1 00:00:06,724 --> 00:00:08,586 I don't like the sliding so much. 2 00:00:10,482 --> 00:00:12,689 I don't know what I've got myself into here. 3 00:00:12,793 --> 00:00:14,137 [grunts] 4 00:00:14,241 --> 00:00:15,344 You ready, PJ? 5 00:00:15,448 --> 00:00:16,758 I was born ready. 6 00:00:16,862 --> 00:00:18,724 [PJ] I've been mining out here since I was 10. 7 00:00:19,689 --> 00:00:22,034 Getting that yellow flaky stuff that 8 00:00:22,137 --> 00:00:23,275 just makes my heart go. 9 00:00:24,586 --> 00:00:25,862 I see a lot of myself in him. 10 00:00:27,137 --> 00:00:29,379 They weren't lying about this weather changing quick. 11 00:00:29,482 --> 00:00:31,275 He is sinking. 12 00:00:31,379 --> 00:00:34,275 You can fight mother nature, but mother nature's gonna win. 13 00:00:34,379 --> 00:00:36,724 Three generations can work together. 14 00:00:36,827 --> 00:00:38,103 It would be a dream of mine. 15 00:00:39,137 --> 00:00:41,137 PJ, you wanna run it? 16 00:00:41,241 --> 00:00:45,379 There's only one way for him to make that dream come true, and that's do it. 17 00:00:47,034 --> 00:00:48,068 Whoa, whoa. 18 00:01:01,310 --> 00:01:05,793 Going from a bigger road to a two-track road here, Juano. 19 00:01:06,862 --> 00:01:09,344 Yeah, this is barely an ATV trail. 20 00:01:15,827 --> 00:01:17,551 It's getting steep here, Juan, 21 00:01:17,655 --> 00:01:20,344 and tighter through the trees. 22 00:01:20,448 --> 00:01:24,034 [narrator] Freddy and Juan snake their way 3,000 feet up 23 00:01:24,137 --> 00:01:27,413 into the muddy mountains of Denali in central Alaska. 24 00:01:28,689 --> 00:01:31,793 Enroute to three generations of goldminers, 25 00:01:31,896 --> 00:01:34,344 fighting to save the family mine. 26 00:01:37,482 --> 00:01:39,206 [Juan] Man, I don't know, Freddy. I'm almost thinking maybe 27 00:01:39,310 --> 00:01:40,931 what we do is park my truck down below 28 00:01:41,034 --> 00:01:42,275 and just take your truck up for now. 29 00:01:43,517 --> 00:01:44,517 [Freddy] Yeah. 30 00:01:51,793 --> 00:01:52,965 I hate leaving your truck there, 31 00:01:53,068 --> 00:01:56,000 but let's do a scouting mission. 32 00:02:01,827 --> 00:02:03,206 Just in case I didn't say good morning. 33 00:02:03,310 --> 00:02:04,310 - Thank you, sir. - You're welcome. 34 00:02:04,413 --> 00:02:05,793 Really sweet of you. 35 00:02:05,896 --> 00:02:07,000 You're such a sweet guy, Fred. 36 00:02:07,862 --> 00:02:08,793 Thanks. 37 00:02:12,172 --> 00:02:13,413 [both grunting] 38 00:02:15,655 --> 00:02:17,586 So, what do we know about these guys, Freddy? 39 00:02:17,689 --> 00:02:20,620 Well, the son got ahold of me. He'd sure like our help. 40 00:02:20,724 --> 00:02:22,620 Here, I talked to him a few years ago 41 00:02:22,724 --> 00:02:23,965 when it was his dream to go gold-mining 42 00:02:24,068 --> 00:02:25,172 with his family. 43 00:02:25,275 --> 00:02:26,413 From what I know right now, 44 00:02:26,517 --> 00:02:28,758 it's his grandfather, his dad, and him. 45 00:02:28,862 --> 00:02:30,448 Wow, so three generations out here mining. 46 00:02:34,172 --> 00:02:35,827 [narrator] Gold seekers' first flock 47 00:02:35,931 --> 00:02:39,068 to the rugged region of Denali in 1903. 48 00:02:40,275 --> 00:02:43,896 Hiking up huge mountains on foot in search of gold. 49 00:02:45,344 --> 00:02:48,482 Since then, $180 million worth 50 00:02:48,586 --> 00:02:50,965 has been pulled from the landscape. 