07x24 - Gold Rush: The Story So Far (Series 1-6)

[bunniefuu]

Jack: we got 3,032.

-No way!
-Our best season ever.

Narrator: in 2015,
entrepreneur todd hoffman

Unearthed $3 million
worth of gold.

Todd:
we've got more gold this season

Than all of our
other seasons combined.

Want an accomplishment, huh?
-Gee.

Narrator: but todd failed
to beat his 20-year-old rival,

Parker schnabel.

-Oh, yeah!
-Hello!

Parker: so that's 3,362,

Which takes us
past the hoffmans.

Narrator:
for the past six years,

Todd and parker
have been competing

To see who can mine
the most gold.

Todd: you know,
what bothers me is that,

You know, he's gotten help
along the way.

Old todd here's paved
a lot of the way for that kid.

Parker: I've got issues
with todd, obviously.

Narrator: this is the story
of how friends...

-How you doing, buddy?
-Good.

Narrator:
...became enemies...

I don't need to play games,
todd.

Todd: he just doesn't know
what's coming.

There's a freight train coming,
and I'm the conductor.

Hoo-hoo!

Narrator:
...their epic struggles...

Oh [bleep]

Narrator:
...their mistakes...

Everything I made last year
I lost right down there.

Turin:
it's a complete disaster.

Narrator: ...and the one thing
they have in common -- gold.

Man: whoo!

Parker: I hate the thought
of getting beat by todd.

Don't get me wrong.
I would love to kick your butt.

I think I got more heart.

I think we've got
more discipline.

We'll find out.
I doubt it.

-Really?
-[ Laughing ] yeah.

We'll find out, parker.

Oh, man.

-- Captions by vitac --
www.vitac.com

Captions paid for by
discovery communications

Good evening, everybody.

The worst financial crisis
in decades today

Sent shock waves
throughout the country.

Narrator: in 2010,
america was in a recession.

One of the worst affected states
was oregon.

Like many other businessmen,

Airfield owner todd hoffman
was facing financial ruin.

This recession has just
decimated the aviation business.

It's just bad.

Narrator:
but todd say an opportunity.

The economic crisis
had pushed the price of gold

To an all-time high.

We're over $1,200 an ounce.

I thought it was good
at $400.

This is gonna be a life-changer
if we can pull this off.

In a bid to beat the downturn,
todd and his father, jack,

Gambled everything they owned on
a daring expedition to alaska.

Todd:
our business is struggling.

I'm throwing everything I got
into it.

We're gonna go gold-mining.

Narrator: todd invested hundreds
of thousands of dollars

In mining equipment and
asked four unemployed friends

Whose families were in desperate
need of cash to help him mine.

To be on welfare,
food stamps, and...

You know,
I mean, we've done that.

I'm done with that.

One more late payment
on my mortgage,

Then we go on foreclosure.

All right, let's go!
We got to get this stuff moving!

Narrator:
but they would only be paid
if they found gold.

If there's no gold, then I'm
sunk, just like everybody else.

Narrator: in spring 2010,

Todd and his crew
left their families in oregon

And sought their fortune


In southeast alaska.

Todd: I'm gonna take
this team of guys,

And I'm gonna kick this thing
right in the face.

We're gonna go get
some friggin' gold.

Harness:
I've never seen anything
like this before.

This is nuts.

Narrator:
todd had leased a 160-acre claim
called porcupine creek.

They had five months
to strike gold

Before alaska's harsh winter
would freeze them out.

Only todd's father, jack, had
any experience of gold-mining.

Okay, guys, hey.

This is the opportunity that
we've all been talking about.

You're all millionaires.

The only thing is,

You got to get it
out of the ground, you know?

That's the piece.

Hey, parker,
come on out here!

Narrator: legendary gold miner
john schnabel

And his grandson, parker, ran
the big nugget mine next door.

Get some neighbors, huh?
Huh.

-They got a lot of machinery.
-Yeah.

Parker:
the mine is important to me.

I've spent every summer
since I can remember up there.

You know, I've practically
grown up up there.

Narrator: parker didn't miss
an opportunity

To make a few bucks off todd
and his rookie crew.

Go, parker
go, parker

Man: nailed it.

Your dad says that sometimes
he has to spank you,

And that's good
for a young man.

