets back on the goal.
13:37Oh, man.
13:38That one's for you guys.
13:39Guys!
13:40And hits his 500-ounce break-even target.
13:44Hey!
13:49Hey, I got one wood for you guys.
13:51F*** you.
13:53In gold mining, explosive conflicts...
13:56Fireworks.
13:57...can erupt at any time.
13:59Get off!
14:00There's no need to come here and be a f*** about it.
14:03Go pack my f*** and leave right now.
14:04I don't give a f*** about any of this f***.
14:10We climbed the mountain, let's climb all the way to the peak, right?
14:15And I want to see a miracle on this mountain.
14:18In his seventh season mining, Todd Hoffman is chasing 1,000 ounces, but tensions are mounting between veteran Hoffman miner
14:28Dave Turin and new head of safety Trey Polson.
14:33I feel the pressure right now.
14:34We're not producing any gold.
14:36The wash plant is not moving.
14:38And it's because I don't have this stupid wall built.
14:41So, yeah, I get it.
14:45I feel the pressure.
14:46Oh, jeez.
14:48That's not good.
14:50Dave, I was just looking at the blocks.
14:53Did you see that top section of the wall?
14:55I think we did a piss-poor job.
14:58The whole thing could fall and come down.
15:01After calling out Dave over the unsafe wall...
15:05I don't want to really go swimming.
15:07No, not in that stuff.
15:08Trey adds insult to injury.
15:11He's ready for the river.
15:14It's got to feel good on an egg.
15:18I won't work with Trey.
15:20He has no respect for me.
15:22When you turn the heat up and you seal it and there's no pressure relief, it's going to blow.
15:33We need a camera down here.
15:34It's a touch, Trey.
15:40That's one of you's got to stop.
15:41Let's do it with me now!
15:43I'm going to f***ing kill him right now!
15:46Let me down here!
15:47Hey, come on!
15:49Trey?
15:50Dave, Trey!
15:51One of you just stopped.
15:53Trey?
15:55Trey!
15:56Here, let's go.
15:57Follow me.
15:59What's going on?
16:02Battle of two bad tempers.
16:04Whose?
16:05Dave's?
16:06Dave and Trey.
16:07Where are they?
16:08Dave left.
16:09Dave is with Andy.
16:10What do you mean he's with Andy?
16:12He, he, he...
16:13They okay?
16:14Finally got him to f***ing walk away.
16:15No!
16:16It's not good!
16:20Dave!
16:21Get the f***!
16:22Dave!
16:23Oh, no!
16:24No!
16:25No!
16:26No!
16:26No!
16:26No!
16:26No!
16:27No!
16:28Trey!
16:29Trey!
16:29Trey!
16:29I got him!
16:30I got him!
16:31I got him!
16:31I got him!
16:32Trey!
16:32Come on!
16:32Stop!
16:33I'm choking him!
16:34Trey!
16:36Stop!
16:37Trey!
16:38Trey!
16:39Follow me right this f***ing up!
16:40Trey, please!
16:41Trey, me and you've been friends forever.
16:42Please!
16:43Let's walk.
16:43Everything I own's on the line here.
16:45I know it is.
16:46At this mine.
16:47I walk.
16:47No, you aren't.
16:48No, no.
16:49Let's walk.
16:49No!
16:50Trey!
16:50Nobody's quitting.
16:52F***ing chicken.
16:53F***ing chicken.
16:54F***ing
16:54Trey!
16:55What?
16:56Just walk.
16:57I'm not going to take some back jumping.
17:00F***ing.
17:01Just walk.
17:02Let's walk.
17:03Come on, Dave.
17:04Let's finish it.
17:05No, no.
17:06Trey, please.
17:06F***ing coward.
17:07No, no, no.
17:08Dave!
17:09Trey!
17:09Enough!
17:11Enough!
17:11Trey!
17:15I'm done.
17:17Just take me home.
17:18I'll take you.
17:19Just pack my s*** up and go.
17:27After a disastrous bare-knuckle brawl between Trey and Dave, Todd's entire operation is
17:35shut down.
17:40Todd wanted me to come up here and meet.
17:43I have no problem meeting Todd right now, but I don't think that I'm ready to see Dave.
17:53Still short of his gold target.
17:55Hey, Trey.
17:56Todd can't afford to lose any crew.
