Gold Rush

Narrator: BEHIND THE SCENES OF "GOLD RUSH,"

AN ARMY OF PRODUCTION PEOPLE

COVERS THE EVERY MOVE OF THREE GOLD-MINING CREWS.

OHH!

CAMERA TEAMS ARE SPREAD ACROSS THREE CLAIMS...

WE'RE GONNA DO IT!

...ON 600 MILES OF UNFORGIVING TERRAIN,

FROM SOUTHEAST ALASKA TO THE KLONDIKE.

COPY THAT. ON OUR WAY.

EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, PRODUCTION BATTLES

THE BRUTAL LANDSCAPE RIGHT ALONGSIDE THE MINERS.

HERE WE HAVE OUR VULTURES, JUST WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO DIE.

Man: WE GOT TO GO. WHOO!

Narrator: FOR BOTH MINERS AND TV CREW, THE DANGER IS REAL.

Clarke: SAM, YOU OKAY?

Narrator: THERE ARE RUN-INS WITH WILDLIFE...

IS THAT A GRIZZLY?

EVERYTHING'S TRYING TO EAT YOU.

CAMERAMAN DOWN!

...FUNNY MISHAPS... OH!

OUR SOUNDIE'S STUCK.

Narrator: ...AND THE TV CREW CAN'T HELP BUT CATCH GOLD FEVER.

GOLD FEVER, BABY!

IN NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE,

GET THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY...

I'M WORRIED RIGHT NOW ABOUT EVERYBODY.

Narrator: ...AND FIND OUT WHAT IS TOUGHER...

Watch the bucket! WHOA!

...GETTING GOLD OR GETTING IT ALL ON FILM.

Doumitt: I SEE WHY THEY HAVE A LOT OF CAMERAMEN.

I THINK THEY GO THROUGH THEM PRETTY QUICK.

Narrator: AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR SECOND MINING SEASON...

IT'S PAYBACK TIME!

...THE HOFFMAN CREW SUDDENLY

HAD TO LEAVE THE PORCUPINE CREEK CLAIM.

Fred: I OWN PORCUPINE CREEK.

I'M GONNA MINE THIS CLAIM THIS YEAR.

HEY, HEY!

NOT ONLY DID THE MINERS HAVE TO UP AND LEAVE,

BUT PRODUCERS AND CAMERAMEN ALSO HAD TO PACK UP

AND HEAD NORTH IN SEARCH OF A NEW CLAIM.

Here we go.

TODD LED EVERYONE

TO THE LEGENDARY GOLD FIELDS OF THE KLONDIKE.

THE HOPES OF BOTH THE MINERS AND THE TV CREW

RESTED ON THE NEW QUARTZ CREEK CLAIM.

Bates: THEY'VE HAD A BAD SEASON SO FAR.

THEY'VE HAD PORCUPINE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.

THEY'VE KIND OF GOT EVERYTHING RIDING ON THIS, SO...

TODD RECKONS HE'S GOT THE ANSWER HERE.

WE WANT TO SEE GOLD. THE VIEWERS WANT TO SEE GOLD.

WE ALL WANT TO SEE GOLD.

Man: KEEP HER GOING, KEEP HER GOING.

CRANK IT, CRANK IT. THERE YOU GO.

Narrator: THE HOFFMAN CREW SET UP CAMP

IN THE KLONDIKE WILDERNESS.

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!

Todd: PERFECT.

Remsburg: GOING FROM PORCUPINE --

A NICE, MOIST, GREEN ENVIRONMENT --

THIS IS LIKE WE JUST GOT DROPPED ON MARS.

Narrator: ADJUSTING TO THEIR NEW HOME WAS TOUGH FOR THE MINERS,

BUT EVEN MORE SO FOR THE MAINLY BRITISH PRODUCTION CREW,

MANY OF THEM FRESH OFF THE STREETS OF LONDON.

Dalby: THIS IS HOME FOR THE FILM CREW.

WE'RE GONNA BE UP HERE FOR MONTHS ON END,

LIVING, WORKING, YOU KNOW, SLEEPING.

IT'S KLONDIKE PARADISE.

IT'S A RETREAT FROM THE HOFFMANS.

YOU KNOW, GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS, OKAY?

WHAT THAT MEANS -- YOU EVER HEARD THAT TERM?