Man: that's embarrassing.
[ Laughter ]

So, how many kids
are in your junior high?

Junior high?
I'm not in junior high.

Shut up.

I charged them double
what I usually do.

[ Engine starts ]

Turn the jig on!

Narrator:
at first, todd assumed parker
was just an ordinary kid.

This ain't running right.

But he soon realized his young
friend was a gold-mining expert.

Todd: little embarrassing.

You got a 15-year-old kid
telling you how to mine,

But he's got a lot more
experience than I do.

He's been mining
since he was 6 years old.

-Todd.
-How are you, buddy?

Pretty good.

I want you to take a look
at my jig.

Something's wrong.

I don't know
what I'm doing with it.

That's not gonna work.

Okay.

Did you guys level this out
when you put it in?

I got to take that apart.

First run, buddy.
-That's a mess.

I'm from the city, man.

I didn't grow up out here
like you.

Whatever.

Todd: yeah, I'm sure
he's looking at us like,

"Oh, my gosh," you know?

"Look at these guys.
They're never gonna make it."

[ Humming ]

Parker:
you know they're amateurs

When they dig through with
their fingers and look for it.

Don't know
what they're doing.

Narrator:
parker wasn't impressed
with todd and his novice crew.

Parker: it's just gold fever.
That's all it is.

You know, they need a lot
of gold to cover their costs.

Narrator: parker was right.

Todd and his team
were out of their depth.

-Hey, thurb.
-Yeah.

We got about $2 worth
of gold in that whole
bucket of black sand.

One whole bucket?

So, what I've been doing
for the last two months

Is a bunch of [bleep]
-yeah, it looks --

Well...

I don't know.

-[Bleep]
-i don't know what to tell you.

[Bleep]

-Dude, don't get --
-get off!

I don't want to talk about it
right now.

Man: how'd he take it?

How do you think
he frickin' took it?

Back up.
Just back off a little bit.

Narrator:
by the end of the first season,

Todd's crew had found
just 15 ounces of gold,

Worth less than $20,000.

Todd had lost a quarter million,

And his crew went home
with nothing.

Narrator:
todd had a plan to make amends
for his disastrous first season.

He led his crew 600 miles north
of porcupine creek

To an area of canada
known as the klondike,

Famed for its rich pockets
of gold.

Todd: I'm asking you guys
to trust me again.

At some point, we got to trust
somebody somewhere.

Narrator: 600 miles south,
at big nugget,


Was promoted to mine boss.

I have faith in your management
that it will be successful.

Thanks.

Shake. [ Laughs ]

Narrator: parker was already
an experienced gold-miner.

But the ambitious new boss had
no idea how to lead his crew.

What are you doing?

[Speaks indistinctly]
for your grandfather.

My grandpa's
not in charge here.

I don't care.

Stop a minute.

No, I ain't stopping
for nothing.

You don't give me orders.

-Why not?
-Because you don't. You ask.

You don't order somebody.
You ask.

Have some respect
for people.

I think you should show me
a little respect.

You told me to go haul dirt.

-Is that how you treat somebody?
-You don't -- hey.

You don't tell me
how to do mine.

I have not told you
how to do your job

One time this whole year.

I have not told you
one time!

John: parker.

Not once!

Parker, come here.

You are approaching this man
in the wrong way.

You don't shout at him.

You don't point your finger
at him.

Parker:
they were standing around.

Well, that doesn't make
any difference.

Yes, it does.

We're up here to make money.

And we're up here
to run the plant.

You won't make money
if you chase the help off.

Narrator: at quartz creek...

Fire it up!

[ Engine starts ]

...todd faced
a different problem.

His loyal crew had followed him
once again

To the ends of the earth.

But they were still coming
to grips with gold-mining.

Look at these
hydraulic riffles.

A lot of them are plugged.

Shut it down!

[ Engine shuts off ]

We basically need a filter
on the front end, james.

I mean, you're gonna
have to frickin'

Either make this from scratch --
I don't even know.

Well, I'll try
to figure something out.

But I need this thing
yesterday.

Narrator:
halfway through his season,

Todd had found just 15 ounces of
gold and was facing bankruptcy.

Parker's season was over
as he had to go back to school,

But before leaving,
he decided to drop in on todd.

