Alaska Gold Rush - The Show

[Silver Buck]

I'm watching the premier show on the Discovery Channel, and can't help but wish I was there with them when they set out on this journey. As a child, I was fascinated by those who went out into the wilderness seeking Gold and Silver, and wondered how I would fare.

I wasn't worried if I would survive and thrive in the wilderness (being brought up the way I was and the activities I have done as an adult lay to rest any doubts about my survivability), I have always wondered if I would 'strike it rich'.

Today, I go to my local dealer to get my PM fix. Makes me feel kinda cheap.

So, fellow PM bugs, any thoughts on whether or not you would be able to cash it all in and head out into the vast unknown to try and strike it rich?

[ttazzman]

those guys are really rookies when it comes to running excavators.......i would be suprized if someone/something doesnt get hurt or damaged.......looks like it might be a fun show to watch

[Silver Buck]

I do agree they are rookies - but admire the fact that like others before them, they gave up everything they knew and went prospecting seeking out riches. Of course I figure the show is supporting them along the way, but the concept is still the same.

Kiss your family and former life goodbye and go out into the wilderness with whatever you can take with you and seek out your fortune.

[andial]

So, fellow PM bugs, any thoughts on whether or not you would be able to cash it all in and head out into the vast unknown to try and strike it rich?

I have too much going on where I live that I don't think that I could ever leave. Plus I think I read somewhere that even in the famous Gold rush days back in the mid 1800's it was the people who supplied the miners (equipment,clothes,housing) who made the most money.

[Silver Buck]

I have too much going on where I live that I don't think that I could ever leave. Plus I think I read somewhere that even in the famous Gold rush days back in the mid 1800's it was the people who supplied the miners (equipment,clothes,housing) who made the most money.

Hmmm...

The bidnez man in me is now more than mildly intrigued.

[Lt Dan]

Well, I got lots of experience with a gold pan, dredge, and high banker, so just show me a place with gold and I'll show you how to get it out. Man, but that water is cold up there in Alaska.

[ME Co.]

Well, I got lots of experience with a gold pan, dredge, and high banker, so just show me a place with gold and I'll show you how to get it out. Man, but that water is cold up there in Alaska.

Yea and the mosquito is the Alaska state bird.

I know a place here where if things get worse I could eek out a living barely, hopefully TS doesn't HTF till next spring cause I wouldn't wanna start out in the winter. HH Mark

[edsl48]

Is this the show you mean?
http://www.irfree.com/gold-rush-alas...xvid-momentum/

[Argentum47]

I find those Discovery Channel documentary's fascinating. Looked like a very hard life but imagine finding some nice chunky gold nuggets..... Would make it all worth while.

[Silver Buck]

Is this the show you mean?
http://www.irfree.com/gold-rush-alas...xvid-momentum/

No sir.

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/gold-rush-alaska/

It's the latest in 'reality TV' on the Discovery Channel. Started Friday.

A bunch of guys who are down on their financial luck decide to sell darn near everything they have and set out to strike it rich in Alaska mining an old claim.

[Mr. Shiny]

While I did watch it, I was disappointed in the fact it's going to be more soap opera than it should be, I understand that is the trend for Discovery, and 99% of viewers just want to be entertained and being a voyeur is entertaining, but that was 44 minutes of setting up the 'characters' for the prerequisite bad blood, screaming, forgiveness, near disasters, etc. that every 'reality' series must contain.
I want to watch gold prospectors, not 'As The Trommel Turns'.

[Lt Dan]

While I did watch it, I was disappointed in the fact it's going to be more soap opera than it should be, I understand that is the trend for Discovery, and 99% of viewers just want to be entertained and being a voyeur is entertaining, but that was 44 minutes of setting up the 'characters' for the prerequisite bad blood, screaming, forgiveness, near disasters, etc. that every 'reality' series must contain.
I want to watch gold prospectors, not 'As The Trommel Turns'.

I downloaded it as I do not get the Discovery channel, have not yet watched, so thanks for the heads up. The soap opera thing is a real turn off for me.

[Silver Buck]

While I did watch it, I was disappointed in the fact it's going to be more soap opera than it should be, I understand that is the trend for Discovery, and 99% of viewers just want to be entertained and being a voyeur is entertaining, but that was 44 minutes of setting up the 'characters' for the prerequisite bad blood, screaming, forgiveness, near disasters, etc. that every 'reality' series must contain.
I want to watch gold prospectors, not 'As The Trommel Turns'.