BUT...

WE'RE GONNA BE POOING IN THE SAME HOLE,

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET ON.

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU JUST...

...YOU JUST HIT THE HORN.

THEY HAVE TO CARRY BEAR HORNS.

AND SO WHEN THEY -- IF THEY'RE NOT LOOKING,

YOU JUST HIT THEIR HORN ONCE IN A WHILE, AND EVERYBODY JUMPS.

Narrator: IT'S NOT EASY FOR THE CAMERA CREW TO ADJUST.

THEIR FIRST PROBLEM IS THAT THE GROUND THE HOFFMANS PLAN TO MINE

IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF QUARTZ CREEK.

THE MINE IS ACROSS THE RIVER.

WE EITHER GET WET FEET, DON'T GET THERE,

HAVE TO GET A VEHICLE, LOSE THEM.

SO WE GOT TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF AND FIX A BRIDGE.

WE LIVE IT. WE'RE IN THE DIRT WITH THEM.

WE'RE IN THE SUN.

WE'RE IN THE MOSQUITO-INFESTED FORESTS.

WE COME FROM VERY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS,

BUT WE EXPERIENCE IT WITH THEM.

NOW WE CAN GO ACROSS THE RIVER...

WHOA!

...WITHOUT GETTING WET, AND QUICKLY.

SO THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.

WHOO-HOO!

Narrator: BUT THE MINERS ARE LESS THAN IMPRESSED

WITH THE CREW'S EFFORTS.

THIS IS THE BEST YOU GUYS COULD DO?

SERIOUSLY.

IT'S A PRETTY DECENT BRIDGE.

I DON'T KNOW, MAN.

NOT BAD FOR A BUNCH OF GUYS FROM LONDON.

WHAT IS THIS -- "HUCKLEBERRY FINN"?

Narrator: THE MINERS AND PRODUCTION TEAM HAVE MADE THEMSELVES AT HOME.

BUT UP IN THE KLONDIKE,

THE WILDLIFE DOESN'T RESPECT MAN-MADE BOUNDARIES.

Man: IS THAT A GRIZZLY? IT'S A GRIZZLY.

A YOUNG GRIZZLY IS IN THE HEART OF THE CAMP.

Obviously aware of this bear in camp.

BUT TODD'S 12-YEAR-OLD SON, HUNTER...

...IS OBLIVIOUS.

Man: SOMEONE GO AROUND AND TELL HUNTER.

LUCKILY FOR HUNTER, THE CREW ALL CARRY BEAR HORNS.

ONE JUST WALKED RIGHT IN FRONT OF DAVE'S TRUCK,

AND IT'S RIGHT OVER THERE.

Narrator: TO EVERYONE'S SURPRISE,

THERE'S MORE THAN ONE BEAR IN CAMP.

I HAVE AN AIR HORN AND SOME BEAR SPRAY.

SO, I GAVE A COUPLE OF TOOTS 'CAUSE THE BLACK BEAR WAS --

I DON'T KNOW -- 15, 20 YARDS MAYBE FROM OUR TRAILER,

WHERE I WAS COOKING SOME NICE PIEROGIES AND CARIBOU SAUSAGE.

SO, I THOUGHT IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA

TO MAKE MY PRESENCE KNOWN TO THE BEAR

SO HE DOESN'T GET TOO CONVINCED

THAT HE'S GONNA GET SOME OF OUR DINNER.

I'M NOT GONNA LET THAT BEAR TAKE ANY OF OUR CARIBOU SAUSAGE.

FIRST THOUGHT WAS "SHOOT IT," WITH THE CAMERA, NOT A GUN.

BUT THEN I JUST FILMED HUNTER ON HIS TROMMEL DOWN THE WAY THERE,

SO WE SENT OUR LOVELY SOUND MAN DOWN

TO WARN HUNTER ABOUT THE GRIZZLY.

Narrator: TODD ARRIVES BACK AT CAMP

TO LEARN THEY'VE HAD NOT ONE, BUT TWO WILD INTRUDERS.

SO, YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THERE'S A GRIZZLY BEAR

AND THEN A BLACK BEAR RIGHT BEHIND HIM?

LIKE, YEAH. RIGHT THROUGH CAMP?

THE GRIZZLY BEAR WAS GOING THAT WAY,

AND THE BLACK BEAR COMES UP THAT WAY.