17:59I brought Dave.
18:00I was hoping we could talk and maybe solve some things.
18:04Mind if we hit the bench over here?
18:08I'd like to finish what we started this summer.
18:11And I know it's been horrible, but I want to end this thing right.
18:14And that means you, with the team, and let's go get some damn gold.
18:20Let's go kick some ass.
18:21It's not going to be easy.
18:24I want to apologize for what I did, what I said, my actions.
18:30What I did was wrong.
18:32Totally wrong.
18:33And I'm hoping you'll forgive me.
18:37Likewise, Dave.
18:38I mean, we were both way wrong.
18:39Can we get through this?
18:43Why don't you guys shake hands?
18:46I'm trying to get through this season.
18:49All right, let's fire up.
18:51His fractured crew patched together.
18:54Todd makes one last push to hit his gold.
18:59All right, boys.
19:00Here we go.
19:02At the beginning of this week, guys, we had 910.
19:06We were going for 1,000.
19:08Well, smid right past it.
19:131,100.77.
19:20Unbelievable.
19:21I'll tell you what, we did that at 1,100 as a team.
19:23And I know that there's still hurts and hard feelings.
19:27We can get through those problems.
19:29I love you guys.
19:33Under the intense pressure of gold mining, even the most disciplined miners can buckle.
19:40Hurry up back there.
19:41Let's go.
19:43In 2021, former Green Beret medic, Fred Lewis, assembles a crew of military veterans to mine the Elkhorn Claim in
19:52Oregon.
19:54With a dream of striking it rich.
19:57The reality is, gold mining is the most difficult thing I've ever done.
20:01Nearly three months into his first season, the rookie mine boss has scraped together just two ounces of gold.
20:09If we're going to have success here, we're going to start getting gold fast.
20:12But their biggest problem...
20:14Get off that water!
20:15Johnny!
20:15Johnny!
20:16Fred's band of brothers have zero mining experience.
20:21It is my job to check all the connections.
20:23I'll admit that.
20:24That was my bad.
20:25Chalk it up to noobs!
20:27Apart from his foreman, Air Force veteran Kendall Madden.
20:31Really confident that these guys are going to pull through and be a badass team by the end of the
20:34year.
20:35Who learned everything he knows about mining from a gold rush legend.
20:40I was introduced to gold mining by my dad and my Uncle Freddy Dodge.
20:46Kendall oversees the entire operation, delegating tasks to the crew.
20:52Johnny's job is to be working our water.
20:56Kind of got to make sure that he's doing everything step by step.
20:59I don't have to worry about what another guy's doing.
21:01I got to worry about this machine and that machine.
21:04Unable to operate heavy equipment due to his combat injuries,
21:08retired Marine Johnny Stans is in charge of the pumps that feed Fred's wash plan.
21:15Make sure that valve by your knee is open.
21:18Yeah, that one.
21:22Don't want to have to baby him, but there's quite a few tasks where you got to hold his hand.
21:33Hey, Kendall.
21:34Go ahead.
21:35We got a hole that sprang an awful lot, so can you come down here and check it out?
21:39Yeah, I'll come down there and check it out.
21:41Shut it down.
21:42A blown hose in Johnny's water line forces Fred to shut down his plant,
21:48stopping all gold production.
21:50I'm doing Johnny's job like every other time that something goes wrong with his thing.
21:56It's a constant thing.
21:57It'd be one thing if it was like a learn from your mistake, but this stupid just keep up.
22:05Could we just tape it like that one?
22:07I understand you like half-assing your job.
22:09Are you kidding me?
22:10Okay.
22:11Fix the freaking thing.
22:12John, shut the up.
22:14Are you going to do anything right?
22:17Or is everyone going to have to fix you or through you all the times?
22:20Huh?
22:22Just fix the holes, you idiot.
22:25Then give me the wrench.
22:29I'm sorry, who is in charge of me?
22:31Fred's in charge of me.
22:32You ain't the boss.
22:33Oh, I'm not the foreman?
22:34How much experience do you have in a mind?
22:38Huh?
22:38None.
22:39Why do you think you're the water boy?
22:42Just fix it and shut your femmo.
22:44You're not doing anything here anyway.
22:47Don't shit on your ass like you normally do.
22:49Don't pay attention.
22:50Like normal.