I'm not so interested in the soap opera aspect of it myself, but it does give me something to watch and think about on a Friday night while doing some paperwork. I can separate myself from the soap opera drama and dwell on what it would take to be a modern day prospector and how I would do things differently. They seem to be wanting to try and get rich quick. I'd rather set up for the long haul and make it more of a way of life. However, I wonder how much the lease is costing them.

[Mr. Shiny]

Silver Buck,
With all due respect, these fellows are in no way doing what those before them have done, leaving family, friends and prior lives behind.
As well as being compensated by Discovery, I am sure they aren't even 'roughing' it in the 'wilderness', i.e. there is a camera crew and other ancillary members. And I'm not going out on a limb by saying they aren't living in tents, and defecating in a hole.
Watching these 'reality' series' depends on the viewer to suspend disbelief.

[Mr. Shiny]

I'm not so interested in the soap opera aspect of it myself, but it does give me something to watch and think about on a Friday night while doing some paperwork.

I am watching it for the same reason, entertainment about the shiny yellow. Because I know 90% of it is post production magic. It'd be quite different for these men if they didn't have support from Discovery, which brings up a good question, 'Who approached whom?' When was the last time someone from TV asked you if you had something interesting going on and may they record it?

[Silver Buck]

I am watching it for the same reason, entertainment about the shiny yellow. Because I know 90% of it is post production magic. It'd be quite different for these men if they didn't have support from Discovery, which brings up a good question, 'Who approached whom?' When was the last time someone from TV asked you if you had something interesting going on and may they record it?

I'm guessing that the 'miners' approached Discovery. In these parts, I've actually met people who approached Jerry Springer to get on his show and make a quick buck and were willing to sell their family down the river. So I'm thinking these guys may have done the same thing. And with Discovery behind them, they don't have to worry so much about succeeding. Sure, they are hoping to strike it rich, but now that they have some sort of safety net, it'll be more about the show.

[HairHopper]

Indeed. It should be noted that during the original Alaska gold rush, most of the people who got rich did so by selling stuff to the endless numbers of prospectors at highly exorbitant prices.

[ME Co.]

First thing I noticed was they were WAY late, I mean swatting mosquitoes the first day. That river should have still been frozen if they were serious. May be a good show for wannabes, keep some greenhorns from thinking they can do it, cause them guys are in for a whole lot of drama and little gold. If it was a sure thing I'd be there myself, and I know a little bit. There's $15mil all we gotta do is dig it up HA! Too bad for the surrounding claimholders, they'll be overrun next year no matter how little gold the show finds. HH Mark

[teamnick]

There's a river a few miles north of Sacramento where all the people living in their RVs camp out and pan for gold. I hear you don't make much though, an average prospector can fish out a gram a day, an experienced one maybe two. I suppose it's better than competing with the hobos for cans to recycle though.


HairHopper is right about who got rich, I very much doubt many of the miners in any gold rush made a whole lot of money. If this thing takes off maybe I'll head up there with a trailer full of supplies to sell at entirely unreasonable prices.

[Silver Buck]

HairHopper is right about who got rich, I very much doubt many of the miners in any gold rush made a whole lot of money. If this thing takes off maybe I'll head up there with a trailer full of supplies to sell at entirely unreasonable prices.

I'm thinking porn. Those guys probably won't have the internet so...

[Mr. Shiny]

I'm thinking porn. Those guys probably won't have the internet so...

I'm not so sure, one of those fellows kept checking the POG on his smart phone.
Roughing it in the wilds of Alaska?
Speaking of which, they sure did b!tch a lot about that river crossing, perhaps they need to tour some abandoned mines and gawk at the machinery that made it up there over 100 years ago.
It'll be interesting to see what those children contribute, other than distracting the 'miners', and being an injury or death in waiting. Untrained operators on heavy machinery around children? Tsk, Tsk.

[ttazzman]

I'm not so sure, one of those fellows kept checking the POG on his smart phone.
Roughing it in the wilds of Alaska?
Speaking of which, they sure did b!tch a lot about that river crossing, perhaps they need to tour some abandoned mines and gawk at the machinery that made it up there over 100 years ago.
It'll be interesting to see what those children contribute, other than distracting the 'miners', and being an injury or death in waiting. Untrained operators on heavy machinery around children? Tsk, Tsk.

