10x24 - No Guts, No Gold

[bunniefuu]

Narrator:
on this "gold rush"...

Kevin: stop! Stop!

...for the last
nine years,

A band of miners
has risked everything...

Nothing ventured...

Nothing gained.

Holy smokes!
Looks real good.

Narrator: ...for their piece
of the american dream...

I take all the risk,
and you get all the money!

...on an epic quest
to find gold.

h*!

Now, we look back
on the major disasters...

You are
freaking kidding me!

...big scores...
[ All cheering ]

...and life-changing moments

That defined
the first eight seasons.

[ Air horn blows ]

Fire it up, buddy.

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

Captions paid for by
discovery communications

Todd: I've done a lot
of crazy things in my day.

This might be the biggest, most
ambitious thing I've ever tried.

Narrator: in 2010, todd hoffman
leaves his home state of oregon

And drives 2,000 miles north
to alaska...

Want to go to alaska?

...with his dad and a band
of unemployed buddies

Who share his dream to make
their fortune mining for gold.

Todd: I'm throwing everything
I got into it.

We're going to go gold mining.

This feels awesome.
It feels like I'm coming home.

-Look at those mountains.
-Geez.

This is amazing.

[ Laughs ]

Oh!

Narrator: in the wake of the
global financial crisis of 2008,

The guys are desperate,
out of options,

And with
no gold-mining experience,

They're taking a huge gamble.

Hey, guys, listen.
You're out of money.

You're out of money.

You're about ready
to lose your house.

You moved out of your house.

You're bankrupt.

You know,
god put us all together

For a freaking reason, okay?

And this summer, we're going to
dig that yellow stuff

Out of the ground, man.

Come on in here.
Come on in here.

We've got to
turn this boat around.

I'm hoping that gold mining
is the key to that,

Maybe respark
the american dream again.

Coming your way!

Narrator:
the rookie crew's first task --

Unload
their wash plant...

Whoa! Watch! Hey!
Get squared up.

...a critical piece
of equipment for mining gold.

Oh!
Oh, no!

-Oh, sh**t.
-What the heck happened there?

Look out.
It got hooked under there.

Tell him to start up
and get out right now!

Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!

-There you go!
-Okay!

Good lord.

Narrator:
across the creek,

Their neighbors check out
the new arrivals.

Hey, parker,
come on out here.

What are you looking at?
Take a look at this.

Narrator: veteran gold miner
john schnabel...

They got
a lot of machinery.

...and his 15-year-old
grandson parker.

Parker: it looks like
a big piece of junk.

[ Laughs ]

Ready to rock?

Fire it up.

Works good, man.
Does it look good?

Doesn't that
look great?

After six weeks,

The rookie crew
finally runs its first pay dirt.

It's not working right.

Hey, thurby!
Shut it off.

It's clogged up.

This is hard to figure out.

Narrator: facing failure,
the greenhorn mine boss

Is forced to seek help.

Todd:
a 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.

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.

Narrator: todd's duplex jig is
designed to wash out fine gold

Mixed in with black sand,
but the outflow pipe is blocked.

So, you need
more water pressure,

A valve on each of those,
and then you can adjust

How much comes out
through the bottom.

That's where
I screwed up.

I was running them
both in together.

We've got to
take that apart.

I got to do them
separately.

Man: I think this whole pipe is
just plugged up with gold.

Dude. Dude,
you are [bleep] me.

I see gold
on my fingers.

-We got gold!
-You're kidding.

No, we're serious.

I'm going to disneyland!

When they opened the valve,
"whoa! There's gold everywhere!

It's covered in gold!
Look at my hands!"

I saw three little, tiny flakes.

It's just gold fever,
that's all it is.

Narrator: the hoffmans
get their plant dialed in

For the rest
of the season.

Looks really good so far.
Yeah.

This stuff is
really hot.

Narrator: and despite only
netting $20,000 worth of gold,

Todd and his buddies
are hooked.

Todd:
I'm not playing around now.

Now, it's serious for me.

[ Thunder crashes ]

This is our last class
of the semester,

So summer break after this.

Pretty excited to get it
over with and get out of here.