51 00:02:51,068 --> 00:02:53,965 But for those brave enough to beat the brutal weather, 52 00:02:54,068 --> 00:02:56,896 isolated location, and short season, 53 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,827 there could still be huge rewards. 54 00:03:03,586 --> 00:03:05,103 Well, I'm hoping this is them. 55 00:03:05,206 --> 00:03:06,931 Gotta be them. It's the only place out here, Freddy. 56 00:03:09,551 --> 00:03:10,586 How's it going, guys? 57 00:03:10,689 --> 00:03:12,724 - Good morning. - Everybody doing all right? 58 00:03:12,827 --> 00:03:14,482 Better now that you're here. 59 00:03:14,586 --> 00:03:15,827 We'll see about that. 60 00:03:15,931 --> 00:03:17,379 [all laughing] 61 00:03:17,482 --> 00:03:18,344 Guys. 62 00:03:18,448 --> 00:03:19,344 - Paul. - Freddy. 63 00:03:20,586 --> 00:03:21,827 Paul's my dad. Beetle. 64 00:03:21,931 --> 00:03:22,793 Pleasure to meet you, Beetle. Freddy. 65 00:03:22,896 --> 00:03:24,586 - You too, Freddy. - People call you Beetle. 66 00:03:24,689 --> 00:03:26,586 Been Beetle since I was a little kid. 67 00:03:26,689 --> 00:03:29,000 You couldn't find a much more beautiful spot. 68 00:03:29,103 --> 00:03:31,793 Couldn't find much more screwed up road than I can see it fit. 69 00:03:31,896 --> 00:03:33,379 Road's a little rough, yeah. 70 00:03:34,241 --> 00:03:36,413 Yeah, we've met before years ago. 71 00:03:36,517 --> 00:03:38,068 We all looked a little younger. 72 00:03:38,172 --> 00:03:40,413 [Freddy] That's right, that's right. 73 00:03:40,517 --> 00:03:43,931 This may be the first time you're seeing our next big gold rush miner here. 74 00:03:44,034 --> 00:03:45,724 I always loved watching Gold Rush. 75 00:03:45,827 --> 00:03:48,655 And I'd seen the superfans thing for The Dirt 76 00:03:48,758 --> 00:03:51,758 and I got to do an interview with Freddy Dodge. 77 00:03:51,862 --> 00:03:54,827 I have one for Freddy. What made him help Rick? 78 00:03:54,931 --> 00:03:55,931 Rick's a friend of mine. 79 00:03:56,034 --> 00:03:58,413 I always try to help friends out when I can. 80 00:03:58,517 --> 00:04:03,034 [narrator] Now, 16-year-old PJ's dream is to become a real gold miner 81 00:04:03,137 --> 00:04:06,586 with his dad, Paul, and grandfather, Beetle. 82 00:04:06,689 --> 00:04:09,241 [PJ] I've been mining out here since I was ten, 83 00:04:09,344 --> 00:04:11,413 and it was right over there 84 00:04:11,517 --> 00:04:15,000 where I dug my first hole in an excavator. 85 00:04:15,103 --> 00:04:17,931 I put a seat belt on him. Turned the throttle down. 86 00:04:18,034 --> 00:04:20,482 Made sure he was in a spot where he couldn't do anything and move. 87 00:04:20,586 --> 00:04:22,344 Shut the door, and you know, 88 00:04:22,448 --> 00:04:23,655 let him play with it for hours. 89 00:04:23,758 --> 00:04:25,551 He just loves playing out here in the dirt. 90 00:04:26,448 --> 00:04:27,655 [narrator] For most of the year, 91 00:04:27,758 --> 00:04:31,000 PJ lives 3,000 miles away in Virginia. 92 00:04:33,448 --> 00:04:34,689 [PJ] My heart is in Alaska. 93 00:04:34,793 --> 00:04:36,000 It's where the gold is. 94 00:04:36,103 --> 00:04:37,931 I'm with my family, my dad, and my grandpa. 95 00:04:38,862 --> 00:04:40,413 We just wanted to make enough money 96 00:04:40,517 --> 00:04:43,310 to have us three generations who can work together 97 00:04:43,413 --> 00:04:44,862 would be a big dream of mine. 98 00:04:46,655 --> 00:04:48,034 To have the three of us together 99 00:04:48,137 --> 00:04:49,862 is absolutely priceless. 