The hoffmans are a fun bunch
of guys to be around,

And I was really excited
to see what was up there.

I'm just gonna go say hi
to todd and the boys,

And I might flash my gold around
a little.

Narrator:
parker had mined 34 ounces
of gold, worth $56,000.

Not a lot,
but at this stage in the season,

He had twice as much as todd.

Parker came up, and he's
a good kid with a bright future,

So I like parker.

Whoa!

Hey, todd.

-How you doing, buddy?
-Good.

-Doing good?
-Yeah.

Todd:
he had a little bar of gold.

What do you got? Whoa!

Wow.

Parker:
he asked me how big it is.

And I answered him like
any other gold miner ever would.

-How many ounce?
-It's 34.

-34?
-Yeah.

Jack: that's nice.

He was pretty proud of it.

You know, he thought he'd
actually stomped us, you know?

How you guys doing?

We're -- we're doing okay.

Parker: todd didn't tell me
how much gold he had.

It was all pretty weird.

All of a sudden,
I'm in a gold contest, you know?

Why won't you tell me
what you've got?

Mainly, we haven't cleaned
that one out,

And that one's got more
than all of ours.

Todd:
maybe it's a lot less.

It can't be worse
than last season.

I don't know whether
he's playing the big man

Or something.

Wait till the end of the season,
and then we'll talk.

I don't need to play --

I don't need to play games,
todd.

[ Laughs ]

What happened to nice parker?

It felt pretty...disappointing

That that's the way
they decided to handle it.

He's being an [bleep]

Or is it just me?

Todd hoffman.

I knew that was gonna go
[bleep] ugly.

Todd: he wants me to tell him
how much gold I have.

Well, at this point,
I'm not ready to do that.

[Bleep]

Parker: I'd like to think
that we're good friends, right?

But todd's treating me
like a kid.

I just think that he's just not
being straightforward with me.

Parker shows up.
He wasn't invited up here, so...

I mean, it's open,
but, you know,

People need to be courteous
when they come to my mine.

Narrator: in the klondike,
winter was coming.

The frozen ground
would soon force todd hoffman

To call an end
to his second mining season.

It's cold.
The ground is frozen.

Dave, give me frickin'


But having been shown up
by 16-year-old parker schnabel

And his 32-ounce bar...

Wow!

...todd wasn't ready to quit.

He pushed his crew
day and night...

...pulling more gold
out of the frozen ground

Than they had done all summer,

Finishing the season
with 91 ounces,

Almost three times more
than parker.

Todd invested his gold
in a fleet of new machines.

Parker may have been
the more experienced gold miner,

But todd had the grander vision.

I'm not asking you guys
to go after a bear

With a bb g*n this year.

Look over my shoulder,
look at all this equipment.

Day one of our third
mining season right now.

We have 1,000 ounces to get.

Can we do it?

Are you kidding?
There's a lot of unknowns.

Well, I'm telling you right now,
we're gonna frickin' do it.

Narrator:
parker spent his second season

Searching for gold
at his grandfather's mine...

Foot after foot,
not a thing.

...but big nugget
was virtually dry.

Pretty depressing.

Narrator:
by the end of the season,

Parker had made just enough gold
to cover his costs.

-192 Ounces.
-Pay yourself 20 cents an hour.

[ Laughter ]

I mean,
we tried everything we could.

That's for sure.

While in the klondike,

Todd's gamble on a fleet
of new machines...

Todd: this is like carrying
a sack of concrete, dad.

...had paid off.

Todd: hey, guys.

Guess what -- we're starting
to frickin' do it.

Dad.

Jack: all right, guys, we've got
a grand total of 803 right now.

That's $1.2 million in gold.

[ Cheers ]
you know what?

This is going to feed
everybody here's family.

It's not a joke.

Narrator:
the amateurs from the city

Had four times more gold
than parker.

But parker was hatching a plan

To beat todd's million-dollar
gold haul next summer.

Hey, grandpa.

Here's the key
to the gate.

John: oh.

Parker had decided to leave
his grandfather's mine

And start his own operation
in the klondike


Had been so successful.

Go where you can get
the best return for your time.

-I hear you.
-You know?

If I'm in good health,
I will come see you.

I'd love that.

[ Laughs ] yeah.

-Bye, grandpa.
-Goodbye.