22:52I'm just getting tired of everyone else doing his job for him.
22:55He ain't the boss.
22:56He's a freaking sitting six by six douchebag.
23:02Fred.
23:02Fred.
23:03What's up?
23:05Freaking idiot.
23:07What?
23:07Kendall.
23:08Yes.
23:09So, you just missed...
23:10John, what the freaking heck you're doing?
23:11So, let's deal with this as a group.
23:14Let's do it like we do in the military.
23:15Okay.
23:15We'll hash it out and I'll address it.
23:18A lot of the tension that we're having is because we aren't pulling in gold.
23:21Someone wise once told me, it's not how you handle conflict, it's how you resolve it.
23:26Can I get everybody to shut vehicles down and come to the colonel please?
23:30I kind of wanted to gather everybody together and do like a little after action review.
23:35We're all getting tired.
23:36We're all annoyed that we don't have gold yet.
23:38It's wearing on us all.
23:39But I want us all to respect each other better than we're doing right now.
23:44On the lines of respect, you guys have to understand that Kendall's been doing this a lot longer than all
23:48of us.
23:49So, his opinions are valid.
23:50But Kendall, the problem is everybody feels a little bit too managed.
23:55The attack that you're taking is a little off.
24:01I agreed, I'm a little hothead.
24:03Okay.
24:04But there's only a few of us on this mine site, so we have to stay as a team.
24:07And if that means I got to swallow my pride a little bit, I'm going to have to do it.
24:12Johnny, get over here.
24:13Exactly.
24:13Let's get a group hug though.
24:15I'm sorry.
24:16It's all water under the bridge.
24:17Let's get some work done.
24:18Me and Kendall definitely had our scuffle, but you got to get over it.
24:21You got to accomplish a mission.
24:23We've apologized.
24:24We're friends again.
24:30RPMs are good.
24:31Rolling.
24:33Everything's looking good.
24:40You don't want to hear it.
24:41No, I don't.
24:42You don't want to hear it.
24:43Coming up.
24:44What the is going on?
24:45You need to rethink your game, man.
24:51Don't talk to me that way.
24:52Don't try to intimidate me.
24:54Every year, gold miners risk it all to find their fortune.
25:01Nobody paying attention.
25:02Looks like a .
25:03But internal feuds can quickly sink an operation.
25:08You are making an enemy out of me.
25:10Turning allies into adversaries.
25:13I'm freaking sorry.
25:14I screwed up, okay?
25:16For a mine boss, good crew chemistry is crucial to success.
25:21There's a lot of we've got to deal with right now.
25:25In 2024, Kevin Beetz is stepping out from his father's shadow
25:29to prove himself as a mine boss.
25:33But this is the first time that it's all my , my ground,
25:37and at the end of the day, it's going to be my and Faith's goal.
25:40To hit his ambitious 1,000-ounce goal,
25:43he hires master dirt mover Brennan Ruo as his foreman.
25:47It's a struggle to try and reach a 1,000-ounce goal on the first season,
25:51with a small crew and old equipment.
25:54So I had Matt and Ashley get on.
25:57I worked with them last year up here.
25:58We were mining at another mine site.
26:01Brennan is depending on experienced operators,
26:04Matt Kiefer and his fiancée Ashley Phillips,
26:07to bolster a crew of greenhorns.
26:10I have to watch out for the other operators.
26:13The main thing here is not beating the iron up
26:16so we can keep running it.
26:19She have the dirt.
26:21That really pissed me off.
26:24So do you know why you're having such a hard time?
26:27Where?
26:28Do you know?
26:29I'm asking you.
26:30But I can't help it that the truck's running.
26:32I'm trying to tell you to make your life easier.
26:35I'm trying to help you here, and you're talking over me.
26:38So if I can't express myself to you as adults,
26:42I'm going to get irritated, okay?
26:45me.
26:49Literally disrespectful as hell.
26:52It's not fun to work with whatsoever.
26:57What the is going on?
26:59This over the radio and nobody getting along?
27:01I'm serious.
27:02Let me speak.
27:02When is she going to get reprimanded for her bull ?
27:05You're going to get reprimanded for your
27:06yelling and screaming fucking people.
27:08I was nothing but polite.
27:10I want this to be squashed right now.
27:16Ashley continues to give Hunter a hard time.
