12x06 - Curse of Hunker Creek

[bunniefuu]

[chef] Breakfast is ready.

- Morning.
- Morning, boys.

[narrator] In the hills above
Keno City, population 20,

Rick Ness and his small crew
are preparing to
turn his season around.

What do we got?
Biscuits and gravy,
French toast?

Bacon and sausage?

- Damn.
- Mmm.

This is the best Canadian
biscuits and gravy
I've ever had before.

- How does it stack up
against the American biscuits?
- Well...

[bleep] off.

[all laughing]

Let's roll.

- Thanks, buddy.
Thanks for breakfast.
- You got 'er.

[Rick] Let's go!

[narrator] After sinking
over $1 million into
his operation...

Rick's under pressure
to stay on the gold.

[Rick] Man, we're in trouble.

You know, last week,
we went in the frozen cut,
but it was a bust.

All we found was clay.

And I'm nearly out of pay
in the Creek Cut
extension here,

and I really can't afford
to shut this wash plant down.

[narrator] The ground in Keno
is patchy and hard to read.

Rick's new operator,
Brennan Ruault, is
struggling to follow the pay.

[Brennan] There's a lot of
variables in this ground.

I just-- some of this pay
I've been digging lately
over here,

just doesn't seem that...

sweet-looking.

We hit a really deep
clay mudhole.

Rick told me last year
when they found some
really good gold,

it was that really
red stained rock.

Now, I haven't seen
any of that red gravel.

It's all dark grey.

Let me check the box.

That don't look good.

It doesn't look very good
at all.

The first few cleanups we did,
there was actually
a pretty nice-looking box.

Right now,
it looks like [bleep].

It must just be
the pay is starting
to fizzle out over there.

- Hey, Rick.
- Yeah.

Figured I'd call you down
and see what your opinion was.

I guess it's just feeling like
I'm hitting a dead end here.

Ah...

[Rick] It's really sandy.

[Brennan] That's not usually
a good sign.

'Cause that
panned down real quick,

which means
there's not a whole lot
of heavies in there.

This isn't good.

One speck right there.

-[bleep] sakes.
- This isn't good.

And we've got
nothing else to do
with nothing else to run.

What about the other side
of the creek there?

There's all those big
[bleep] spruce.

Doesn't even look like
it's ever been touched.

Maybe that consistency starts
going back up on that area.

It'd be nice if there's enough
in there to keep us rolling
and make the bills paid.

I mean, I guess we
could go over there.

I mean, get an excavator
over there. Poke around.

You know, there tends
to be permafrost.

- Hopefully, it's thawed.
- All right.

- Sounds like a plan.
-[Rick] Thanks, buddy.

[narrator] Brennan believes
the Creek Cut pay streak

may continue in a strip on
the north side of the valley,

but fears permafrost
could be covering
the gold-rich pay dirt.

I hope my hunch pays off here.

You know, with Rick putting
his trust in me,
it'd be really nice.

He'll have no problem
trusting me in the future.

[Rick] Oh.

[Brennan] It's actually
looking pretty good.

- No frost.
-[Rick] No way! This is great.

Well, let's hope there's some
[bleep] nuggets in here.

Otherwise, you're never gonna
trust me again.

- Look how red that is.
-[Brennan] Hopefully,
there's some pay.

That one, right there. Okay.

[Rick] Oh, what'd you
find there, buddy?

-[Brennan chuckling]
Some gold.
- Yeah.

- Nice.
-[Rick] See that?
One there, one there.

Well, a hell of a lot better
than where we were at.

- So worth mining, eh?
-[bleep] yeah, it is.

If every bucket that comes
out of the ground has
gold in it like that,

[bleep], you just
saved our a*s.

[Brennan] [bleep] yeah, man.
Let's do this.

[narrator] Rick's back in
the game.

Now, Brennan must get
the new cut stripped to pay

to give the crew a chance
of hitting their target.

So, we're just starting
this new long narrow strip,

kind of like a strip
of bacon here,
just off the Creek Cut.

You know, there's all sorts of
layers and glaciated stuff,

so that will probably be
a little trickier
to learn but,

you know, after seven years
of doing it, I got a good feel
for it, so...

so far so good.

I'm hoping that we can
finish this off with a bang

and get that much closer
to our final target
of 2,000 ounces.

