07x22 - Nuggets

[bunniefuu]

-Huh.
-Whoosh, whoosh.

Yeah, really.

-Holy cow.
-Jesus.

We've never had anything
even close to that.

Narrator:
Season 7 of
"Gold Rush" is a wrap.

And to make sense of it all we've
invited Parker Schnabel and
Rick Ness to the studio

to discuss the good

and the bad.

Narrator:
of the most tumultuous
season yet.

I'm gonna [BLEEP] k*ll
him right now.

and get a glimpse of
an off season adventure

Can we talk about that now?

Go for it.

that'll leave Gold Rush
fans wanting more.

God. This is...madness.

Narrator:
Parker and Rick brought
with them new insights.

I think I've chilled
out a little, probably.

Yeah, definitely.

Old rivalries

Todd's always chasing things
that are too good to be true.

Narrator:
And a sneak peek at their
off-season trek to the Klondike

Ahh.

I didn't realize that you were
gonna try to break your
[BLEEP] leg every step.

Oh.

that almost cost them
their lives.

Dave, look out.

Narrator:
Hang on to your hard hats.

Holy Christ.

Narrator:
This is "Gold Rush" nuggets.

For the Hoffman crew, season 7
will always be remembered for this.

But Rick and Parker know
violence just isn't good business.

If that kind of stuff is
going on at your mine site,
then people obviously aren't

-prioritizing the mining.
-Yeah.

You're at a mine site, and you're
giving up so much to be there.

The only reason you're there
is to make money, right?

-Yeah
-That's the only
reason we're there.
-Yup.

Narrator:
There's no room for
fighting at Parker's mine,

but that doesn't mean the Schnabel
crew can't handle themselves.

There's some scrappy guys.
Like I would never want to see...

-Mitch in a fight.
-Ah no, Mitch would be deadly.

We've got big problems.

Brennan's a big dude but he
seems like a teddy bear.

Yeah.

But I still wouldn't
want to see him mad.

You don't want to poke
a teddy bear today, heh.

I don't want you guys [BLEEP]
following me right now.

I think Chris Doumitt... We wrestle a
bit and what not, and I think he could

You just have to lay one fist on him

I know. He's got like the strongest
old man hands in the world.

Yeah.

Narrator:
Each crew has their
own mix of muscle and ego.

The trick to keeping it civil is
staying focused on the goal
even when things are falling apart.

-Shut it down!
-Shut it down!
-Shut it down!

Cut the conveyer.

-Hey.
-Hey. Give me a bar.

Get it shut off
before it rips the belt.

Tempers flare and all that.
But at the end of the day
you've got a job to do.

You have to do your job.

And that's just it. Is, you're giving
up so much just to be there. And the

priority should always be...

making money.

So Doumitt, what's our
season total?

You ready for this one?

How about 4311 ounces.

That's just over $5
million of gold.

This season was
a huge success.

Everybody did great.

Like just nailed it.
And we were late

starting sluicing with our new plant.

We were late with Big Red because
we didn't have the people.

I'm just still amazed

Um, how well
it went, you know.

Narrator:
Their success was in no small
part a result of the gamble
Parker took in the off season.

Yeah, this season we made a pretty
big purchase, We bought a
brand-new wash plant.

There she is.

Uh. Oh, yeah.

Doesn't that just look sexy.

So, we ended up naming
it Sluicifer, which

-Who came up with that.
-That was Mitch.
-Mitch?

I was, I was kinda rooting
for Arnold Sluicinager.

And what was the
other one, Goldibox?

Goldibox.

Uh, there was a few other bouncing
around. But it's funny.
Like, Sluicifer's funny.

Whooo. [laughter].

-Taking its first ride.
-From here looks good.

Yeah, Sluicifer did really
well for us, I think.

I liked it.
I think there's a few little things
that we all want to change on it.

But that's really normal.
It's a good plant.

Our season starts now.

Here we go.

Time to make some money.

Season 7 would be a breakout
year for Parker and his crew.

But it began in the
worst way possible.

I lost my grandpa, the man
who taught me how to
mine and honestly,

I don't know what it's
going to be like without him.

My grandpa was a
huge force in my life.

He's the only reason
I ever started mining.

I wouldn't know anything about
gold mining if it weren't for him.

I'm proud of you.
Thanks.

So, Give me a hug.

Narrator:
Sadly this season
Rick also had reason to mourn.