Parker: to be honest,

I probably wouldn't have gone
up to the klondike

If I didn't have his blessing.

Narrator:
parker needed mining equipment

For his new operation
in the klondike,

And he knew someone
who was selling.

-Parker schnabel.
-Hey, todd.

-How's it going?
-Good.

Thanks. I've actually came down,
hoping to talk to you

About some of the equipment
you have up north.

I'd like to talk
about a dozer.

-The d10.
-That's right.

You know there's nobody
in the world

That's 18 years old
that owns a d10.

You know that.

I don't have the money
to pay for it right now.

There's just no way in hell

I'm gonna rent
or lease that machine.

What do I have to do
to get it?

I mean, give me a shot.



I'll give you 100 ounces.

Give me six weeks to sluice.

That's july 1st.

You got a deal.

But on midnight
on july 1st,

I'm gonna hit you
with a hefty bill.

You understand?

Yeah. Handshake?

Handshake on it.

I wish him luck,
but on july 1st,

I'll frickin' take that dozer
so fast,

It'll make that kid's head spin.

Todd was selling
his entire fleet

To pay for
his next gold-mining venture.

If the venture worked,

He and his crew could more
than quadruple their earnings.

We did get $1.2 million,
which is fine.

But we want
a life-changing experience.

Narrator: in a risky move,

Todd led his crew


Man:
this is where we're gonna find
millions of dollars in gold.

Dude, I like this area, man.
I got a good feeling about this.

...to guyana,
in south america.

[ Tires screech ]

Todd believed
there was gold in the jungle.

Well, there goes our ride,
guys.

No turning back now.

On the other side
of the continent,

Parker had leased ground

From the notorious klondike
cold-mining legend,

Tony beets...

Hey, tony.

Good.

...one of the most successful
gold miners in north america.

I'm looking forward
to the summer.

It's good to be up here.

Parker's claim was 20 miles
south of quartz creek,

Where todd had mined 800 ounces
last season.

There you go.

Parker set himself
the same target.

That 800-ounce number...

I don't really know
what inspired it.

Narrator: parker got to work.

But the gold wasn't flowing,

So parker decided to abandon
his first cut

And instead mine
across the river,

Where he thought
he'd be more successful.

I'm not afraid to move
this whole show over there.

[Bleep] fantasy land,
parker.

Fantasy land might
just be our next cut.

Parker's crew thought
he was making a mistake

And so did tony.

As leaseholder, tony was due 15%
of the gold parker mined.

He inspected the cut
parker had abandoned.

Hey, tony.

Some gold.
Where's that from?

But parker was convinced
his fantasy land cut

Would deliver more gold.

Parker:
tony is just never happy.

He wants everything done
his way,

And that's not why I'm here.

I came up here
to do things my way.

The only way I can see
getting tony off my back

Is to pay him the royalty
on that 800 ounces right now

And buy my freedom.

Hey, tony, here.

That's the royalty on 800.

I'm paying it forward
so you can get off my a*s.

I've got a plan.

I just need
to do it my way.

Yeah.
-Okay.

Thanks, tony.

Narrator:
parker bought his freedom

With over a quarter
of a million dollars,

But now he was burdened
with debt.

His only hope was to find gold.

Better hope fantasy land
pays off.

Narrator: after his first season
mining in the klondike,

Parker returned home
with his gold.

Parker!

[ Laughter ]

Wait till you see this.

Whoa!

Look at this.

Look at
all that good stuff.

Man: whoa.
[ Laughter ]

Last year, parker's rival,
todd hoffman,

Had mined 800 ounces of gold
from the same region.

Parker was determined
to do better.

Parker: ...85.



Oh, man.

Nancy: oh.

[ Laughing ]
-big-time.



Oh, my gosh!

I'm going to the yukon.

-Holy criminy.
-That's over 1,000 ounces.



-[ Laughing ]
-geez.

[ Laughs ]

You made
a great decision.

Here he is, 20 years old, and
he's already close to a million.

[ Laughter ]

Narrator: parker had smashed
todd's 800-ounce total

From the previous season.

Meanwhile, todd was back
from mining in the jungle.

He bet everything he had
on finding gold in guyana...

God!

...but his expedition had been
a total failure.

This is like a train wreck.