[Fred] We're down
in the dumps right now.

We're getting our asses kicked
out here daily.

We're exhausted,
we're running 22 hours a day,



[narrator] In his second
year mining,

ex-Special Forces medic
Fred Lewis is playing
a desperate game of catch-up.

Six weeks into the season,

he's mined less than
two ounces of gold.

But that's about to change.

We've gotten down to bedrock
for the first time.

Piled through all
the permafrost,
tore all the muck out.

This is our first chance.

It's the really--
real first test on bedrock.

And that's what we're
here for.

Gold.

Oh, yeah.

It's got that color
and purity looking like
it's about 80 to 85%.

So, this is
right on the money.

It tells us that we're
validified for coming here

and trying to do this
crazy-a*s thing and creating
a mine out of nowhere.

[narrator] Finally down
to pay dirt,
Fred needs a wash plant.

And he's got a line on one...

- Hey, Paul.
-[Paul on phone] Hello.

...130 miles away.

You know, I spoke with Paul
earlier in the season,

was about to lease land
from him and then things
didn't work out.

But that doesn't mean
we can't still have
a relationship.

So, I've managed to
convince him to let me come
check out his wash plant

to see if it's something
we can use.

Which is a big deal because
in the beginning,

he wasn't willing to let
that wash plant leave
his property.

[narrator] Now,
Fred's all-veteran crew...

- Hey, hey!
-...could have a season.

- What's up?
- Got some news.

So, I think I have found us
a wash plant.

[Stuart] Really?

Yes.

I'm not gonna lie,
I'm a little-- [laughs]

kind of, in shock from
that last season there.

The last wash plant was
an absolute failure.

Last year, we should've
invested a lot more
and we were new at it,

we assumed that was
gonna work--

Well, no. We were
supposed to get everything
in good working order.

And that was, you know,
obviously, was not the case.

I wanna know if you, like,
dropped mad money on something

that's already kind of [bleep]
and needs to be repaired...

[Fred] So, I haven't
seen it yet.

But I'm gonna go
investigate it, check it out.

As long as we can get
up and running.
We're here for a reason.

Like, it's k*lling me
not being able to get
to the gold right now.

You know what I mean?
'Cause I know that it's there.

I feel your pain. But...

I think this is gonna be
our wash plant.

[Stuart] I hope so, man.

[Fred] You guys good?

- Good job, guys.
- Let's do this.

[Fred] Fingers crossed.

[narrator] As Fred heads
to check out the plant,

former Recon Scout sn*per
and Purple Heart recipient,
Stuart McKenzie,

stockpiles pay,

hoping this will be the year
he brings home gold

for his wife
and 4-year-old daughter.

Last season,
was an absolute disaster.

You know, and one of
the main things that we had
problems with was the plant.

So, I'm really hoping that
Fred came through with this.

But, uh, you know,
I'll be excited-- I'll be
a little bit more excited

once I get to see
the thing in person.

[narrator] Fred's wash plant
is a 3-hour drive
into the hills.

Almost 2,000 feet up.

[Paul] Hello, you made it.

[Fred] Is that wash plant
close to here?

[Paul] Yeah, it's up
the valley about half a mile.

[Fred] Kind of stoked
to see it.

Oh, look at that.

[Paul]
The 4-foot New Zealander.

Small, easy to move,
self-levelling.

So, this was running
last season.

[Paul] Yeah.

-[Fred]
Hydraulic riffles work?
- Yeah.

- Just needs
a few tune-ups.
-[Fred] Okay.

Well, you think we can
get this thing fired up,
see if it runs?

Well, we can find out.

[engine sputtering]

[engine starts]

[Fred] Wow.

Huh.

She runs.

What were you
thinking the yardage
it puts through now?

[Paul] You can run it about


The target I had when
came out here was 60 to 80.

You can up the volume
down here,

put a fan out each way
and you'll double the volume.

Hmm.

[Paul] So, it needs
its screens changed,
the liner changed

and a few other changes.

[Fred] We're talking time
and money.

-[exhales]
-[Paul] Up to you.

[narrator] Paul's deal
is to lease the plant as is.

If Fred wants any repairs
or upgrades,
he'll have to pay.

Okay. Well,
we're gonna have to get
the professionals on it,

see what they're gonna
charge for that.