Narrator:
in season 2, parker graduates

From high school junior
to 16-year-old mine boss.

At the age of 91, I've had


Fruitful, productive years
at the mine,

And I am pleased
that you feel

That you'd like
to continue it.

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

Thanks.
Shake.

[ Laughs ]

Parker takes over
running his grandfather's

Alaskan gold mine,
big nugget.

I love you.

He has visions that he's going
to make thousands of dollars

Every day,
and I hope he's right.

Narrator: from the start,
the kid swings for the fences.

I'm going so fast because
I need to feed the plant.

[ Sighs ]

The coffee is wearing off.

That's probably about


Keep admiring that,
you'll increase it to 3 ounces.

I think it is 3 ounces.
[ Laughs ]

Narrator: determined to get
more gold in season 3,

Parker expands
his grandpa's mine.

Parker:
we need to get up there,

And this rock is giving us
a bit of a problem.

The only option might be
to just blow it up.

Fortunately, dad roger...

Okay, should be
ready to go.

...and brother payson
are qualified blasters.

Payson: what we're doing is
putting the dynamite

In the hole, and then it's going
to blast the rock apart

So it will hopefully
go to the left here

And fall into that hole for us.

Parker: yeah, you know, now that
we've got the holes all set,

We'll just tie them all together
and blow it up.

[ Air horn blows ]

Ready, dad?

Fire in the hole!

[ Laughs ]

Yeah!

Good job.
Thank you.

Shake your
brother's hand.

Thank you, sir.
Thank you.

We're on our way up.

We're going big
on smith creek!

Narrator: to expand
his operation, parker hires

A bass player
from wisconsin, rick ness.

I'm sure we'll become
good friends,

But he has a lot
of responsibility this summer.

Rick: you know, this is the
start of something big for me.

I'm excited.

Narrator: rick has
no gold-mining experience,

But grew up working
heavy machinery,

And parker sees his potential.

How many loads
you at?


Really?

Yeah.
Nice job.

We'll need a lot of dirt, so
keep doing your thing.

You got it.

Oh, yeah.

Parker: today, we'll put about


This plant has never seen


Let alone in a day.

So, here's
what we've got.

Narrator: at the end
of the season, to break even,

Parker needs 190 ounces.



So, you got


Yeah.
[ Laughter ]

Pay yourself
$0.20 an hour.

[ Laughter ]

No, I'm happy.
Hey, congratulations, man!

Yeah, it's great.
I'm real proud of you.

Thanks, dad.
You put in a good effort.

I mean, we tried everything we
could. That's for sure.

Narrator: it's a successful
first season together

For parker and rick,

A promising start
to their partnership.

Coming up, a sneak peek
at the all-new season...

Rick:
I think the klondike's over.

Narrator:
...of "gold rush."

So, now that you've got
my interest...

[ Bleep ]

Give me one good reason

Not to tell you to go
[bleep] yourself.

Man:
dude, that's a snake!

Todd:
dude, look at him!

He's going from tree
to freaking tree!

I said I'd take us to the ends
of the earth to find gold,

And, guys, here we are.

Narrator: fed up with permafrost
and frozen ground in the yukon,

Todd is lured to the jungle
in search of easy gold

And year-round mining.

We're not
going to fail at this.

We're going to
do this, okay?

Because a bunch of american guys
can get together

And go
kick some a*s still,

And that's what we're going to
prove right freaking here.

You hear me?
Yeah!

This is probably
the hardest,

Most scariest thing
we've ever done.

Narrator: he's on the hunt
for a million-dollar payday

In the gold fields of guyana.

Come on!
Come on!

He ain't going to make it.
It's too torn up now.

We're deep in it now.

[ Bleep ]

Watch that, todd!
Watch it!

Narrator: after 8 brutal weeks,
the crew finally washes pay.

See how much gold we got.

I'm seeing no gold.

Zip. Nada. Nothing.

This is bull[bleep].

Narrator: but just
when they're about to leave,

Todd catches a break.

-You see that?
-Yeah.

-That's a diamond.
-You are freaking kidding me.

You see that?
There's another one right here.

There's another one?

Guys, our luck just freaking
changed right here.