100 00:04:52,965 --> 00:04:54,517 Do you got some of your gold that we can see? 101 00:04:54,620 --> 00:04:57,000 I got a little bit. We ran yesterday. 102 00:04:59,655 --> 00:05:01,551 Looks like pretty pure gold, actually. 103 00:05:01,655 --> 00:05:03,310 With some bigger flakes in it. 104 00:05:03,413 --> 00:05:04,896 - You got some nuggets. - Here's the nuggets I've been 105 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:06,827 - saving over the years. - There you go. 106 00:05:06,931 --> 00:05:08,448 How long have you guys been mining out here? 107 00:05:08,551 --> 00:05:11,827 Five years. It started out as a hobby and full time now. 108 00:05:11,931 --> 00:05:13,551 It felt like that. The first few years, 109 00:05:13,655 --> 00:05:15,034 it was really slow because we never got 110 00:05:15,137 --> 00:05:17,655 - to wash rocks really. - Okay. 111 00:05:17,758 --> 00:05:20,379 [narrator] In the five years Paul has been mining here, 112 00:05:20,482 --> 00:05:23,482 the family has sunk nearly $200,000 113 00:05:23,586 --> 00:05:24,551 into the operation. 114 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:30,655 Last year returned only $36,000 in gold. 115 00:05:30,758 --> 00:05:31,862 [Juan] What's your goal for this year? 116 00:05:31,965 --> 00:05:33,862 [Paul] We need to get 100 ounces this season. 117 00:05:35,344 --> 00:05:36,931 I got seven weeks left until winter, 118 00:05:37,034 --> 00:05:39,482 but I just started washing a couple weeks ago. 119 00:05:41,724 --> 00:05:43,034 [Freddy] Gonna be quite a challenge here. 120 00:05:45,034 --> 00:05:47,965 [narrator] Only five ounces mined this season. 121 00:05:48,068 --> 00:05:52,827 The Nybergs need another 95 to keep the family dream alive 122 00:05:52,931 --> 00:05:54,517 before winter shuts them down. 123 00:05:57,551 --> 00:05:59,482 [Beetle] Weather is our biggest time constraint. 124 00:05:59,586 --> 00:06:00,586 It's a bit of a battle 125 00:06:00,689 --> 00:06:02,103 against the clock and the elements. 126 00:06:02,206 --> 00:06:05,655 The overburdens' either frozen or mud. 127 00:06:05,758 --> 00:06:07,172 It takes so long to strip it. 128 00:06:07,275 --> 00:06:09,758 The season usually ends up being weeks long for me. 129 00:06:11,482 --> 00:06:13,241 [narrator] This remote area of Alaska 130 00:06:13,344 --> 00:06:16,862 sees an average 84 inches of snowfall each winter. 131 00:06:17,724 --> 00:06:19,241 Some of the highest in the U.S. 132 00:06:20,137 --> 00:06:21,586 Once the snow is gone, 133 00:06:21,689 --> 00:06:23,448 Paul spends two months stripping. 134 00:06:23,551 --> 00:06:28,413 But snow is replaced by rain, making conditions treacherous. 135 00:06:28,517 --> 00:06:30,724 [Paul] It's tough. It's stressful. It's not without a lot 136 00:06:30,827 --> 00:06:33,482 of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. 137 00:06:33,586 --> 00:06:35,689 I gotta pay off what I spent the last two months. 138 00:06:36,551 --> 00:06:37,655 Missed wages at work. 139 00:06:37,758 --> 00:06:40,344 Price of fuel's ridiculous this year. 140 00:06:40,448 --> 00:06:42,310 Well, let's take advantage of the good weather and let's get to work. 141 00:06:42,413 --> 00:06:44,137 Forecast isn't very good, so. 142 00:06:44,241 --> 00:06:46,724 If it starts raining like it's supposed to... 143 00:06:46,827 --> 00:06:47,896 Just give it a minute. 