My grandpa died.

sh*t.
I'm sorry, man.

Narrator:
For both, mining was a
welcome distraction.

After the funeral I really
just wanted to go to work.

I think that we're both a
lot alike in that. And we just,

You know, we want to get back to
work and we wanna just move on.

You know, you can't
just wallow in pity.

Nothing comes out of that.

Once I was in the Yukon,
it just made me appreciate more

you know, where people
spend their time.

Like Rick and these guys did.
Give up so much, you know
they come up there

and be in the Yukon
with us mining.

And we're all in it together.
and I think that my grandpa

spent a lot of time trying to get
that message through and it's finally

starting to come through.

There's 30...

Narrator:
The operation at Scribner Creek
was off to a record start.

[whistles]This is probably our best
first cleanup we've had up here.

Narrator:
But in gold mining
trouble is never far away.

Well. yeah, initially this
season, you know, my
biggest issues are...

issues with my
landlord Tony, right.

Ah, right now we're
just sh**ting for 3000

We went into the season with
a 3,000 ounce goal because

I'm not going to pay
him steeper royalties.

You know, after 3,000 ounces
we're paying him a 25% royalty.

And that means we're working
six hours a day for him.

Yup.

I would love to push harder
but with the royalties
the way they are

I can't.

It's this tossup where..

We don't agree with the contract, but...

It's the ground we're on and
we're established there and
everything else that I've looked at

you know, doesn't really
compare to it. And Tony
knows that. So it just

you know, drives the
nail in deeper.

Narrator:
Parker wasn't budging on his decision
to cap the season at 3,000 ounces.

The more we make, the more we work
for Tony Beets. Just ain't cool.

I want to be working
for Parker f*ck Schnabel.

Narrator:
But his crew didn't
necessarily agree.

I certainly hear where
you're coming from.

Economically, it's a smart move, right.
Just not what I expected to hear.

Yeah, I didn't drive 2500 miles to get
3000 ounces. I came up here
to make some money.

I was surprised that Rick
and all the boys really
pushed back on that.

It's a hard pill to swallow,
I mean, certainly understandable.

But we're, we're f*ck' winners.
You know what I mean, we
want to keep winning.

Narrator:
Coming up..

All I'm asking for is to cap
the royalties at 20%.

Narrator:
Another blowout over royalties
takes a surprising twist

Hang in there.

that gives Rick the
opportunity of a lifetime.

Tony, in his screwed up way
definitely did do Rick a benefit.

Narrator:
Then Parker and Rick discuss
their epic off-season adventure.

One of the craziest
things I've ever done.

Narrator:
And the new series
that chronicles it all.

Holy sh*t.

Rick.

Do you have to
do that to turn?

-No.
-How the f*ck was I
supposed to know?

Narrator:
We're spilling secrets in the studio.

I hesitate to believe
too much of that.

Right?

Narrator:
As Parker Schnabel and Rick Ness
join us to recap the mayhem
surrounding season 7.

There's always plenty of drama.

Rick!

But this season.

One crew had more than
they could handle.

Knock it off.

Let's..One of you's gotta stop.

Let got of me now.

Narrator:
The Hoffman crew fight
wasn't an isolated incident.

It was the culmination of
a season that went from bad...

You're losing thousands
of dollars a day.

Aww.

to a downright disaster.

Dave!

It's not hard to
spot the cause.

It's a lot easier to get mad
about things when
you're doing bad.

You know what guys,
I hate to say this

but I need you guys to go the
next two weeks without pay.

You tell Mindy, you tell Mindy
that I'm not getting paid.

She thinks I'm up here making
money to support the family.

It's very easy to point
fingers at what people are
doing things wrong but

Todd's mistake was not doing his
due diligence before he dove
into all these things.

How much?

12.55

Aww.

Todd's always chased these things
that are too good to be true.

And if there was really that much
gold left in Oregon, it would
have gotten mined a long time ago.

There's a reason why all
of us are up in the Yukon.

Yup. No doubt.

It's not cause we like it up there.

That's cause that's where
the gold is left is.

-Right.
That's where it is.

[Rick laughs]

Narrator:
Tony Beets also
struggled this season.

Narrator:
not with finding gold

but with his efforts to try
and bring a second dredge online.

It's a style of mining that Parker
just can't get his head around.