-Whoo!
-Yeah!
-Yeah!

Narrator: back in the game,

The crew converts
to running a lavador,

A machine designed to sift out
diamonds from the dirt.

Hey, guys, we need
more material through here.

Whoa!

You are
freaking kidding me!

Thurber, k*ll the motor!
Thurber!

Jack devastates the lavador,
leaving it in pieces.

k*ll the pump.
k*ll the pump now.

Hey, dad.

What the frick?

Leave me alone.

I want everybody back --
all the cameras back!

Give us a few minutes to
figure out the situation, okay?

Thurbs, any chance we can
get this going again?

It's as bad as it looks --
internal damage.

Lavador will run no more.

We're done.

For the hoffman crew,

Losing their diamond catcher
is the final blow.

Todd: I've had two
major setbacks in my life --

One, when my wife
moved out on me.

The second one was coming
all the way to the jungle,

Spending a ton of time
and a ton of money,

And coming out of here
with nothing.

This freaking jungle is cursed.

Narrator: 6,000 miles north
in alaska...

I want you to be really,
really careful.

Bye.
[ Laughs ]

...18-year-old
parker schnabel

Sets out on a quest
of his own...

Oh, good-bye!

Bye, grandpa.
I'll come and see you.

I'll look forward
to it.

...to make his fortune in
the gold fields of the klondike.

If I want to play
with the big boys,

I got to get up here
where the big boys play.

Hey, tony.

Good.

Narrator:
parker is leasing claims

From legendary klondike miner
tony beets,

Who has successfully pulled gold
out of the ground for decades.

Narrator:
parker and his new landlord

Test-drill the ground
he's leased,

Hoping to see
a pile of gold.

"T.r."?

There's, like,
barely anything?

Okay, thanks.

Parker:
I've made a commitment here.

I've hired my crew.
I bought a wash plant.

I'm way too deep in
to back out now.

Narrator: parker needs to move
some serious dirt

If he's going to make
enough money to cover his costs

And pay tony's royalty of 15%.

Hey, tony.

Good.

Yeah.

You know, this week,
we're pushing to do 1,500 yards.

Yeah.

That's our
first week running.

That's a lot of dirt.

I'm going to
crank it up.

Narrator: parker cranks up
his 40-year-old wash plant,

Little blue, in a desperate bid
to meet tony's quota.

Oh, my goodness.

Parker. Parker.
You got to copy.

Hey, what the [bleep]?

I don't know what's going on,
but it's not good.

There must be a rock
stuck somewhere or something.

You need to shut her down,
parker! Shut it down!

Parker!

It's not good.

What the hell's that?

It's going to be the shaft
that drives the shaker.

She's done.

[Bleep] [bleep] plant!

Our season might be over.

Narrator: the young mine boss
refuses to be beaten...

Look at that thing!

...and gambles his earnings
so far to rent big red,

A wash plant that runs
twice the pay dirt,

Working right to the end of the
season in pursuit of profits.

Tony: 5, 10...





It brings parker's season total
to 836 ounces...

...51.6

...just 164 shy
of 1,000.

I mean, I still got
some fight left in me.

Are you in?
I'm in.

Let's do it.

Parker and rick
battle on,

Fighting the freeze
until the bitter end.

That's pretty bad.

But what can you do?
It's minus-15 out.

There's no doubt
we did our best,

And, you know,
I really appreciate your time,

And thanks for staying.
It was a pleasure.

Parker returns home...

Parker!
Hey, parker!

It's great to see you.
You, too.

...to find out if he has
hit his 1,000-ounce goal.



Oh, my gosh!

Wow!
[ Laughs ]

[ Laughs ]
you made a great decision.

A million dollars
on the table!

Nice!

Narrator: parker's dream
of playing with the big boys

Is becoming reality.

We just found $1.4 million
worth of gold,

And it was an amazing challenge,

Probably the hardest
six months of my life,

But seeing my grandpa's face

When we put all that down
on the table,

It made it all worth it.

Narrator: coming up, a sneak
peek at the all-new season...

Narrator:
...of "gold rush."

[ Laughter ]

Rick:
holy [bleep].

