Gold Rush

Narrator: JUST OUTSIDE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE,

SEVEN DOWN-ON-THEIR LUCK MINERS ARE RISKING IT ALL

ON A NEW GOLD-MINING CLAIM.

THIS AIN'T A LOVE STORY. IT'S A FREAKING GOLD MINE.

Narrator: THIS SEASON, THE HOFFMAN CREW

HAS RIPPED THROUGH 8 FEET OF FROZEN EARTH

AND DUG A PIT HALF THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD

TO GET DOWN TO PAY GRAVEL.

Remsburg: I JUST STRUCK GOLD!

Thurber: WHOA! LOOK AT THAT.

OH, MY GOD.

Narrator: NOW WITH A PAY STREAK OF GOLD FINALLY VISIBLE...

OH, THAT'S GOOD STUFF.

...THE CREW RUNS THEIR HEAVY EQUIPMENT 24/7

TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME.

THE SLUICE BOX IS FULL OF GOLD. THIS IS GONNA BE A BIG CLEANUP.

Narrator: MEANWHILE, IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA,

17-YEAR-OLD PARKER SCHNABEL...

Narrator: ...GETS A SURPRISE VISIT FROM A FEDERAL MINING INSPECTOR.

Parker: NOTHING WE SAY MATTERS.

I HAVE TO WITHDRAW THE MINERS FROM THE MINE SITE.

Narrator: AND "DAKOTA" FRED'S MINING DREAM

TURNS INTO A NIGHTMARE WHEN HE FALLS UNDER THE SAME SCRUTINY.

YOU JUST TELL ME HOW ANYBODY WOULD FEEL

OTHER THAN ANGRY OVER B.S. LIKE THIS.

Narrator: AT THE QUARTZ CREEK CLAIM IN THE KLONDIKE,

THE 150-DAY MINING SEASON IS 93 DAYS OLD.

THE HOFFMAN CREW IS CLEANING OUT DIRT FROM THREE DAYS OF MINING.

THEY'RE DESPERATE FOR SOME GOOD NEWS.

I'M SUPPOSED TO BE MAKING ENOUGH MONEY TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.

SIMPLE THINGS LIKE JUST PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE --

THAT'S GETTING TOUGH TO DO.

THE HOPE AND ANTICIPATION JUST KEEPS IT GOING.

I MEAN, THAT'S ALL I GOT.

Narrator: JACK FEEDS THE FINISHING TABLE.

THIS IS A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT

THAT DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS, YOU KNOW?

I'M NOT USED TO THAT.

Todd: THAT'S GOLD COMING AT YOU.

Man #2: SEE, JACK? RIGHT THERE IT'S PERFECT.

LOOK, A STEADY STREAM OF GOLD...

YEAH. ...GOING INTO THERE.

BLACK SAND BACK ABOUT 1/4 INCH.

THAT'S A PRETTY SIGHT.

I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER JAR. HUH?

DON'T YOU THINK?

YEP. I'LL GO GET A BUCKET.

THE FIRST COUPLE NUGGETS LOOKED KIND OF COARSE, YOU KNOW?

THEY'RE NOT BIG, BUT THERE ARE SOME FLATTER FLAKES.

SO, IT'S KIND OF EXCITING.

WE'LL SEE WHAT WE GET IN THIS CLEANOUT,

BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE PRETTY GOOD.

Narrator: THE HOFFMAN CREW HAS SPENT CLOSE TO THREE MONTHS

IN THE KLONDIKE GETTING DOWN TO PAY GRAVEL...

Turin: FINALLY, WE'RE THERE.

Narrator: ...AND DIALING IN THEIR WASH PLANT.

SHE AIN'T PRETTY, BUT SHE'S KICKING SOME ASS RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: BUT SO FAR,

THEY'VE FOUND ONLY 4 OUNCES OF GOLD WORTH JUST $6,400.

I'M THE BREADWINNER IN OUR FAMILY RIGHT NOW.