Rick and I's number one job, between
the two of us, is we have to

try our best to make sure
that the dirt without gold
is getting thrown away

and that the dirt with gold in it
is getting ran through the wash plant.

And, you know,

If you're all of a sudden under
8 feet of water trying to do that,

I mean, you
don't stand a chance.

Right? You don't know what
kind of bedrock you're in.

you don't know where that nice cubey
stuff that has all the gold in it ends.

And you know, Tony's
made a decision to sacrifice

getting all of the gold out

for being a bit more efficient and
having a few less people around.

And that's a sacrifice that

I don't know is worth it

Because he is leaving gold behind.

Narrator:
Their approach to mining isn't
the only thing that Parker
and Tony disagree on.

Tony is a difficult
guy to deal with.

And... a thing that could be
very simple, like

You know, if you find this much gold
in the ground and we take this much
of it, he's managed to complicate

a lot.

You know, after 3,000 ounces we're
paying him a 25% royalty.

At the end of the day,
something needs to change.

So I tried to get him to
change the royalty rates.

He wouldn't but he came up with this
second operation thing, right.

He said, if you want to run a second
operation, then that second
operation will be separate

royalty rates from the first.

Maybe you're not
such a bad guy, Tony.

I was like okay, if that's the
way you want to do it, we'll
jump through your hoops.

But it still..what difference does
it make if we're running
two operations or

or one big operation.
I don't get it.

It doesn't make any sense to me
no matter how I look at it.

Narrator:
Trying to make
sense of anything that Tony
Beets says can be tough.

But the new deal made
one thing crystal clear,

Rick was getting
the chance to run his own
operation at Indian River.

So you think you're
ready to take this on?

Oh yeah.

You got to be you know, right?

Getting that opportunity
is great. It's something that

I don't know if I deserve it or not.
I mean there's a lot of dues to pay

to get something like that, normally.
you know what I mean.
I thank you for letting me do it.

That's for sure.

Yup. We're on paydirt boys.,

It's really nice to have guys
that you can say, oh that,
you're in a real f*cked up situation.

Have fun with that.
and trust that

they'll get it
all sorted out.

That's a new revelation for me,

Getting to that point and having
that confidence in the people
around you.

Congratulations.

Woo!

Running your own operation can be
satisfying, but Rick found out quickly

that being the boss comes
with a lot of responsibility.

The belt for Big Red
has got a big gouge in it.

Well we're not f*ck getting
a new one. Do I look
like a f*ck' belt fairy.

So you just have to
make it f*ck' work.

Figure it out.

It was a good taste of being out
on my own and seeing what
it would be like.

And it was a good victory, ultimately.

This is all your place?

Narrator:
This season Parker arrived at
Scribner Creek ready to work.

Yeah, it's good to be back.

Narrator:
But he didn't come alone.

-Hows it going.
-This is Ashley.

Hey, Ashley, how are you?

Well, I was on vacation in
Australia last winter and
met her there and...

We hit it off pretty well.
so I invited her over.

Like, come hang out
for some time.

Narrator:
Inviting his girlfriend to live at
the mine could have been a disaster.

She got thrown into a world
that was very strange.

Narrator:
But Ashley had no
problem fitting in.

When Parker asked me to come to
the Klondike, I was super excited.

I'm very adventurous so
I'm up for any challenge.

Since they've got such
a small team, um...

Parker came and asked me
to see if I can help out,
and drive a truck.

I mean I'm this little girl and
I'm in a huge rock truck.

The tires stand maybe
that much taller than me.

So it was a lot of fun.

I'm loving it.

It was really great having
her up there this summer.

-You know, she's a happy person
-Yup.
-and wants to stay busy.

I'm picking nuggets.
Ain't no nuggets getting past me.

She ended up, being in the
gold room. It's a very...

you know, detailed oriented
thing that she was very good at.

Now, that being said your girlfriend
of two, three months is now like

looking after

$300,000

worth of gold at a time. Right.

That's a trust exercise.

Narrator:
Coming up,
-Hi.

Some special guests join us on set
to ask a few burning questions.

Are you ever going
to cut your hair?

Narrator:
Then Parker and Rick reveal
details about their epic adventure.

Dawson City here we come.

Definitely the most intense
thing I've ever done.

The current is ripping under the shelf

I'm getting pulled downstream.

Look out.

Parker.

Narrator:
It's time for Rick
and Parker to take a break

and meet some of
their adoring fans.