[Paul] Right on.

[narrator] First, Fred has
to haul the plant
half a mile to the highway.

[Fred] So, I've never moved
a wash plant before.

[Paul] Probably the real
sketchy spot will be
spinning it around

and going past that edge.
See the ice?

Oh, jeez. Yeah, okay.

[Paul] Be very careful.

But if you start
sliding sideways,

- just put the bucket down.
- Put the bucket down, right.

I'm [bleep] sketched
right now.

[Paul] He should be fine,
I hope.

Good test for him.

[Fred] Kind of
out of my comfort zone here,
that's for sure.

Can't get this [bleep]
to turn.

Uh-oh. Watch out.

Whoo! That's starting
to tip a little bit.

So far, so good.

[Paul] Whoa.

See, this track is on
straight ice now.

You just never know.

Somebody actually just died
up here in the Yukon
not very many days ago.

A tragic accident
involving ice.

This breaks,
this thing's gonna tip.

The bank is falling apart.
Whoa.

She's sliding.

[Fred yelps]

[Paul] Stop it.

[Fred] Whoa!

[Paul] Okay,
just spin the-- Oh...

Keep going.

The bank is falling apart.

Whoa.

This thing's gonna tip.

[narrator] Fred Lewis is
deep in the Yukon

trying to haul his new
wash plant down
to the highway,

across a frozen creek.

[Fred] Whoa!

Holy crap.

Just pull this one track on.

Try to get the machine
to get out on the ice.

Whoa. Oh, my [bleep].

[Paul] Keep that way a bit--
Yeah. Go.

Stop.

- One piece.
-[sighs]

I'm not in one piece.
I'm like in eight different
pieces after that.

So, you have no traction
on ice whatsoever.

So, she's here.
Now we get Roger is...

- Yeah.
-...the guy that's gonna
come pick it up?

[horn honks]

-[Roger] Hey, guys.
-[Fred] How you doing?

- Paul. Good to meet you.
- Hey, Roger.

- Hey, I'm Fred.
Nice to meet you.
- Fred.

Nice to meet you, too.

[narrator] Now, to load
the plant onto the truck

for its journey to
the repair shop.

[Roger] All right.

[Fred] Well, I got my
fingers crossed on this one.

I actually do like
this plant quite a bit

and I don't like moving things
not to use them, so

let's hope it works our way.

Cold Blue, I'm gonna call her.
Cold Blue.

[Tony speaking]

What's up?

Tell me about it.

So, we gotta do something.

[narrator] After losing
half his operation
on Indian River,

King of the Klondike,
Tony Beets, is struggling
to pick up the pieces.

His only source of revenue
is Mike's trommel running
on Paradise Hill.

But it's not enough.

He needs another plant
running now

and knows there's only
one option.

Yo, sup?

[Kevin]
The Hunker Cut is always
problem, problem, problem.

[narrator]
For the last few years,

the Hunker Cut has
sucker punched the Beets...

[Monica] Oh, [bleep].

...time and again.

[man] Whoa.

[narrator] From frozen pay...

[Monica] I seem
to have hit some frost.

...to a catastrophic flood...

[Tony speaking]

...and countless breakdowns.

[Tony] Holy [bleep].

Should've named it
the Cursed Cut,
not the Hunker Cut.

That is still pretty [bleep],
though, today.

Sounds like a plan to me.

So, why are you still all
standing here?

See you guys later.

[Kevin sighs] Cursed Cut
number one.

[narrator] To save his season,
Tony has to defeat the curse
of the Hunker Cut.

[narrator] There's
three feet of water
sitting on top of the pay

that could hold
millions in gold.

Before he can mine it,
he'll have to pump the water
out into nearby Hunker Creek.

Well, yeah.
Got the plant sitting here.

Just gonna make it
work somehow.

[narrator] First, they have to
transport the pump
and its half-ton generator

to the Hunker Cut.

[Kevin] Yep.

[Kevin] Good, Mike,
good, Mike, good, Mike...

There.

Cool.

Wait a moment. Wait a moment.

Put 'em down a little bit.
Down.

So, right now, we're just
hauling down the hoses.

Then we just gotta hook it
all together.

Bada bing, bada boom,
make some water go.