27:24And it all comes to a head at a critical moment.
27:30We're all hands on deck.
27:32I got mad out here at Hunter Chaser at the rock trucks.
27:37It looks like I'm missing somebody here.
27:39Ash, do you have a coffee?
27:44Hey, do you know where Ash is at here?
27:47Yeah, I just seen her.
27:48She was having a cigarette break.
27:51Oh, for f***ing sakes.
27:54Every f***ing time.
27:55I got to go find her.
27:56I need her in a rock truck.
27:58I'm here to mine gold, not f***ing babysit.
28:02Ash?
28:04Hey, big cat.
28:05We got to talk about some stuff.
28:08You have been a friend of mine for a long time.
28:10But work's work.
28:12I'm not asking you to work 20 hours a day.
28:14But when we're out there doing it, let's just hustle.
28:17Instead, you have to go to camp all the time.
28:19Literally?
28:20I didn't come over here to get my ass chewed.
28:22Yeah, but I'm explaining to you why I'm in frustration.
28:24I didn't come over here to get my ass chewed.
28:25Okay, well, I'm telling you and you don't f***ing listen.
28:28Brennan, I've been moving dirt f***ing 20 years.
28:31You know.
28:32I've heard your experience level forever.
28:34I know what you're capable of, so show me.
28:36I want to see it.
28:38Actually, yesterday, Brennan, I rolled up.
28:41Brennan, I rolled up yesterday.
28:44You don't want to f***ing hear it?
28:45No, I don't.
28:45You don't want to hear it?
28:50I'm f***ing out of here.
28:58Brennan and I have been friends for four years.
29:01Like, what the f*** is wrong?
29:04And f***ing.
29:06Go home.
29:08Oh, I wonder what happened.
29:11Matt's coming.
29:14It's hard to show, I guess.
29:19Hey, what happened?
29:21I'm done.
29:31I think this f***ing is quitting.
29:32She left work.
29:41What's happening now then?
29:42What's happened?
29:43Oh, I'm going home.
29:44I've got basically no regrets besides the fact that maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.
29:50Down in Alberta, if somebody gives me the grief that I've been given, I can go punch them in the
29:55head.
29:58Our decision was to let Ashley go.
30:00This is a little stressful with the timing, but we've got a plan to move.
30:04We've got to get f***ing losing.
30:05We've got bills to pay, so we're still going to f***ing go at it without them.
30:09We're here to mine gold.
30:10We're not here to f***ing argue and fight and play Dr. Phil all day.
30:21I'm just about to hit the road.
30:23The pressure to deliver gold can create conflict at any time.
30:28I'm going to go try to find us some ground in Alaska.
30:30Especially when the mine boss is away.
30:33Mitch, while I'm gone, you'll be in charge.
30:37While Parker leaves to scout new ground in Alaska, the pressure is now on foreman Mitch Blaschke to run the
30:45massive mining operation.
30:47Tyson should be able to move their plant and deal with all of their ditches and whatnot, but I'd like
30:53you to just keep a finger on the poles.
30:57Parker's away and wants me to go down and see what's going on at Sleucifer.
31:01I really hope things are looking as nice down there as they are here, but we're going to go check
31:05it out.
31:06Come on, quit f***ing around! Let's go!
31:09In charge of Sleucifer, his recently promoted wash plant boss, Tyson Lee.
31:15What's happening?
31:17It's getting ready to move Sleucifer.
31:19So what's your game plan here?
31:21Parker said to me before he left that he wanted the wash plant upstream.
31:24And he wants it set up low, so we got to get this done and get Sleucin by the end
31:28of the week.
31:29That's never how we've mined in the past.
31:31You got to have some room, man. These are big wash plants that need big cuts, big area.
31:35Put the wash plant up on a hill.
31:36You got this spot over here. Try and set your plant up on it.
31:40It's going to buy you a lot of time and give you a lot more freedom down here.
31:45Yeah, well, I mean, man, it's his sandbox and I'm just playing in it.
31:49I just don't want to get in the s***, you know, when he gets back.
31:52He's not going to like it, but Parker's not here. I'm running things now.
31:58All right.
31:59All right, thanks.
32:03Tyson is trying to do everything that Parker wants done.
32:06I'm not out here trying to piss him off or do things a different way than he wants them done,
32:10but I'm out here to make this company work and make money.