144 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,862 [all laughing] 145 00:06:49,965 --> 00:06:51,413 - Let's run a plant. - Let's go. 146 00:07:01,965 --> 00:07:03,827 - Here's your trommel. - Here she is. 147 00:07:03,931 --> 00:07:05,344 - The Dude. - The Dude. 148 00:07:05,448 --> 00:07:07,758 The Dude. Named after great-grandpa. 149 00:07:07,862 --> 00:07:09,965 His grandpa. His great-great-grandpa. 150 00:07:10,068 --> 00:07:11,586 Well, let's fire it up, guys. 151 00:07:11,689 --> 00:07:13,206 - Wash some rocks. - Make some gold. 152 00:07:27,793 --> 00:07:29,413 [narrator] Paul pushes a pay dirt 153 00:07:29,517 --> 00:07:31,310 towards the plant in the dozer, 154 00:07:31,413 --> 00:07:35,620 where PJ scoops it up and loads it into the hopper. 155 00:07:35,724 --> 00:07:37,482 The pay washes through the trommel 156 00:07:37,586 --> 00:07:39,793 and down into the sluice box, 157 00:07:39,896 --> 00:07:41,689 lain out with Hungarian riffles. 158 00:07:45,034 --> 00:07:48,724 Then Grandpa Beetle clears the tailings. 159 00:07:48,827 --> 00:07:49,827 [Juan] It's kind of awesome, you know, 160 00:07:49,931 --> 00:07:52,344 to see a grandfather, son, and grandson 161 00:07:52,448 --> 00:07:54,793 all working together, and you know, 162 00:07:54,896 --> 00:07:56,620 they're working great together. 163 00:07:56,724 --> 00:07:58,137 I'm just hoping that Freddy and I are able 164 00:07:58,241 --> 00:07:59,344 to help these guys out because you know 165 00:07:59,448 --> 00:08:00,896 from the sounds of it, they're banking 166 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,379 this whole summer on this project. 167 00:08:03,482 --> 00:08:04,482 [PJ] We have moved 168 00:08:04,586 --> 00:08:08,310 so much overburden to get down to the good pay 169 00:08:08,413 --> 00:08:10,758 and only eight weeks ago, there was snow 170 00:08:10,862 --> 00:08:13,655 where I'm sitting right now. There was snow right here. 171 00:08:15,034 --> 00:08:17,310 What do you think, Juan? Let's go look in the sluice. 172 00:08:19,413 --> 00:08:21,482 He has nothing there for prime gold recovery at all. 173 00:08:24,620 --> 00:08:26,620 Well, we'll take a pan of the tailings here. 174 00:08:26,724 --> 00:08:27,896 See if there's any gold in it. 175 00:08:33,344 --> 00:08:35,034 Well, moment of truth, Juano. 176 00:08:38,275 --> 00:08:40,620 Couple. There's some fine pieces in there. 177 00:08:40,724 --> 00:08:43,103 - Some fine gold, yeah. - Right there. 178 00:08:43,206 --> 00:08:44,793 Gold we found was really, really fine. 179 00:08:44,896 --> 00:08:46,344 Minute gold, but it adds up. 180 00:08:48,965 --> 00:08:51,310 Gonna go up on the hill and walk south. 181 00:08:51,413 --> 00:08:52,482 What he is feeding in there 182 00:08:52,586 --> 00:08:54,517 we can kind of see into the hopper a little bit. 183 00:09:00,448 --> 00:09:02,172 [Juan] They're getting all that material brought down here 184 00:09:02,275 --> 00:09:03,655 and they're losing good pay material 185 00:09:03,758 --> 00:09:05,517 off to the side of the hopper. 186 00:09:05,620 --> 00:09:07,586 There's slop in a lot of material on the ground. 187 00:09:09,931 --> 00:09:12,620 [PJ] I would do anything to make this mine work. 188 00:09:15,068 --> 00:09:17,344 The passion I have to come out and do all this 189 00:09:17,448 --> 00:09:21,068 really hard work is getting that gold. 190 00:09:21,172 --> 00:09:26,000 That yellow powder flaky stuff that just makes my heart go... 191 00:09:26,103 --> 00:09:27,655 [chuckles] 192 00:09:31,620 --> 00:09:34,172 - [Freddy] They're sluicing in a lake. - Yeah. 193 00:09:34,275 --> 00:09:38,206 [narrator] Two hours in, Freddy spots another big problem. 