Narrator:
he found just 2 ounces of gold,
worth just over $2,000.

The jungle destroyed todd.

I've never seen todd
that depressed.

Narrator: not only had todd
lost his money,

He'd also failed his crew.

I do not want this
to go on.

I can't take it anymore.
It's been weeks now.

With the next gold-mining season
about to begin,

Todd had given up
on the dream.

Todd: there's peaks and valleys
in life.

That was definitely
a frickin' valley.

Narrator:
but his father persuaded him
to mine for gold one last time.

I'll go talk to him.

Todd and his father traveled
up to the klondike,

Where they'd grossed over a
million dollars two seasons ago,

Hoping to find a claim
that hadn't already been leased.

Let's go find out
if this is for real.

Man: claim's gonna be leased
sometime in the next week,

One way or the other.

There's a lot of interest in it.

If me and my dad pan gold
right over here,

I'm gonna walk
back over here

And I'm gonna see
if I can cut a deal with you.

I know
you're gonna find gold.

Dad,
are you seeing anything?

There's some gold.

Look at that.

There's gold right there.

-Look at that, dad.
-Yeah.

This is frickin' awesome.

This is a lot
of frickin' gold.

We could roll
that frickin' trommel in here

And be mining in the first week.
You understand?

There's probably maybe 80,


That can get us right out
of the hole, you know?

-Right off the bat.
-Yep.

We need it.

I'll go up there and see
if we can negotiate, all right?

-Yeah.
-Okay.

Narrator: todd secured the lease
on mckinnon creek

With the promise
that he would pay the owner

At least $100,000
worth of gold.

He put the word out to his crew,
but after last season's fiasco,

He didn't expect them
to come back to him.

Hey, dad, we got company.

Well, I'll be damned.

[ Both laugh ]

I knew I -- I knew I could
count on you, buddy.

I'm really surprised
that you came, man.

What changed your mind?

When I heard
you were getting gold,

It was kind of a no-brainer
for me.

I want to just apologize

For everything
that happened last year.

This year,
let's redeem ourselves, man.

Todd: you know,
it's a little humbling right now

That these guys would take
one more risk with us.

And when your family comes back,
that feels good.

Narrator:
with his crew back together
and the gold flowing,

Todd's thoughts turn
to maximizing his profits.

He invested in
a giant wash plant, monster red.

This state-of-the-art machine

Could process twice as much gold
as parker's.

With monster red, todd might
be able to beat his rival.

[ Engine starts ]


Mining scribner creek for weeks.

He'd already cleaned out
more than 500 ounces of gold

When an unwelcome visitor
flew over.

Who's that up there spying?

That's todd hoffman.

Narrator:
todd had rented a helicopter
to spy on parker's operation.

Todd: what you can see by air
is you can see

The amount of areas
that they're stripping,

How far ahead they are,

How they're getting
their pay dirt out,

And where they're setting
their plant.

Come talk to us.
Grow a pair.

A lot cheaper
than renting a helicopter.

Right now, I'm heading over
to the hoffman claim.

I've heard they have
a big old fancy wash plant.

Monster red.

Huh.

Guess "big red"
just ain't good enough, huh?

Not for me.

[ Chuckles ]

Don't get jealous.

I'd hate to think
of what we'd be at

In this point in the season
if I had this wash plant.

I already know what
your wash plant looks like.

Flying around
in your helicopter.

I'm in the information business,
parker.

Next time,
you should just land,

And I'll give you
a cup of coffee.

Narrator: todd had started
the season late,

But he believed big red
would help him catch

And overtake parker.

Todd: he doesn't know
what's coming.

There's a freight train coming,

And I'm the fat guy
that's the conductor.

Hoo-hoo!

Narrator: the results
from todd's scaled-up operation

Were staggering.

Man:
moment of truth, guys.

Todd and his crew
finished the season

With 1,349 ounces of gold,
worth $1.6 million...

-There you go, huh?
-Yes!

Narrator: ...nearly a quarter
of a million dollars more

Than parker grossed last year.

Thanks, buddy.

One word that would sum up
my season would be "thankful."

Thankful for another shot
at a dream.

We couldn't have done it

If you guys didn't take
another risk with me.

At scribner creek, even though
winter was drawing in,

Parker decided
to continue mining for gold.