32:13Parker said to me before he left that he wants that wash plant sitting over there and that cut before
32:19he gets back.
32:20And if it's not, it'll probably mean I'm packing my bags.
32:24Tyson ignores Mitch's orders and moves forward with Parker's plan.
32:30Got to be f***ing kidding me.
32:33Matt, it's just a joke.
32:36What the f*** is going on?
32:39Hey, hey, hang on!
32:41I've told you not to do it that way.
32:43What do you expect me to do?
32:45Parker's in here telling you to cut corners. You got to straighten him out.
32:48When he comes at you with a stupid idea, you got to tell him that.
32:51You know how much of a hard head he can have over stuff?
32:54You can't just tell the boss what he wants to hear.
32:56You have to tell him what needs to be done.
32:58If you're telling me you're cool with that setup right there,
33:01you need to f***ing rethink your game, man.
33:09Want to keep this train on the rails here while Parker's gone.
33:12After taking some time to cool off...
33:15Hey, Tyson, you got a second?
33:17Mitch regathers the crew.
33:19Sorry for losing it on you.
33:20That's not the kind of boss I want to be.
33:24Yeah.
33:25Well, thanks, man. I appreciate it.
33:27You know what, Mitch?
33:28You have more seniority than I do,
33:29so we'll move the plant your way.
33:31I think it'll work better for everybody.
33:34Let's do it.
33:36The crew execute Mitch's plan
33:38and race to get mining again before Parker returns.
33:43Two feet to edge.
33:45Hold it right there.
33:46One more.
33:46Nice job, buddy.
33:47Thanks, man.
33:48Here we go.
33:56After being away for four weeks,
33:59Parker heads straight to the gold room.
34:02Don't drop it.
34:04To see how the team performed.
34:07Are they like 200 apiece or 300 apiece?
34:10They're like 500 apiece.
34:12What?
34:12Mitch has brought in over 2,000 ounces in just one month.
34:18To be able to be gone and have one of the best months this company's ever had is awesome.
34:25Give me one good reason not to tell you to go f*** yourself.
34:28Up ahead.
34:29It's not a f***ing joke.
34:31The ultimate miner versus miner showdown.
34:34I do all the work.
34:35I take all the risk and you get all the money.
34:37Pretty good deal, isn't it?
34:46Hey, Buzz!
34:47On the hunt for gold, even the best of allies can become adversaries.
34:53Why does he not know that he can't sleep on the job?
34:55And in 2024, Rick faces off with key crew member and foreman, Buzz Legault.
35:01All season hasn't felt like he really wanted to be as involved as last year.
35:06Man, I started up there.
35:08I started this project.
35:09Yeah, I know that.
35:10And I got kicked out of it.
35:11Right?
35:12You're not the senior operator.
35:13You're a f***ing guy on this crew.
35:14You're going to jump in where the f*** you fit in or you're going to go the f*** home.
35:18If you don't want to work with me, then f*** you all go.
35:21I don't care.
35:23Yeah, I didn't see that.
35:26I mean, I want you to be part of this team.
35:28You're a big part of this team.
35:30You're at the top of the heat.
35:31You good?
35:34Yes, sir.
35:35It's good to clear the air with Buzz.
35:37I think the air is clear.
35:38I mean, it is on my part.
35:39I think we're good.
35:44Like some chronic disease.
35:46I can't shake this f***ing guy.
35:48In gold mining.
35:49You're leasing me around that you would never touch.
35:52There's no rivalry more explosive.
35:55I don't care what you do.
35:56Yeah, you do.
35:58You do care what you do.
35:59And enduring.
36:00Do you guys f***ing take it all?
36:02Or f***ing take a hike?
36:03As that between Tony Beetz.
36:05I don't know who started calling him a Klondike legend, but it's more like f***ing Klondike
36:09f***ing.
36:10And Parker Schnabel.
36:11Give me one good reason not to tell you to go f*** yourself.
36:17Hey, Tony.
36:18Tony Beetz, how you doing?
36:19Once.
36:20His young apprentice.
36:21Sounds good to me.
36:22Let's find some f***ing gold.
36:23Huh?
36:23Let's do it.
36:24Their relationship quickly fell apart.
36:27That's not a f***ing joke.