-[Kevin] Yeah, you got
the other one?
-[grunts] Ah, [bleep].

[narrator]
The 268 horsepower pump

drains 1,000 gallons a minute

through a pair of 6-inch hoses
out into the creek.

Oh, [bleep] yeah.

[bleep] sexy.

[Tony speaking]

I can't wait to see what
Joel has to say.

I can't wait for him to
get a look at this wash plant,
tell me what he thinks.

[narrator] Fred Lewis is
finally on pay dirt...

and has secured a wash plant.

- Now...
-[horn honking]

...he's headed
to fabricator Joel Famularo

to find out what it will
cost to repair.

- You must be Joel.
- I am, yeah.

-[Fred] Nice to meet you.
- Yeah, nice meeting you, too.

- So, this is her, eh?
-[Fred] This is it.

Bam!

She's all unloaded
on the ground and safe.

What do you think?

Needs some work for sure.

[Fred] Right now,
she's running about


and we really need to be
around 60-80.

What's limiting you now is,
with the screen inside
that barrel,

it's rats.

-[Fred] Okay.
- It looks like it's been
patched for years.

Just redo the whole thing.

This feed hopper
needs relining.

It's paper thin.

But I think it's worth
spending the
time and the money

and getting it right.

Do you have any guess
on what I'm looking at
for repairs?

[Joel] Uh...

Give or take a few dollars...

uh, ballpark figure,

about 30K.

[exhales sharply] Um...
[bleep] Okay.

Yeah, I don't think
the budget's gonna allow us to
put the money that we want to.

I just thought this plant
was in a little better shape
than it is in.

[narrator] Fred's investor has
agreed to a maximum upfront
investment of $25,000.

Five thousand short.

What if I were to come
and volunteer my time
and help out and be a hand?

I mean, I don't have a lot
of skills in welding

but I could definitely
turn a wrench or...

-[Joel] Oh, yeah.
-...lift, or whatever you
need me to do.

- That would help a lot.
- Okay.

[narrator] Joel's plan,

line the worn-out hopper
with a half-inch steel plate

and remove and replace
the trommel's screens.

[Fred grunts]

[narrator] Fred's first job,
reskin the 2-ton hopper.

- Fred, have you ever used
one of these before?
- Nope.

[Joel] This is
an air arc gouger.

Just be careful 'cause it
shoots sparks far.

[narrator] A graphite rod
creates an arc of electricity

between the rod and the plate.

This heats up to
melting the metal.

I smell burnt hair.

We're gonna cut a piece
of steel to fit here
and weld it in place.

[narrator] The hardened
steel plate weighs 400 pounds.

-[Joel] Two, three.
-[grunting] Holy jeez!

[groans] Ah.

[Fred] Oh, yeah.

Actually looks really good.
I think this will last
at least a couple of seasons.

I love it. Good work.

[Joel] I don't usually see
mining bosses getting
hands-on.

His mentality towards
being a boss
and doing the work

is showing through.

I think it's that
Green Beret mentality

where you just get in
and get it done.

And I think that's what's
gonna set him apart from,
you know, the next guy.

[narrator] Tony Beets is
struggling to save his season.

Son, Mike, is running
his trommel

on top of Paradise Hill.

And down in the valley,

Tony has put Kevin in charge
of defeating the cursed
Hunker Cut.

[Kevin] Looks pretty
[bleep] good.

That's looking workable.

[narrator] The Kiwi wash plant
has been idle over the winter
in thick snow

and temperatures down
to minus 40.

To get it running
and keep it running,

whatever the cut
throws at him,
Kevin must overhaul it.

[Kevin] We've had a few
problems with the Kiwi plant
last year,

but we'll make it work
somehow.

Think a solid day here
and we'd have everything
pretty much done.

Okay.

This board needs to get
put back, so we don't have

these giant [bleep] rocks
falling on people.

Beautiful.

Pass up that plate.
[grunts]

[Brandon]
There we go. Beautiful.

[Kevin] We need to adjust
the chain.

That's perfect. Sexy.

[Brandon] Cool.

[grunts]

Everything is attached.
Everything is put on.

She should turn.

-[Kevin] Get ready.
- Fingers crossed.

[engine sputtering]

[engine stops]

[bleep] damn Cursed Cut.

[engine sputtering]

[engine turns]

[Kevin] [bleep] you.