I NEED TO BRING HOME SOME GOLD THIS YEAR.

Narrator: THEIR GOAL IS TO GET TO 100 OUNCES,

WORTH OVER $160,000.

THAT WOULD GIVE THEM A PROFIT OF NEARLY $50,000 TO SPLIT.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO OUR GOAL, BUT WE'VE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO,

AND WE'RE BEHIND.

Narrator: THE HOFFMAN CREW

HAS TO AVERAGE 1.6 OUNCES OF GOLD EVERY DAY

FOR THE REMAINING 57 DAYS.

TO STAY ON TRACK,

THEY NEED A MINIMUM OF 4.8 OUNCES FROM THIS 3-DAY CLEANOUT.

Thurber: OKAY. Man #2: OKAY. LET'S HEAR IT.

PUT IT ON THE PAPER. LET'S SEE WHAT WE GET.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. 5!

ALL RIGHT.

Doumitt: HERE, JACK, LET ME TAKE YOU OUT TO DINNER.

YOU GO HAVE A GOOD TIME ON THAT, OKAY?

5.2.

5.2?

ALMOST 5 1/4.

Narrator: FINDING $8,300 IN THE LAST THREE DAYS

MAKES THEIR $160,000 GOAL POSSIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

WE GOT $15,000 WORTH OF GOLD ALREADY.

AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.

WE'RE GONNA JUST GO ON AND UP -- ON UPWARDS FROM THERE.

WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT, YOU GUYS.

WE'VE DONE VERY WELL.

Narrator: THE CREW HAS NEVER RUN DIRT

FOR MORE THAN SIX HOURS AT A TIME.

NOW THEY'RE ON THE GOLD,

TODD WANTS TO SHOW THEM WHAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE

IF THEY RUN ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT.

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, IF WE RAN FOR 24 HOURS,

I PREDICT IT'S GONNA BE BIGGER.

WE GOT OUR BEST DIRT.

ALL THIS STUFF WAS PRACTICE DIRT.

THAT'S THE REAL STUFF DOWN THERE.

YOU GUYS ALL-IN ON THAT?

OH, YEAH. I'M IN.

THE FUEL WILL BE HERE IN THE MORNING.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY? 8:00.

WHY DON'T WE GET PREPPED

AND THEN WE'LL RUN FOR 24 HOURS?

ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO.

YEE-HAW! RIGHT ON!

I REALLY THINK WE MIGHT PULL 30 OUNCES IN THIS 24 HOURS.

WE'RE GONNA RUN AND RUN AND RUN AND RUN AND RUN.

WE'RE GONNA DO A CLEANOUT HERE

AND JUST SEE SOME SWEET GOLD IN THE BOX.

Narrator: DOWN SOUTH

AT THE HOFFMAN'S OLD MINE IN PORCUPINE CREEK,

THE DAKOTA BOYS GET SOME TROUBLING NEWS --

AN INSPECTOR FROM THE MINING SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

IS IN TOWN.

MSHA's A SAFETY -- MINING POLICE IS WHAT THEY ARE.

AND THEY COME OUT, AND THEY GIVE YOU AN INSPECTION,

AND THEY GIVE YOU BIG, GIANT FINES

IF YOU'RE NOT DOING IT RIGHT.

WE'RE MISSING ONE PIECE OF PAPERWORK.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE --

WE GOT IT IN A POST OFFICE, WE HOPE.

WE GOT TO CHARGE THIS BATTERY.

I'M SORRY. Man: THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

WE GOT TO GET GOING.

THEY SENT US PAPERWORK, AND IT STILL HASN'T MADE IT TO US.

AND I'M GONNA MAKE A DESPERATE DASH TO THE POST OFFICE --

IF WE CAN GET THIS TRUCK RUNNING --

AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THE PAPERWORK THAT WE NEED

TO COMPLETE OUR PAPERWORK SITUATION.