I was shocked at how inexperienced they were with those Excavators......crossing that river was nothing for that size of excavator and they made a huge drama out of it......they had no concept of using the boom/turret at all and the cause and effect and safe opperation.......a excavator like that can climb a vertical steel tower......but i can also hurt you in a blink of an eye.......we had one of our dirt guys walk up behind a excavator digging a 15' pit this year, on the blind side as the machine turned to dump the tail knocked him into the blind pit shattered a leg but the worst part was it was a blind pit so when the excavator turned to dig another scoup it was diggin where he had fell didnt know he was down there......thank god he was able to crawl to a corner and throw rocks up to get the opperators attention........these guys need a reality check on big machinery.....kids,big machines, deep pits, rookie opperators, cameras dont make for a good combination...

[Lt Dan]

Bump!

Just watched first episode, mostly all drama, but... found it somewhat more interesting than most reality tv shows. Does anyone know if the show will go on and if so when?

[pay dirt]

Have not seen the show as dont have TV. In Nome Alaska every summer there are prospectors that set up camps on the beach and many make good money in a season. Some are more professional have sluice boxes, pressure washers, seperators etc. Met one person that made 20 grand in a summer when Au was 300 an oz. Low investment if one can live in a weatherport for 4 months. Imagine there is a lot more competition now.

[Irons]

There's a river a few miles north of Sacramento where all the people living in their RVs camp out and pan for gold. I hear you don't make much though, an average prospector can fish out a gram a day, an experienced one maybe two. I suppose it's better than competing with the hobos for cans to recycle though.


HairHopper is right about who got rich, I very much doubt many of the miners in any gold rush made a whole lot of money. If this thing takes off maybe I'll head up there with a trailer full of supplies to sell at entirely unreasonable prices.

Awesome clip on how it go's, and why Gold is valuable. Timeless.

Sorry, it won't let me embed the clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQyqvFVe4Y4

[Lowjack]

I have a friend in the Marketing/TV world and the rough average that each core member makes is 5k / per episode on a discovery "real life drama".

I would say they have already "found" there gold.

[ttazzman]

Bump!

Just watched first episode, mostly all drama, but... found it somewhat more interesting than most reality tv shows. Does anyone know if the show will go on and if so when?

i watched the 2nd episode friday night........here it airs on discovery friday nights 9 central time......have seen first 2 shows

[Lt Dan]

Just found it on a torrent download, watch it later. Wow they get paid for all the drama.

[Silver Buck]

Just found it on a torrent download, watch it later. Wow they get paid for all the drama.

And that is what it seems to be, all drama.

So far disappointing, but I'll still watch it.

For now.

[Mr. Shiny]

Just watched first episode, mostly all drama, but... found it somewhat more interesting than most reality tv shows. Does anyone know if the show will go on and if so when?

It will air this Friday 12/17, and be on hiatus for two weeks because of the 'eves' (Christmas & new year) being on Fridays.

Watched episode two (All My Bear Children), this week's drama via bear and an impatient old fart in a back hoe. Gold collected so far....~50mg.
I'm guessing if these dudes don't get their acts together quickly, Discovery will have to salt the ground with gold and make the show interesting.

Passenger vehicles crumpled by excavator to date: 2

[Canadian-guerilla]

one of the top items on my bucket list is to retrace the Klondike trail
over the Chilkoot Pass, homemade raft down to Dawson, and maybe a month or so panning for gold

after that, a quick trip to Nome and hit Barkerville on the way home

[Lt Dan]

Watched the second episode this afternoon. I'm an old guy, but that old guy in the show is starting to get on my nerves, epic accident waiting to happen. Dorsey is a real greenhorn if I ever saw one, doesn't even have the panning thing correct. The whole show looks like a CF if you don't mind my French. They hunted down a bear and killed it on the pretext it what a threat because it ate some crackers. Give me a break! The kid should have had his butt kicked - better yet, he should not even have been on the trip. Don't these people know anything about bear country?

Sorry, but these guys are idiots. Being the show is even being aired, there most not have been anyone killed, I hope! Also, every time there is break, they repeat about two minutes of the show they just aired. talk about a waste of time. Can't wait to see what stupid things they do next.

[Goldhedge]

Kate Goslin, what a pampered baby....!