[engine starts]

There we go.
Now we're pumping.

First bucket of the season
for this plant.

[bleep] yeah.

[Tony] No!

What the [bleep]?

[Kevin] I don't know. [groans]

Holy [bleep]. 134.

She overheated on us.

Holy [bleep].
The engine is [bleep].

That's gonna be a [bleep].

I'm gonna probably need
a set of heads,
then probably some

thermostats as well.

[narrator] A failed thermostat
has caused the engine
to overheat,

warping the cylinder heads.

We were so close.

But, of course,
the curse lives.

That is [bleep] depressing.

[Brennan] It's actually
looking pretty good.

I'm down about 2 feet
and I'm already hitting pay
here, and no frost.

And it's really nice-looking.

[narrator] After the paystreak
he was mining ran out,

Rick Ness has opened up
a new gold-rich strip

to the north of
the Creek Cut extension.

[Brennan] I'm actually quite
excited about it.

Put some gold
in the piggy bank.

First load of pay
coming out of our, uh,

what we have dubbed
the Bacon Strip.

[narrator] Chris Kruse
is the only one of Rick's
buddies to come back

after last season.

[Chris] And then it hit,
we're gonna [bleep] our ground
and find a bunch of gold.

I go home with
a pockets full of gold in
the shape of a bonus.

And, right now, I'm away,
my new wife is

planning our wedding reception
for when I get home.

So, a nice, fat gold bonus
would go a long way to

having a pretty kickass
shindig for us and our friends
for our wedding.

I wanna try to get some
pay hauled up here.

[Nathan] Kruse makes
the job really easy,

'cause he puts the stuff
right where it should be.

He backs right up it.

And, like, he'll go high--
as high as he can.

Not this [bleep] again.

[bleep] me.

Rick, you got a copy?

Uh, yes. Go for Richard.

Uh, my truck's dead on
the pay pile.

Now, it won't restart.

You wanna come up next to me
and nudge the back of the box?

Okay, I'll be over there.
I'll help you out in a bit.

I've got a rock truck
that just stalled out
on the pay pile.

So, down people and machines.

And, uh... yeah.

Not looking too good
right now.

[narrator] The steep incline
has caused the fuel
to cut out,

triggering the
emergency brake.

[Chris] Oh.

I was just trying to get
the pay up

as close to you as I could.

Oh, I know.

[groans]

This truck's got a weak
injector in it,

and, I guess, maybe I got
a little overzealous.

Backed up the hill too far
and it died.

It's no secret we don't have
our own mechanic.

But we're back to where
we were at the beginning
of the season,

and that's fending
for ourselves.

It's a [bleep] show right now.

That... It's right
next to the plant.

How about you just
shut the plant down
for a second?

[Chris groans]

I'm gonna have
to pull it off the pile

until it's on flat ground,
or it's not going to start.

If you tip this thing over,
it's going on your record,
not mine.

We'll just see what happens.

Oh. Nope, nope, nope...

Wait a second.

Just pushing it into
the dirt more, isn't it?

If you dig out where
my front bumper is dug
into the ground,

that's what's keeping me from
rolling off of the pile.

Yeah.

[narrator] Rick clears
the ground in front of
the bumper

to try and free
the 34-ton truck.

All right, I'm just gonna
get up there
and I'll give it a little tug.

[bleep]

[sighs in exasperation]

[Rick] There's so much weight
to be pulled,

that's-- you know what I mean?
Like, it's a 40-ton truck.

I don't wanna pull the [bleep]
front of that box off.

[Chris] When I got
a mechanical issue that
I can't figure out,

I call my dad.

Good. How're you doing, bud?

Hey, we don't have a mechanic.

Is there a way to manually
override the parking brake?

Oh, I don't feel good
about that.

It's dangerous.

I'll do my best. All right.
Thanks, bud.

Um...

The only way to release
the brake,

if I going under there
and try to find the brake pad

and release
the pressure manually,

is I'm gonna have to
be under the truck to do that.

I wouldn't--
It's not a good idea.

- I don't--
- It's just, really, the only
way to release the brake.

- But it's not ideal.
- No.

I mean, I think I can
handle it.

-[Rick] Be very careful.
- All right.

[narrator] Kruse must
manually disable
the automatic braking system.