WHAT IS THIS -- A CIRCUS OR SOMETHING?

IT'S NOT A ZOO HERE.

Nicholson: THAT'S THE FIRST BEAR I'VE SEEN --

WELL, ACTUALLY, THAT'S A LIE.

THE FIRST BEAR I'VE SEEN WHEN I'VE NOT BEEN IN A VEHICLE,

POUNDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.

IT WAS BRILLIANT. THE FIRST -- I WAS --

OH! AH!

EVERYTHING'S TRYING TO EAT YOU.

Narrator: IN THE INHOSPITABLE KLONDIKE,

THE FILM CREW AND MINERS QUICKLY FIND OUT

THAT THERE ARE DANGERS AROUND EVERY CORNER.

Harness: THIS ROAD IS TREACHEROUS TODAY.

NOW THERE'S A LOADER OFF. THAT'LL NEVER GET OUT OF THERE.

Narrator: THE ONLY WAY IN AND OUT OF THE QUARTZ CREEK CLAIM

IS A PERILOUS, 40-MILE MOUNTAIN ROAD

WHICH HAS ALREADY CLAIMED TWO LIVES THIS YEAR.

Gorsuch: REALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN HURT YOU OR KILL YOU

IN THE MAKING OF THE SHOW, BUT PROBABLY THE GREATEST RISK

THAT WE FACE IS THIS ROAD WE DRIVE ON.

Harness: JAMES TO BASE.

ONE OF THE TOURISTS HAS RAN OFF THE ROAD UP ON HUNKER.

THIS IS JUST MUSH.

YOU GET ANY WEIGHT ON IT, AND YOU'RE GOING DOWN.

Narrator: THE DANGEROUS ROAD TO THE NEW CLAIM

BECAME A MAJOR STORY LINE

AS THE HOFFMANS SET UP THEIR MINING OPERATION.

THEY'RE MOVING SOMETHING

FROM CIVILIZATION, BASICALLY, OUT TO THE WILDERNESS,

AND THERE'S ONLY ONE GUY WHO CAN DO IT,

AND IT'S THIS TRUCK DRIVER TOM FENTON.

SO, HE'S GONNA GO UP AND OVER THE MOUNTAIN

AND DELIVER THE FIRST PIECE OF REAL BIG GEAR

TO THE CLAIM TODAY.

EVERYONE THINKS THE ROAD IS THE BIGGEST DANGER ON THIS JOB.

SOMEONE DIED ON IT LAST WEEK.

THAT'S HOW TREACHEROUS IT IS.

SO, JUST PAY ATTENTION.

NOTHING'S WORTH KILLING YOURSELF FOR.

Narrator: WITH LAST WEEK'S FATALITY FRESH ON THEIR MINDS,

THE CAMERA CREW WILL HAVE TO KEEP UP

WITH LEGENDARY KLONDIKE TRUCKER TOM FENTON.

Man: CAN YOU TELL ME, WHY ARE YOU THE ONLY GUY WHO WILL DO IT?

THE ONLY ONE DUMB ENOUGH?

THIS GUY IS TOUGH.

Narrator: THE HOFFMANS' 228 EXCAVATOR

WEIGHS 50,000 POUNDS,

MEANING ONCE TOM GETS GOING, HE WON'T SLOW DOWN FOR ANYONE.

THE CREW RIGS A MINI CAMERA TO THE CAB,

BUT TO GET THE SHOTS THEY NEED,

THEY HAVE TO DRIVE IN FRONT OF TOM'S MASSIVE TRUCK.

I'M SHOOTING IN FRONT OF THE EXCAVATOR.

SO, WE'LL STRAP THE CAMERA IN HERE, MAKE SURE IT'S ALL SAFE.

Man: HE WANTS TO GO.

SO I'M JUST GONNA MAKE MYSELF COMFORTABLE.

WELL, AS COMFORTABLE AS CAN BE.

Man: WHERE'S THE SECOND VEHICLE? HE'S GOING.

Narrator: TOM IS ANXIOUS TO GET GOING

AND PULLS OUT BEFORE THE CREW IS READY.

Man: HE'S ALREADY GOING, GUYS.

Narrator: THE CAMERA CREW SCRAMBLES TO CATCH UP

BUT IS LEFT EATING TOM'S DUST.