Narrator: IF DAKOTA FRED'S OPERATION

FAILS TO MEET FEDERAL MINING SAFETY STANDARDS,

MSHA COULD SHUT HIM DOWN.

THEY HAVE TO GET TO THE POST OFFICE FAST,

BUT THEIR TRUCK HAS A DEAD BATTERY.

AND THE GENERATOR THEY NEED TO CHARGE IT IS ACTING UP.

OHH, DON'T DO THIS.

WELL, JUST TAKE THE FOUR-WHEELER ON UP.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, GOOD LUCK. SEE WHAT THE HELL YOU CAN DO.

Narrator: THEY ARE MISSING THEIR SAFETY TRAINING PLAN.

FRED SUBMITTED IT THREE MONTHS AGO

AND IS STILL WAITING FOR MSHA TO APPROVE AND RETURN IT.

DUSTIN HAS NO CHOICE

BUT TO MAKE THE 80-MILE ROUND TRIP ON A FOUR-WHEELER.

IF THE PAPERWORK ISN'T IN THEIR POST-OFFICE BOX,

MSHA MAY SHUT THEM DOWN.

HEY! COME HERE!

Narrator: SINCE DIGGING INTO HIS LIFE SAVINGS

TO BUY PORCUPINE CREEK,

DAKOTA FRED HAS SUFFERED CONSTANT MECHANICAL BREAKDOWNS.

WE JUST CAN'T DO ANY MINING. IT'S ABSOLUTELY DEAD RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: HE'S LOST HIS HOME IN NORTH DAKOTA

AND EVERYTHING HE OWNS TO FLOODS.

WOW. OH, LORD.

IT'S BAD.

Narrator: THEN, JUST WHEN HE NEEDED IT MOST,

HE FOUND 19 OUNCES OF GOLD WORTH $30,000 IN A SINGLE WEEK.

I THINK TONIGHT IS A 3-BEER NIGHT.

BUT THE DAKOTA BOYS NEED ANOTHER 80 OUNCES

TO MAKE A DECENT PROFIT THIS SEASON.

THE LAST THING FRED NEEDS NOW

IS TO FAIL A FEDERAL SAFETY INSPECTION.

I'M EDGY ABOUT IT JUST 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN,

IF IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE COMING OR NOT.

WE'VE GOT OUR SIGNS UP.

WE'VE GOT SAFETY OUT THE

I DON'T SEE NOTHING IN YOUR HANDS.

NADA? NADA.

ALL YOU GOT WAS SOME JUNK MAIL AND SOMEBODY ELSE'S MAIL.

OKAY.

DON'T HAVE IT. SO...

WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.

JUST TELL THEM THAT WE APPLIED FOR IT

AND WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR IT OVER AND OVER,

AND WE'RE TRYING.

I MEAN, WE'RE DOING WHAT IT SAYS TO DO, BASICALLY.

WELL --

IT'S JUST WE DON'T HAVE IT IN PRINT,

WHICH IS RIDICULOUS!

I KNOW. A PIECE OF PAPER NEVER KEPT ME SAFE EVER.

YEAH, WELL...

WELL, ALL THAT WE CAN DO IS JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST.

IF WE FAIL, WE FAIL.

HEY, YEAH, WE TRIED.

Narrator: BACK UP IN THE KLONDIKE

WITH ONLY 56 DAYS LEFT OF THE MINING SEASON,

THE HOFFMAN CREW BEGINS A 24-HOUR MARATHON RUN.

ON THE D8 DOZER, GREG REMSBURG STOCKPILES PAY DIRT.

Remsburg: WELL, WE'VE SPENT WEEKS -- WEEKS --

CLEARING THIS FIELD HERE AND CREATING A PIT.

THAT'S EXCITING. IT FEELS GOOD TO BE GOLD MINING.

Narrator: IN THE 228, TODD FEEDS THE WASH PLANT.

Todd: WELL, WE'VE GOT TO RUN ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.

WE WANT TO GET THAT PAY MATERIAL OUT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE 50 OUNCES OF GOLD.