Ooh, ah.
It's gold.

Narrator: season 5,
maverick mine mogul tony beets

Sets out
to achieve the impossible.

Narrator: the derelict dredge
is over 75 years old,

But when operational,

It produced millions
of dollars worth of gold.

What did you do?

-Are you nuts?
-This thing's older

Than we are, tony.

Narrator: it only takes a
two-man crew to run the dredge,

And the line
of cast-iron buckets

Can bring up


Narrator: if he can breathe
new life into it,

Tony thinks the dredge
will mine gold

At half the cost
of a regular operation.

What do
you think, mike?

I don't know. What have we got
ourselves into here?

Narrator: his mission --
move the 350-ton dredge



And have it running
before the end of the season.

Narrator: tony brings in
daughter monica and son kevin

To dismantle
the 14-ton bucket ladder.

-Oh.
-Watch the ladder, tony.

[Bleep] [bleep] now, there was
a [bleep] [bleep].

It swung out, over,
and around

And just missed
smashing into jerry's cap.

Hup!

Narrator:
tony's not about to stop.

Narrator: he pushes his kids and
their equipment to the limit.

[ Chain snaps ]

You broke
my new chain!

Tony's way of doing things
is weird and odd,

But do what you got
to do to get it done.

[ Horn honking ]

Narrator: with six weeks left
of the season,

He transports the ancient dredge
to his claim at eureka creek.

Days before the winter freeze,

The dredge is finally
ready to catch gold.

It's a little wet,
but, yeah, it works.

[ Laughs ]

Pretty [bleep] cool,
isn't it?

The monster comes alive.

Narrator: when todd hoffman
returns to the klondike...

Fire it up, dave.
[ Air horn blows ]

...he's determined to put the
failure of guyana behind him...

We're in the last-chance saloon
on this one.

...and finally hit it big
as a gold miner.

He opens up his biggest
ever cut...

Todd: mining feels good,
and come hell or high water,

We're going to start
kicking some out.

Narrator: ...he pushes the plant
to the max.

Whoa! [Bleep]
a fire!

Cut the power!

Todd won't let anything
stand in his way.

Screw digging it out
and screw freaking fixing it.

Push it right off
the freaking hill.

For 5 straight months, he runs


Through the biggest
wash plant in the klondike.

Holy crap.

That's where
the gold should be.

Todd: holy!

Man, look at that!

Looks like
a lot of gold, jack.

Yeah. You know, hey, what did we
set for our first goal?



And we made it, right?

And we decided we'd go
for broke,

And we set a goal
at what?



To reach their goal,

The hoffmans need
just 289 ounces more.

We got 321 ounces,
which brings us to 3,032,

Our best season ever.
[ Cheers and applause ]

$3.3 million worth of gold --
redemption at last.

Todd: we've gotten more gold
this season

Than all of
our other seasons combined.

What an
accomplishment, huh?

We've got a bunch
of green people,

And I am not going to look
like a failure up here.

Narrator: in season 6,
parker presents operator rick

With a life-changing
proposition.

Success is the thing
that matters to me.

I know that you feel
the same way.

So...i need
a new foreman.

Oh.

It is
a big responsibility.

But I'm up for it.

Good.
Yeah.

Thanks, buddy.
Let's get it.

It's a huge test
for rick,

Who has no experience
running a mining operation.

We're about out of ground
at the berm cut.

And when parker
runs out of pay,

He turns to his new foreman
for a solution.

Parker: so, we need new ground,
like, fast, rick.

So, I was kind of looking
at this strip of ground

Left on this side
of the river.

It's, you know, it's a pretty
narrow chunk of ground,

And it's got creeks
on both sides.

Yeah, I mean, it's like
the last little island

We've got here, right?

Treasure island.

Treasure island.
You never know.

I just got a feeling
it's going to be worth it.

I hope you're right.

Yeah, let's do her.

A week, rick.

All right.

Rick brings in every member
of the team

To get
his first cut open.

Rick: I'm going to get mitch
and carl, our two mechanics,

And they're going to have to
haul pay for me today.

Man: it's crazy times
at scribner creek right now.