194 00:09:38,310 --> 00:09:40,172 [Freddy] They got all that permafrost melting there 195 00:09:40,275 --> 00:09:41,758 and all that water coming in. 196 00:09:43,310 --> 00:09:46,241 [narrator] Permafrost is a thick, frozen layer that sits 197 00:09:46,344 --> 00:09:48,655 on top of bedrock, containing silt, 198 00:09:48,758 --> 00:09:51,517 rocks, mud, and pay gravels. 199 00:09:51,620 --> 00:09:53,068 Worthless overburden 200 00:09:53,172 --> 00:09:57,000 must be removed to expose the gold rich pay beneath. 201 00:09:57,103 --> 00:10:00,551 But as it thaws, it turns into a thick soup 202 00:10:00,655 --> 00:10:03,137 of mud and water that can cause havoc 203 00:10:03,241 --> 00:10:06,000 with equipment and gold recovery. 204 00:10:09,517 --> 00:10:10,896 Like feeding a milkshake. 205 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,172 But mostly to feed it with a straw. 206 00:10:13,275 --> 00:10:14,068 Yeah. 207 00:10:32,068 --> 00:10:35,034 [narrator] Incoming rain makes every bucket a fight. 208 00:10:35,137 --> 00:10:37,172 [Juan] They weren't lying about this weather changing quick. 209 00:10:37,275 --> 00:10:38,172 Man. 210 00:10:39,379 --> 00:10:40,344 That's not good. 211 00:10:43,413 --> 00:10:45,758 [Freddy] Yeah, he is sinking. 212 00:10:45,862 --> 00:10:48,413 I've seen sloppy permafrost before but this, 213 00:10:48,517 --> 00:10:49,482 this one takes the cake. 214 00:10:52,206 --> 00:10:53,379 Keeps the rollers clean. 215 00:10:54,551 --> 00:10:55,724 There you go. There you go. 216 00:10:55,827 --> 00:10:57,758 He's getting her. Look at that. 217 00:10:57,862 --> 00:10:58,931 You know, for a 16-year-old, 218 00:10:59,034 --> 00:11:00,482 PJ's pretty dang good on that excavator. 219 00:11:00,586 --> 00:11:01,931 I don't know a whole lot of 16-year-olds 220 00:11:02,034 --> 00:11:03,413 that can run equipment like that. 221 00:11:04,862 --> 00:11:07,482 [PJ] I don't really do video games. I hate being inside. 222 00:11:07,586 --> 00:11:08,620 I always go out 223 00:11:08,724 --> 00:11:11,448 and I would run an excavator and that was good. 224 00:11:11,551 --> 00:11:12,689 And now I'm 16, 225 00:11:12,793 --> 00:11:14,724 and I still love it just as much. 226 00:11:14,827 --> 00:11:17,275 Boys don't grow up. Their toys just get bigger. 227 00:11:20,724 --> 00:11:22,689 Hey, PJ! Last bucket! 228 00:11:24,689 --> 00:11:26,586 Well, Juan, that's officially four hours. 229 00:11:26,689 --> 00:11:28,068 Last bucket. 230 00:11:28,172 --> 00:11:29,586 [Juan] Last bucket. 231 00:11:29,689 --> 00:11:31,172 Talk about a mudhole. 232 00:11:31,275 --> 00:11:32,344 - Yeah. - Holy cow. 233 00:11:34,758 --> 00:11:38,413 [narrator] The Nybergs managed to run just 65 yards an hour 234 00:11:38,517 --> 00:11:40,655 in the boggy pay dirt. 235 00:11:40,758 --> 00:11:41,758 Whew! 236 00:11:43,931 --> 00:11:44,862 Let's see what's in the box. 237 00:11:50,413 --> 00:11:51,758 Well, it's full. 238 00:11:51,862 --> 00:11:53,275 [Freddy] While you guys finish cleaning this up, 239 00:11:53,379 --> 00:11:54,793 the three of you, we're gonna go up 240 00:11:54,896 --> 00:11:56,103 and get some numbers and stuff together 241 00:11:56,206 --> 00:11:57,620 and see what we're gonna need for material. 