Parker:
I've got some bad news for you.

We're not done mining.

We need to keep working.

We need to stay
and find some more gold.

Is there an issue with that?

-[ Spits ]
-so --

Cheeseman:
I don't want to [bleep] around

And work until it just
doesn't make any sense anymore.

I understand you want to get
as much gold as you can get.

I understand that.

But everybody's wore out.
This is [bleep]

I don't understand what
the [bleep] going on here.

Start understanding that...

Remsburg: I think our backs
have been broken.

Narrator:
but parker wanted more gold,

And despite the cold,
his crew worked on.

Cheeseman: I don't know
if there is a solution.

Maybe the solution is I leave.

I'm pretty [bleep] off.

That's 200.

Narrator: parker's winter push
helped the 19-year-old mine boss

Finish the season
with 2,538 ounces.

I mean, that's $3 million
right there on the table.

Narrator: parker had made a
million dollars more than todd,

But his victory came at a price.

He was about to lose
the very people

Who'd made him so successful.

Narrator: parker had outmined
his rival todd

With a massive
$3 million gold haul.

But his greed
had broken his crew.

Even parker's right-hand man,
gene cheeseman, had had enough.

I'm not gonna take any [bleep]
from the little punk.

Gene had played a vital part
in parker's success.

Man: what's going on?

I just met with gene,
and he's done.

So he'll not be there
anymore, huh?

I think that bridge
has been burned.

Narrator: it wasn't just gene
who was leaving.

Parker: greg remsburg's
not coming back.

Mike is leaving, as well.

Narrator:
parker didn't know if any of his
crew would work for him again.

I may have been one
of the problems around there,

But it's just...

[ Sighs ]

I'm scared.

Nancy: what I saw last year
was maybe not your best self.

Yeah.

You got great gold totals,
but, you know...

Yeah, I learn from
my mistakes, mom.

Okay.

Do you want to mine?

I do enjoy mining.
No, I love it. I love it.

And you want to go back
to the klondike,

And you want to mine
this season.

Yes.

Narrator: at mckinnon creek,

Todd had all the ingredients
for a successful season...

I really wanted to beat parker
this year.

Narrator: ...a loyal crew...

-What's up, man?
-How are you?

Narrator:
...gold in the ground,

And a revolutionary vision
that could propel him

Into gold-mining's elite.

Let's make a supercut, the
biggest cut we've ever seen.

If we could pull this off,
it could be incredible, man.

Todd had decided to risk it all
on a giant, mile-long supercut.

Taking three weeks to build,

Todd would only get an idea
how much gold it contained

After the first cleanout.

Hey, guys.

Man: what is it?

It's good.

How good?

Listen.
[ Pan thuds ]

-Whoa!
-Oh, my god.

-You're freaking kidding me.
-Look at that.

Man:
how much is it, jack?



Whoo!
[ Applause ]

God.

Wow.

Guys, you know what?

This is the biggest cleanup
we've ever done as a team, ever.



Over a quarter
of a million bucks.

Narrator: todd was on course
for a record season.

Todd:
I think the sky's the limit.
I really do.

We got a good start.

We think
we're gonna beat everybody.

Not just parker, man.

Probably beat
everybody around us.

Narrator:
news of todd's supercut spread.

Parker went to see
what his rival was up to.

He's gone big-scale this year,
you know?

Those d11s and those 475s,

I mean, those are what, you
know, massive coal mines run.

The cost on those is phenomenal.

Todd: dozer, come here.

Did he bite,
or is he good?

Parker: no, he's fine.

So, dude, you got a good start
this year or not?

You know, it's a rough start,
but when isn't it?

So, you're all settled in
for the season, huh?

Looks like you guys have
a lack of iron around.

Yeah.

You know what?

We're gonna come out here
with the most amount of gold.

All power to you.

Look out, parker.

You better frickin'
mine hard.

Whatever.

[ Sighs ]

Parker: I'm very competitive,

And I hate the thought
of getting beat by todd.

Todd: we got a better team,
and we got bigger hearts.

He said they've got
more heart than us.

What does that even mean?

Narrator:
despite starting the season
with an inexperienced crew,

Parker decided to take on todd

And make his own version
of the supercut.

Parker:
it's like w*r of the cuts,
you know?