This is the Butler family.
Come on in, guys. Come on.

Hi.
How's it going.

So you guys all watch
the show together?

Yes, We all watch the show, and

And they're usually panning in the
kitchen while they watch the show.

We're on the floor
and the show goes on.

Do you know how to pan?

Yeah?
Did you find some gold?

Probably more than
the Hoffman's, huh?

What was your question?

Are you ever going
to cut your hair?

That's a popular question.

All right.
I'll get a haircut.

I'll cut it all off.

It's a deal.

So who's your favorite gold miner.

-You.
-Right on.

-Put it there.
-They're there to
watch, right?
-Yes.

Rick, you have some presents
for these guys don't you?

Yes, I do.

Cause sleeves are for
nerds, guys.

How awesome.

-A pleasure to meet you guys.
You too, Rick.

Guys we have some
viewer questions for you.

So I'm asking him?

Correct.

Mr. Parker, why don't you start.

Rob H.
Rick you are my
fave gold rusher.

Coming from a tattooed
gentleman to another,

This might get intimate.

What is your favorite
tattoo that you have?

Aw, geez.

I got them all when I was pretty
young and I didn't put a whole
lot of thought into 'em.

Really? But I

I guess probably my favorite
would be the perseverance
and anchor on my hand.

Cause that's the name of
my grandpa's boat and, uh,

That's really the only one
that means anything to me.

Alright. Eric B. asks:

Looking back at all of the
things that grandpa instilled in you over the years,

what do you think has made you
the best you can be

and what do you think you still
need to work towards to become
the best person/boss you can be?

Yeah, I think the biggest lesson that
I learned from my grandpa
was trusting people

or giving them the benefit of the doubt,
and trusting that they want to really

perform and they want to succeed
and that our interests are aligned
a lot more than

I might think or might
suspect at times. Right?

and that's something that has
been difficult for me to deal with.

Tracy C says:
Rick, what are the chances
that you will finally...

show Parker that sleeves are for sissies.

Will you show him the way to a
sleeve-free existence?

Seeing your arms are the size
of my thighs, I think that uh,

I think that I should
be wearing sleeves.

Ah...Yeah. I don't think the
sleeveless life is for everybody.

Caleb, from Oklahoma.

Parker, any woman willing to drive a
rock truck hauling pay to your
wash plant is a keeper.

When are you gonna pop the question?

Oh. There she is.
No pressure.

Well, actually I'm glad you asked me, Rick. Um...

I'm in no rush to get married.

We'll leave it at that.

[Honk]

No I'm not.
Takes more than that
to embarrass me.

Mike D. asks:

If you could be any animal in
the world, what would you be?

And ask Parker the same question.

Well, I'm my own spirit animal.
So I would be me.
But what would you be?

I don't know.
I've always liked lynx.
They're cool. Big kitty.

Meow.

Alright, we have another question here from Matt B.

Hi Rick. There's a rumor you and
Parker were working on a special
project in the off season.

Can you tell us about it.

Can we talk about that now?

I think we can.

Good. Finally. Because I'm excited
about it, man. I mean, that's
one hell of a journey.

So, Rick and I set off on
the historic gold rush trail.

You know, there's a lot of reasons
why I want to do this trip.

You know, one big one is that,
you know, for me

It's always been kinda the ultimate
adventure that I've wanted to do.

It's a big testament to my grandpa
and what he did coming up to Alaska.

Cause he was, he was, you know,
an original Alaska pioneer.

And it's the same path that the
old-timers took to get to the gold fields.


on the journey in 1898

and of those. I think
only about 30,000 made it.

It's a 40-mile hike up over mountains
in the snow and rain and wind

And then you drop
down in to Bennett Lake,

and, you have 150 miles of lakes
to get across, and then another


There's sections of
the trail that are brutal.

It's serious sh*t and I'm stoked
to share it with everybody.

Narrator:
The toughest
journey of their lives.

Oh, oh yeah. This is madness.

Dave, look out.

Narrator:
600 miles of mountains.

Ooh. I can't see.

Narrator:
Lakes and rivers.

Rick, go left!
Rick, go...
What...whoa.

Whoa whoa whoa.
Whoa.

Narrator:
With winter closing in.

We cannot get stuck here.
There's no Plan B.

Narrator:
For Parker, a test
against nature.

Watch out!
Watch out.

Narrator:
the legend of his grandfather,
and the pioneers that came before them.