We even have mechanics
hauling pay dirt.

I really appreciate you jumping
in that haul truck, carl.

It's helped us out big time.
You got it, buddy.

This is kind of fun,
so thanks a lot.

[Bleep] yeah,
we got pay dirt, boys.

Parker:
it's been a long one,

And you guys
have all stuck it out,

And I appreciate that.

Narrator:
when it comes to the cleanup,

It's rick's reputation
on the line.

So, what's that total?



[ Chuckles ]
unreal.

-Good job.
-Good job, man.

Rick:
that's just the beginning.

There's more dirt than
we thought in treasure island.

You know,


We're going to go get
the rest of it.

Narrator: for rick,
it's a huge step forward,

But as he gains confidence,

The partnership with parker
begins to break.

Parker: it's a lot bigger
than a funeral.

Narrator: all his life,

Parker had a unique relationship
with his grandpa, john.

John: you've got to try.
Don't ever give up.

Parker: I had a lot
of good times with my grandpa.

He's an amazing man.

Really, he is a hero.

I look upon you like the eagle
who flaps his wings

And flies out of the nest,
and he never comes back.

We're a long ways
from a couple years ago

At big nugget, huh?
Oh, gosh, yes.

[ Laughs ]

[ g*nshots ]

Narrator: april the 2nd, 2016,
the schnabel family gathers

To bid farewell
to john schnabel,

Parker's grandpa and mentor.

[ Taps playing ]

Parker: I don't know
what that's going to mean

For the next
few months, but...

[ Sighs ]

It's not going to be fun.

There she is!

Narrator: determined to live up
to his grandpa's legacy

And prove himself,
parker starts season 7

By doubling down with a new
$600,000 wash plant...

[ Thunder crashes ]

Sluicifer!

...running more dirt
than ever before.

Got to give it
everything we've got.

And by the end
of the season...

Doumitt,
what's our season total?

You ready for this one?
How about 4,311 ounces?

[ Laughter,
cheers and applause ]

So, that's just over


Over 1 million
more than last year,

But none of this would be
happening without my grandpa,

And it's been a bit
of a weird season without him.

He definitely was a big part
of what we do.

-Cheers!
-To grandpa john!

-To grandpa john!
-To john!

Narrator: after the success
of his first dredge,

Tony makes a radical move.

Narrator: even with son kevin
operating the first dredge

And daughter monica
mining at eureka creek,

A big investment into a second
dredge is a massive gamble.

Narrator:
piece by piece...

Whoa.

...tony tears apart
the 70-year-old monster.

Narrator: but to ship it
the 100 miles downriver,

Tony needs a massive barge.

Narrator:
son mike takes the helm.

Narrator: but the shallow waters
of the yukon river

Are plagued with sandbars.

Narrator:
and when tony hauls out the
barge to inspect the damage...

Narrator:
...it's game over.

Narrator: tony's spent
$1 million on the second dredge,

And even though
it's still in pieces,

He won't stop
until it's running.

Yukon tornado!

Narrator: gold mining can be
a dangerous occupation,

And for eight years,
the "gold rush" film crews

Have faced the same perils
as the miners...

[ Laughter ]

...like in peru, south america,

When a crew vehicle
rolls off the road.

Is everyone out?

The sound man is
still trapped inside.

Man: you in there?

Dave turin finally frees martin
from the wreck.

Are you all right?
I'm good, yes.

I'm good --
just a few scratches.

That was just
slow motion.

That's the best team
right there.

Thank god
that nobody got hurt.

Narrator:
after his triumph in the yukon,

Todd hoffman makes a bold move
and heads south...

Hey, guys, we're coming up
the hill, last mile.

Narrator: ...on the trail
of legendary oregon gold.

If you read some of the history
on this place,

They took out nuggets
that were 100 ounces size.

You know, they're huge.

We climbed a mountain.

Let's climb all the way
to the peak, right?

But I want to see a miracle
on this mountain.

Determined to hit an incredible


Todd leases
a million-dollar wash plant.

Tell you what -- let's do
a shutdown, see what we got.


You know?

I mean, to do a cleanup
for 12.35,

It's hardly worth doing.