242 00:11:57,724 --> 00:11:59,034 - Sounds good. - All righty. 243 00:11:59,137 --> 00:12:00,172 Thank you. 244 00:12:02,517 --> 00:12:04,724 [Juan] One thing's for sure, Freddy, it's beautiful out here. 245 00:12:04,827 --> 00:12:06,931 But you know, it's not a very forgiving place at all. 246 00:12:07,034 --> 00:12:09,344 Nope, it is not forgiving at all. 247 00:12:11,137 --> 00:12:13,517 PJ is a grown young man, 248 00:12:13,620 --> 00:12:16,758 trying to make the dream of gold mining come true. 249 00:12:16,862 --> 00:12:18,724 It's not gonna be that easy in here, 250 00:12:18,827 --> 00:12:20,620 but for now, we'll keep our fingers crossed, 251 00:12:20,724 --> 00:12:23,793 hope for good weather, and fight the battle the best we can. 252 00:12:47,965 --> 00:12:51,448 [narrator] As even more rain hits the Denali mountains... 253 00:12:51,551 --> 00:12:52,689 How's it going, guys? 254 00:12:52,793 --> 00:12:54,448 Moment of truth. Time to see how much gold 255 00:12:54,551 --> 00:12:55,931 we got on that first four hour. 256 00:12:56,034 --> 00:12:57,275 - Yeah. - Yeah. 257 00:12:57,379 --> 00:12:59,793 [narrator] The results from the Nyberg's test run are in. 258 00:13:02,482 --> 00:13:04,275 Well, let's see your gold. 259 00:13:04,379 --> 00:13:05,379 Got it all dried up? 260 00:13:05,482 --> 00:13:06,827 - Yeah. - Here we go. 261 00:13:11,068 --> 00:13:12,275 There's a quarter ounce. 262 00:13:13,931 --> 00:13:14,965 ...45. 263 00:13:16,344 --> 00:13:17,310 ...48. 264 00:13:19,620 --> 00:13:20,620 ...49. 265 00:13:24,448 --> 00:13:25,482 Exactly a half an ounce. 266 00:13:25,586 --> 00:13:26,551 ...50. 267 00:13:28,689 --> 00:13:30,068 Think we need a lot more than that. 268 00:13:30,172 --> 00:13:32,620 Yeah, I was expecting a little more than that too. 269 00:13:32,724 --> 00:13:38,379 0.5 ounces over four hours is worth less than $900. 270 00:13:38,482 --> 00:13:41,827 At this rate, the Nybergs will manage barely half 271 00:13:41,931 --> 00:13:45,620 of their 100 ounce season goal before winter hits. 272 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:48,448 It's a lot of work for just half an ounce. 273 00:13:48,551 --> 00:13:50,103 - It is. - It's a drop in the bucket 274 00:13:50,206 --> 00:13:52,103 for what I got out so far 275 00:13:52,206 --> 00:13:54,689 this year in fuel and everything else. 276 00:13:55,655 --> 00:13:57,344 There's room for improvement, I'm sure. 277 00:13:57,448 --> 00:13:58,448 We're gonna be a little limited 278 00:13:58,551 --> 00:14:00,482 on the time it takes us to get in here. 279 00:14:00,586 --> 00:14:02,965 And if it keeps raining like this... 280 00:14:03,068 --> 00:14:04,758 [Juan] As far as repairs of the plant, 281 00:14:04,862 --> 00:14:05,827 we want to redo that hopper. 282 00:14:05,931 --> 00:14:07,206 Put some real grizzlies on it. 283 00:14:07,310 --> 00:14:09,241 Make it a little wider and a little longer. 284 00:14:09,344 --> 00:14:10,448 Well, we've seen all that fine gold 285 00:14:10,551 --> 00:14:11,655 - in your clean up, right? - Yep. 286 00:14:11,758 --> 00:14:13,620 Yeah, you're completely set up for coarse gold. 287 00:14:13,724 --> 00:14:15,413 So what we'd like to do is actually set up part 288 00:14:15,517 --> 00:14:18,137 of that sluice box strictly for fine gold. 289 00:14:18,241 --> 00:14:21,103 And we watched you guys pull those carpets, your lockdown system. 