[Sampson]

After watching the first episode i think that any gold that crew finds will be paid for dearly in blood. Any takers on someone losing a limb? or at least a digit?

I know they have to play it up to try to add drama but the way they almost missed the barge and then hadn't pre checked bridge load limits for their route bodes poorly for their future in their attention to detail and planning/foresight. I know around here i need mega permits to go in the water with equipment or face huge fines, shutdown, etc. The drama at the river crossing was a joke; guys hanging off the side of the equipment while working, riding in the gator while being lifted by the hoe, joyriding in the river for no reason save lazyness, let alone the fact that their 400 walked through that without even getting the floorboards wet.

As a placer miner i will enjoy watching this but i think i will also get a lot of laughs watching these guys fumble about.


Sampson

[~BS]

I've tried panning for gold in alaska in the summertime. The waters coming off the glaciers is incredibly cold.

I'd probably either freeze to death or go broke if I went prospecting in te gold rush days.

Prospecting aint easy. I'd rather just work my job and buy the damn metal. At least that way, 8 hours/day = guaranteed amount of metal.

[Lt Dan]

I've tried panning for gold in alaska in the summertime. The waters coming off the glaciers is incredibly cold.

I'd probably either freeze to death or go broke if I went prospecting in te gold rush days.

Prospecting aint easy. I'd rather just work my job and buy the damn metal. At least that way, 8 hours/day = guaranteed amount of metal.

Yeah, but those guys are gambling it all thinking they will be rich. For the thousands they are putting into this, they could have just relocated to somewhere there is work to be had.

Seems to me, they are going about it all wrong. Maybe this is wrong, but I listened a lot when I was in Alaska and I think that the big serious mining companies go in and blast out the frozen ground down to the bedrock in the winter, and then process it during the summer months. Made sense to me.

Maybe they will come out of this smarter, but for the most part, I'd hate to be needing any of them to have my back.

[Mr. Shiny]

.... because it ate some crackers. Give me a break! The kid should have had his butt kicked - better yet, he should not even have been on the trip.

I thoroughly agree, when Dorsey, although greener than grass, told the 'main' character's son he needs to be more careful about leaving food and food containers out in bear country and his father gets all upset hooting and hollering and telling Dorsey to "Get out of my cabin" I'd a slapped the sh!t out of him, his son put everyone in danger(?). As for someone getting hurt, inevitable, if they are going to be looking for bears instead of looking out for one another someone is going home in a box, being in proximity to machinery, especially mobile machinery with blind spots is no place to be distracted. And absolutely no place for 9, 10, and 11 year old children.

While I have never prospected for placer gold, I am pretty sure you should sample more than one pan per loader bucket, and actually have some panning skill.
If Pops isn't potentially wrecking equipment with his impatience, he's digging willy-nilly hoping to lift a bucket completely full of shiny.

I agree with the old dude at the next claim, they are laughable as prospectors/miners.

But it is fun to watch, I'll give you that, entertaining as hell, kinda like rubber necking an auto accident.

[Rip Van Winkle]

saw a few clips on the discovery web site, wish they had it somewhere you could stream it.

[Dvorak]

I thoroughly agree, when Dorsey, although greener than grass, told the 'main' character's son he needs to be more careful about leaving food and food containers out in bear country and his father gets all upset hooting and hollering and telling Dorsey to "Get out of my cabin" I'd a slapped the sh!t out of him, his son put everyone in danger(?). As for someone getting hurt, inevitable, if they are going to be looking for bears instead of looking out for one another someone is going home in a box, being in proximity to machinery, especially mobile machinery with blind spots is no place to be distracted. And absolutely no place for 9, 10, and 11 year old children.

While I have never prospected for placer gold, I am pretty sure you should sample more than one pan per loader bucket, and actually have some panning skill.
If Pops isn't potentially wrecking equipment with his impatience, he's digging willy-nilly hoping to lift a bucket completely full of shiny.

I agree with the old dude at the next claim, they are laughable as prospectors/miners.

But it is fun to watch, I'll give you that, entertaining as hell, kinda like rubber necking an auto accident.

I don't understand the kids being part of the group either. After camp is set up, work has begun and the men have learned how to handle mother nature then maybe you can send for the rest of the family. Before that is just a recipe for disaster. Can't be parenting while trying to both survive and learn a new profession. I think without a TV crew along to keep an eye out for them this would turn out to be a fatal undertaking.