But releasing the brake
could roll the truck.

[Chris] It's just a
potentially sketchy situation.

The parking brake
automatically locks up.

So, what we gotta do,
get this little tool
out of here

and release the pressure off
the parking brake manually.

I'm not a mechanic.
So this is not a spot that
I really belong in.

All right. Here it is.

Watch yourself here.
I don't know what's
gonna happen.

Hold...

[metal screeching]

[thuds]

[bleep]

[exhales] Whoo.

I didn't get too
carried away with it.

I don't know if I got it
released enough.

- I felt something.
-[Chris] Fingers crossed.

Kruse seems to think he's got
the parking brake released.

So...

I've gotta just get the thing
to roll down the hill.

Starting to roll.

Oh, here it comes.

Whoa!

Stand back!

[engine sputters, starts]

[bleep]

Ah, there we go.

You should be good.
Oh, did I [bleep] myself?

No, but my a*s just
swallowed the seat.

Just needed to get
the [bleep] damn thing flat.

And it started right up.

Fire it up!

Oh, yeah. There ya go.

That was a little tricky,
but we figured it out,
you know.

No mechanic here,
but we still managed
to keep limping along so...

we'll get back to loading pay.

[honking]

[in funny voice]
Oh, Richard?

Yeah, go ahead there,
uh, Brenn-ana.

[narrator] At Rick Ness'
new Bacon Strip cut,

Rick and Brennan are debating
fine foods.

Well, buddy. I think, uh,
this is looking more like

a Canadian bacon strip
over here.

Way better than that
American crap.

Well, that doesn't make
any sense 'cause
Canadian bacon is [bleep].

American bacon
is a far superior bacon.

Nah, this one's gonna be the
good old American bacon cut.

Well, we make a better
poutine over here.

With bacon on top.

I will give
you Canadians this.

Poutine is pretty much
the b*mb.

I could eat poutine everyday.

- What's going on, Joel?
- Hey, Fred.

How's she going?

Oh, she's coming along.

[narrator] Fred is back for
one final push...

It's looking fantastic.

...to get his wash plant fixed
and on the road.

And there's another thing
we still have to do to this.

We still have to put some--
some bars in it.

So, they're gonna be
the length of the barrel,
all the way up

from one end to the other.

All right. So, when
it turns up, that basically
pushes the material--

Exactly. Lifts the rocks
and then turns them,

as opposed to them
just sort of...

- Rolling, yeah. Okay.
-...rolling down.

I'm ready to go to work.
What do you got for me?

- So if you could just cut 'em
the length of the punch plate.
- Okay.

[Fred]
We're gonna get this one cut.

These will basically be
welded in like this.

One here, one here, and so on.

[Joel] Looks good, mate.

[Fred] Looks good.

Whoo! Oh, yeah.

-[Joel] All good?
- Yep.

[Fred] She looks really good.

- She's good for at least
a couple of seasons.
-[Joel] Oh, for sure.

Can't wait to see it
back together again.

Oh, yeah.

[narrator] With
the trommel complete,

it's time to lift
the 3-ton heart
of the plant into position.

[Joel] We need to lift
this barrel up into this tray.

And this endplate
can't be damaged.

So, you've gotta give me
"left-right" and keep
me centered,

so that I don't crush that.

'Cause if we do,
we're back to square one...

- Okay.
-...and we have to
rebuild the tray.

This is dangerous.

So just be careful.

[Fred] I've never done
anything like this before.

Little nervous.

Okay, we're going up.

- Nice and easy.
- Yep.

Okay, pull it
towards me a little.

Okay.

-[Fred groaning]
- Okay, we're going up, Fred.

[strained] Yep.

Whoa.

[grunts] Oh, yeah.

Up, up, up.

Watch this bar right here.

[grunting]

Don't let it go.
Bring it back this way.

[Fred grunting] Argh--
Holy [bleep].

Oh, [bleep].

Go up a little.

Bring it this way
a little bit more.

- You might be
better off up there.
-[Fred] Okay.

[grunting]

Low.

[Joel] We gotta make sure that
it doesn't land on that
thrust roller.

Okay, go ahead.

Towards you a little bit.

- Good.
- Check this side.

Yeah, it needs to go back
that way, like, 2 inches.

Yeah, I think we're good.