He's got the supercut.
We need a massive boundary cut.

Narrator:
the boundary cut would be
even bigger than todd's supercut

And take weeks
of backbreaking work to build.

Parker:
I knew it was gonna take a lot,

And I didn't know
if we'd be able to do it.

Narrator:
but parker's inexperienced crew
buckled under the pressure.

[ Crashing, water splashing ]

Man: how long did I --

How long
did I weld up there for?

I don't [bleep]

Parker had worked his crew
so hard, some quit.

-What's up?
-I'm just going home.

Narrator:
others were on the verge
of leaving.

Man: three months,
working every day.

We've taken three days off
the whole time.

I wouldn't treat my dog

The way that he's walking around
treating people that work here.

We're having crew issues.

We've lost several people.

Both quit and fired.

Narrator: parker's season
was in jeopardy.

I don't know
how to deal with them.

John:
if you treat crew like sl*ves,
that's a bad approach.

Can't please everybody.

Sometimes I'm just trying
to please the fuel company

By making sure
I have a check for them.

You don't give a [bleep]
about money.

If you got a team,
you've got everything,

And so I leave you
with that thought.

All right.

If parker couldn't keep his crew
together, his season would fail.

Hey, will you guys
come here?

Narrator: it was time
for a different approach.

Parker:
the boundary cut's just been
a long process, you know?

A lot of things
in the works,

And it's a big --
it was a big undertaking.

I thought this thing
was gonna be the death of us,

And you guys did
a hell of a job.

You guys put in some crazy
hours, and you guys k*lled it.

You know, you guys did a good
job, and, um, I appreciate that.

Narrator:
parker's change in attitude
was the breakthrough

His grandfather
had been hoping for.

Parker, you have reached
beyond my expectations.

You have brought
the crew together.

Oh, no, I've just got
a good group of guys here.

[ Laughter ]

And girls.

[ Laughter ]

[ Engine starts ]

Narrator: the battle for gold
between todd's supercut

And parker's boundary cut
went down to the wire.

At the end of the season,

Todd's supercut
had produced more gold

Than all his previous seasons
combined.

Whoo!

Man:
man! Look at that.

That looks like
a lot of gold, jack.

Jack: yeah. We got 3,032...

-No way!
-...our best season ever.

I'm not so sure
if we're gonna beat parker.

I have no idea.

But no matter what, I appreciate
you guys being on the team.

Thanks.

Narrator:
todd had broken $3 million,

But with the final cleanout
of the season...

Parker: I reckon that's probably
about 25 ounces,

Which takes us
past the hoffmans.

Man: I think
he should've learned by now.

Narrator:
...parker overtook him.

-Yeah!
-Oh, yeah!

Parker:
so that takes us to 3,362.

Narrator: parker had beaten todd
by 330 ounces...

-sh**ter!
-sh**ter!

Narrator: ...bringing his total
to $3.5 million worth of gold.

Parker, you don't know how
pleased and proud I am of you,

And I am really proud
because...

[ Voice breaking ] what more --
what more can I ask for?

Nothing.

I am lucky.

I'm a very fortunate man.

-Give him a hug, you big goon.
-Give a big hug.

Come on, parker.

[ Laughter and applause ]

I love you.

I love --
I love you, parker.

Not only love you,
I'm proud of you.

You've made my life
worthwhile.

Parker:
I mean, it was beautiful.

It was beautiful the way he just
helped mold me into who I am.

I mean, my parents are owed
a lot, as well,

But when it comes to
gold-mining, it was my grandpa.

[ All cheering ]

[ g*nshots ]

Narrator:
five months later, at the age of


Next season, parker
will have to come to terms

With mining
without his grandfather.

John: well, the greatest thing
that I've done

Is instill in my grandson
you got to try.

Don't ever give up.

Narrator:
in the klondike, tony beets
is staking his reputation

On resurrecting a 400-ton
pre-w*r gold-mining dredge.

And despite having lost
everything in the jungle,

Todd is leaving the klondike
again.

We're starting over,
and that is scary.

He's betting on finding gold
in oregon.

-Dad!
-Beginner's luck, buddy.

Narrator:
it'll either make him...

-Yeah!
-...or break him.

I'm gonna throw out
the challenge right now.

I'm gonna kick the kid's a*s
next year.