[ttazzman]

Another comment on the 2nd show .....I would be real curious as to the laws/seasons/fair chase/eminent danger rules as they apply to bear hunting/killing in their area......i know they mentioned a bear tag "singular".......i really did not like the way the bear "hunt" was portrayed by the cameras and the editing (who knows how it really went)

[citizenkane]

just caught the first episode... its days of our gold rush. pure emotional crap... might make for a good drinking game... who gets hurt first, which kid gets eaten.... That old man is a hoot... cant shoot, runs an excavator like a teenager and his voice makes me wanna go up there and push him in one of his stupid holes.

[Armed.peasant]

I do like the guys answer to why he would take such a big risk.


http://blogs.discovery.com/discovery...sh-alaska.html

[~BS]

^ there's torrent sites, but the legality of downloads is questionable to say the least...

So I watched the first 3 episodes (that's all avaiable so far), and these guys go beyond inexperienced. They lack common sense.

Some of that money invested in equipment and whatnot would have been better gone towards paying a local to mine/ assist them. Perhaps a decent wage & % cut of whatever they find.

[Mr. Shiny]

After watching yet another episode of 'The Old, Young and Restless' I see at least some things are sinking in, one of the characters actually admitted someone is going to get seriously injured or die due to yahoos operating heavy equipment.
They've been at this for a month and have not even pulled a gram of precious from their operation, yet they are flying in wives and children. For what? To have even more hazardous situations?

Funniest moment? When Dorsey's wife can't stop giggling that they haven't harvested any gold. It was worth watching the hour of fluff just for that.
Second place goes to Dorsey for this line: "I don't need a face shield, I have goggles and a beard" while angle grinding with a 7" disc.

Richest moment to date: Having to visit Schnaubel across the creek to see how to set up the equipment, and leaving shaking their heads and realizing they are in too deep, competence-wise.

I guarantee any gold they pull with be outweighed by the amount they've released in their tailings. Schnaubel (hell, anyone) should sub-let their claim and rework the waste stream.
Speaking of streams, these fellows are an environmental nightmare, Porcupine Creek the next Superfund site!

[~BS]

Well, I do give them credit for having the balls to get a plan together, build equipment, and drive up to alaska. I'm wondering how they managed to get their "100k of capital" if everyone is unemployed. Perhaps given to them by discovery channel as a condition of letting them film the show?

I'm not sure who's more dangerous, grandpa on heavy machinery or the irishman with the beard using hand held tools.

I'm wondering if they'd have been better off with high production sluice boxes versus sinking in 100k for equipment, then having to transport it all 2000 miles (and back).

[Apocalypto]

A local blogger reviews the show. According to this woman, they had plenty of help from two local, experienced miners. The show is a farce.

Gold Rush Alaska, A Local Review
Submitted by Heather on Mon, 12/06/2010 - 20:39

http://www.heatherlende.com/node/327

Gold Rush Alaska II
Submitted by Heather on Sat, 12/11/2010 - 17:55

http://www.heatherlende.com/node/332

Gold Rush Alaska, Episode III
Submitted by Heather on Mon, 12/20/2010 - 16:43

http://www.heatherlende.com/node/359

[GOLDZILLA]

Not trying to go too far off topic, but that show called decoded was pretty interesting today. They were deciphering clues and historical events that lead to finding lost confederate gold and silver !

[keehah]

Spoiler Alert!

http://chilkatvalleynews.com/story.a...e-debut-Friday

John Schnabel, a Porcupine miner for 25 years, said he heard the Hoffmans’ crew found 16 ounces of gold, or about $20,000 worth.

"They were more interested in making a movie than they were in finding gold," Schnabel said. "They didn’t get their machinery going until afternoon and sometimes not until evening. They had cameras going all over the place."

But Schnabel praised Todd Hoffman’s savvy and defended him from criticism of another miner who said the greenhorns were throwing out too much gold with their tailings. "There’s some truth to that even in my operation. In that way they’re not unique."

Schnabel said the show would be great for Haines, and may even encourage some others to try the diggings at Porcupine. "Our town’s living on nothing but hopes and grants and spaghetti. We should have somebody here paying the bills, even if it’s just a couple miners."

[KGMe]

I'd love to spend a summer just panning. Although to be honest, I'd probably spend more time hiking and fishing! I guess I'd consider it a long camping trip with an added activity.

[Anakin]

Four episodes this Friday.