[Joel] Okay, I'm gonna take
the pressure off it here.

[Fred] Oh, my...

Whoo!

- Perfect, Fred.
-[grunts] Yeah.

[Joel] Yeah, man. That's good.

That went really well.

And it looks like we didn't
damage anything.

[Fred] Well, that was
a little bit nerve-racking.

She's looking good.

[sighs]

You know, I put a lot of time
and money and sweat equity
into this wash plant.

It's the heartbeat of
the entire season.

Without this wash plant,
we've got nothing.

So, coming out here
and doing the work

means the next time
I see this plant,

it's gonna be coming down
my road to my claim

to start pulling gold
on California Creek.

And that's a big deal.

What's up, jabronis?

- Hi!
- Hello.

Oh, stingy bros.

- What's going on, pop can?
- What's going on,
Pooh Bear?

[Rick] What, you guys got cute
little names for each other?

[Brennan] I guess.

Been an interesting week.

- Mmm-hmm.
- It's tough to pivot from
one cut to another.

But you know, luckily,
this ground, it hasn't had
a whole lot of overburn.

- Mmm-hmm.
- And, Brennan,
you were able to get in there

and start stripping right away

- and keep us going so,
you know...
- Yeah, for sure.

...I hate to keep pumping
your tires.

But it's nice having you here,
man, 'cause you know--
you know what I mean.

Like, you've got, you know,
a lot of the experience that
I have from over at Parker's,

and, you know, I can just
set you on something,
and you take off with it.

Sure.

- And that really helps us out.
So... Yeah.
- Definitely, thanks.

You betcha, man,
anything I can do.

Yeah. Another week of
limping along
without a mechanic,

but we keep making it work.

-[Brennan] Yep.
- I mean, at this point,
we're going with everything.

- Calling up fathers and...
-[laughs]

[Brennan] Did you call your
daddy to get your
truck unstuck?

- Oh!
-[Chris exclaims] Oh!

Yes, I did. I'm not ashamed
to admit it.

"[bleep], son,
you're a horrible driver."

[Rick laughs]

[Chris]
He wasn't impressed.

He's like,
"[bleep], I bet you look like
a [bleep] ding-dong...

- Grade-A jabroni.
-...but I better help you
get it off there,"

- and he did, so.
-[Rick] Yeah.

All right. Yeah, so.

I do have some gold in here.

- Are you ready, buddy?
- Sure.

All right.

[narrator] Rick needs over


to stay on track for his
season target of 2,000 ounces.







[narrator] Worth
over $135,000.

We went down a bit,
but in a week where
we had to pivot quick,

and we kept going,

that ain't too bad.

But now, you know,
it's up to me. I gotta build
this team up a bit more.

And we've got some serious
ground to find this year.

And it's gonna be a lot
tougher but the payoff's
gonna be bigger.

And that's what we need to
get to our 2,000 ounce goal.

- So, that's what we're
here for.
- That's what we're here for.

- Let's keep her moving.
- Lots of it, too.

Yeah.

- Right on, boys.
Let's get out there.
- Yeah.

[Rick] It's really nice
having people you can trust
on your team.

If we keep making smart moves,
I know we're gonna get
to 2,000 ounces.

Hi, papa.

Hey, guys.

Hola.

-[Monica] Hello, brother.
- Hello, sister.

Mmm-hmm.

[narrator] At Paradise Hill,
guest of honor, the latest
addition to the Beets dynasty,

Tony's granddaughter, Jasmine,
joins the weekly gold weigh.

So, I heard you guys went
down to Hunker.

How'd that go?

How do you think?

Ruby and I didn't call it
the "Cursed Cut" for
[bleep] and giggles.

[Minnie] Oh, how did your
plant do this week?

Oh, pretty good. Ran all week.

[Minnie] Show us what we have.

[narrator] This season,
Tony's averaged 172 ounces.









[narrator] Over $300,000,

but way below the pace
he needs to hit his goal.

Sounds like a plan.

Thanks, guys. See you later.

That would've been too easy,
you know?

Yeah.

-[Tony] I have a bottle
I can give her. You know?
-[Minnie] Oh, yeah.

Right, young lady? Right?
There.

Maybe you're ticklish
a little bit. Huh? Eh?

Okay, I gotta go to work soon.