I mean, seriously --
that is terrible.

Narrator: when the gold fails
to improve...

There you go.
Nothing?

Nothing catchable.

...todd faces
a mutiny.

You know what? I've had it!
I've had enough!

Really?
This is ridiculous.

I've got
walls caving in.

That cut's done.

I'm done.

Wait a minute.

Andy!

-I got to go.
-Not you.

I can't run this
without you, dave.

Good luck, man.
No.

Seriously?
That's it.

Come on.
No, I got to go, man.

Narrator: the next season,
todd persuades his crew

To return to a new claim
in colorado.

Colorado has got
a curse on it.

But the
frustrated miners

Are pushed
to the breaking point.

Freddy!

We need
to shut her down.

You what?

We've got to
shut her down.

Well, it's kind of
bull[bleep], todd.

I fought all freaking summer
to get this running.

Shut that [bleep]
thing off.

Narrator: and at the end of
his second year in the lower 48,

The writing is
on the wall.

Todd:
there it is, guys.

Season total
is going to be 1,644.

That's just
under $2 million.

We should have been somewhere
around $5 or $6 million.

You know, it's been a nightmare
from almost day one.

Thanks, everybody,
for fighting along,

But I guarantee
one thing --

I'm not fighting
that battle again.

And I feel bad.
I'm really sorry.

I love you guys.
Have a safe trip home.

Narrator:
at the end of season 8,

Todd hoffman finally
calls it quits on the dream.

Todd:
I'm not mining anymore.

Narrator: in season 8,
parker sets his sights

On an ambitious $6 million,


Parker: we are going
for our biggest season ever,

But if we're going to get
to 5,000 ounces this year,

I really need rick
and big red to step up.

Rick promised


And he's got to deliver on that.

Narrator: parker pushes his team
and two giant wash plants

To their absolute limits.

We've got sluicifer
just really dialed in.

It's been running like a champ,

And we have just been
chewing through the pay dirt.

Narrator: but big red is not
producing the kind of gold

Rick needs or that parker
wants to see.

Well, it's obviously
not much gold.



Just say
the [bleep] total.



Ugh.
That's disgusting.

Rick, that's the worst cleanup
you've had in two years.

Rick: gold weighs are sometimes
nerve-racking,

But these are just getting
downright depressing now,

And it's just like going to
the chopping block every week.

In his quest
to hit his targets,

Parker piles
the pressure on rick.

Parker:
this is the second time

You've changed the mining plan
without talking to me.

That ain't okay, rick.

All right, you want me to pack
my [bleep] then?

That's not what
I'm saying, rick.

I'm just saying, you don't seem
to take it seriously.

As the season wears on,

Their relationship
continues to suffer...

You really don't appreciate it
the minute I show up here.

I can tell that,
you know?

That's not true.
It is.

It really isn't.

Rick: it's not that I don't like
it that he shows up down here.

It's that he always overlooks
great progress

To try to tear you down.

Nobody wants to bust their a*s
and be hassled for it.

Narrator: and in the end,
despite a record gold weigh...

Our 5,000-ounce goal turned out
to be 6,280 ounces.

[ Cheers and applause ]

...rick has made
a decision

That will transform
his life forever.

Rick: I've been working
for parker for six years,

But I'm done working
for somebody else.

I want to work for myself.

I'll either be broke,

Or I'll have my own successful
gold-mining operation

And a pile of gold.

Narrator:
and now a sneak peek at
the all-new season of gold rush.

Holy [bleep]

Give me one good reason

Not to tell you to go
[bleep] yourself.

I really think
that's the spot.

Man:
holy [bleep].

So, now that you've got
my interest...

We have to leave.

We have to mine the whole piece
of ground out this season.

The whole thing?

If you're not wrecking [bleep],
you're not working.

You've got to get professional.

Are you prepared to change,
parker?

Rick:
I mean, this is, like,

Way more of a treasure hunt than
any gold mining I've ever done.

Man, I don't know why
you've got a smile on your face.

Every time we do this,
this is what happens.

Ladies and gentlemen,
this is real yukon history.

We've found
our final cut.

There should be a lot of gold
underneath our feet.