36:28F***ing clean it up better.
36:30Over mining strategies.
36:32Norma's blue thing.
36:33Hydraulic grapples.
36:34That's bull****ing, Tony.
36:36Contracts.
36:37I've already got money in the ground.
36:39We don't care.
36:40That's it for today.
36:41You fool your people.
36:42Tony won't talk today.
36:42Have a judge tell me that, Tony.
36:43I hope you got more lawyers than we got friends.
36:46And water rights.
36:47Man, I didn't deny water.
36:49Go to the f***ing river.
36:50F***ing.
36:51That mean called love wars?
36:53Tony is like a cockroach.
36:55He will survive anything.
36:57I will get Tony Beetz back for what he's done.
36:59I just can't keep mining under Tony.
37:03At the end of the 2017 season, it all comes to a head when Parker buys his own piece of
37:12UConn ground.
37:13Definitely nice not to have to deal with Tony anymore.
37:16And like on this ground, we don't have to pay him any royalties.
37:19Parker has been leasing ground from Tony all season.
37:23Now he wants to run his own dirt before winter shuts him down.
37:29With no time to move a wash plant, Parker decides to truck his pay dirt straight through Tony's cab to
37:38his plant on Tony's ground.
37:41Hey, this is one small step for us, but this is one giant middle finger to Tony Beetz.
37:54What the f*** is he doing all that?
37:57Oh my f***.
37:59Do they have to drive so fast?
38:00I'm pretty sure we need to park a rock truck like right in their way.
38:04No, you can't stop him.
38:06As far as in the UConn, there is no trespassing law.
38:09You have to give people access to their mining ground, so you can't really stop him.
38:14You should see the look on these guys' face. They don't look too happy.
38:17You can't figure out what the hell is going on.
38:23It's going to take a lot more than Tony Beetz to stop this crew.
38:30I think we've got enough of a pile to fire up a wash plant.
38:33After building a stockpile, Parker fires up and runs his own dirt for the first time ever.
38:41Nice thing about all this pay dirt is no royalties.
38:44No royalties. Well, hopefully there's some gold in it.
38:47There it is.
38:50No, I don't f***ing like it.
38:54What is this? Tony Beetz?
39:09Oh there, what are you doing now? What the f*** you think I'm doing?
39:12I mean, all week you're nicely sneaking through the yard with rock trucks, and now you're sluicing over air.
39:19The contract states, while you're leasing the ground from us, that's the only material you're going to sluice.
39:26You cannot sluice some other material from some other ground.
39:29I'm not here to f*** anybody over.
39:32Actually, you'll get over a million bucks this year.
39:34So I don't see how you can have such a problem with every little tiny f*** thing we do, Tony.
39:40Life is in the details, right?
39:42All you have to do is sit back and make money.
39:45Yeah, no, that's not how it works.
39:46What do you mean that's not how it works? That's exactly how it works.
39:49I do all the work, I take all the risk, and you get all the money.
39:52Pretty good deal, isn't it?
39:53Yeah. Yeah.
39:54For you it is.
39:55And I like to keep it that way.
39:57We got a pile of pay here now, Tony. We're going to run it.
40:00This is not going to work, Parker.
40:03I mean, you're going to have to stick to the contract. That's what we make them f*** things for.
40:07If that's not good enough for you, you go somewhere else.
40:09And you can go f*** yourself.
40:12Let me make this f*** simple for you. You are shut down.
40:17That's the f***ing end of it.
40:20Blocked from sluicing his royalty-free pay dirt,
40:24Parker decides to shut down for the year rather than earn Tony more royalties.
40:32This in front of us plus this.
40:37But Parker still ends the year on a high.
40:40So where does that leave us for the whole season?
40:42Well, for the season, our 5,000 ounce gold turned out to be 6,280 ounces.
40:52Yee-haw!
40:53We got our first real nugget.
40:55Over 15 years, Gold Rush miners have hauled in nearly 124,000 ounces.
41:04There's gold.
41:05Today, worth a staggering $409 million.
41:11And as long as there are fortunes to win...
41:16...battles will rage on.
41:18Shut the hell up!
41:19We'll be there in a freaking minute!
41:20We'll f***ing do it, and then you'll learn to shut your f***ing mouth.
41:24...in the pursuit of gold.
41:28It's going to be a fight.
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