290 00:14:21,206 --> 00:14:22,275 - Yeah. - It's a pain in the heinie, 291 00:14:22,379 --> 00:14:23,689 - it looks like. - It is. That's just what it 292 00:14:23,793 --> 00:14:25,310 - came with and that was... - So we were thinking 293 00:14:25,413 --> 00:14:27,517 of completely redoing that all the way down. 294 00:14:27,620 --> 00:14:28,965 That's a heck of a deal. 295 00:14:31,034 --> 00:14:32,724 [narrator] Freddy and Juan have identified 296 00:14:32,827 --> 00:14:34,620 two key plant fixes. 297 00:14:35,896 --> 00:14:37,724 The hopper is too small, 298 00:14:37,827 --> 00:14:40,896 causing liquid pay dirt to spill off the sides. 299 00:14:42,448 --> 00:14:46,379 Juan will fabricate a new larger hopper to increase yardage. 300 00:14:47,586 --> 00:14:50,655 Paul's sluice box is set up for coarse gold, 301 00:14:50,758 --> 00:14:53,931 allowing fine gold to wash off the end. 302 00:14:54,034 --> 00:14:57,000 Freddy and Juan will install expanded metal, 303 00:14:57,103 --> 00:15:00,517 custom carpets, and riffles to ensure they catch both 304 00:15:00,620 --> 00:15:02,827 the coarse and fine gold. 305 00:15:05,827 --> 00:15:09,931 But the more complicated fix, finding high-yield ground 306 00:15:10,034 --> 00:15:13,586 worth the fuel it costs to strip and run. 307 00:15:13,689 --> 00:15:16,344 Yeah, you got a lot of iron running for half an ounce. 308 00:15:16,448 --> 00:15:17,758 Yeah, exactly. 309 00:15:17,862 --> 00:15:19,241 Hopefully there's better gold. 310 00:15:19,344 --> 00:15:20,862 We'll try to find it. 311 00:15:20,965 --> 00:15:21,827 Perfect. 312 00:15:21,931 --> 00:15:23,413 Now, for the money part of it. 313 00:15:23,517 --> 00:15:26,482 We were thinking in the area the material we're gonna need 314 00:15:26,586 --> 00:15:29,275 is gonna be around 3,500 bucks. 315 00:15:31,586 --> 00:15:32,965 [Juan] And that's gonna be for the material 316 00:15:33,068 --> 00:15:36,344 for the new hopper, the new riffles, everything else. 317 00:15:36,448 --> 00:15:37,620 Two years ago, it would've been... 318 00:15:37,724 --> 00:15:38,793 Half that, yeah. 319 00:15:38,896 --> 00:15:41,551 Costs are just high as the world knows right now. 320 00:15:41,655 --> 00:15:42,896 Yeah, so... 321 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:44,172 [Juan] As far as our labor goes, 322 00:15:44,275 --> 00:15:46,000 what we'd like to see at the end of the season 323 00:15:46,103 --> 00:15:47,448 is an ounce and a half a piece. 324 00:15:47,551 --> 00:15:48,965 - We'll make it work. - Three ounces, yeah. 325 00:15:49,068 --> 00:15:50,620 And then we can wait till the end of the season. 326 00:15:50,724 --> 00:15:52,620 That would really help. 327 00:15:52,724 --> 00:15:53,655 Deal. 328 00:15:53,758 --> 00:15:54,724 - Well, let's do it then. - Deal. 329 00:15:54,827 --> 00:15:55,793 - Deal. - Sounds good. 330 00:15:55,896 --> 00:15:56,827 - Deal, sir. - Thank you. Thank you. 331 00:15:56,931 --> 00:15:57,965 - Good. - Thank you, Juan. 332 00:15:58,068 --> 00:15:58,827 - Deal. - Yeah, no problem. 333 00:15:58,931 --> 00:16:00,206 - Thank you, Juan. - Sounds good. 334 00:16:00,310 --> 00:16:01,275 Let's do it. 335 00:16:01,379 --> 00:16:02,344 Hopefully figure out a way 336 00:16:02,448 --> 00:16:04,172 - to stop the rain. - Yeah. 337 00:16:04,275 --> 00:16:05,551 That's probably the most important thing. 338 00:16:05,655 --> 00:16:06,517 Yeah. 339 00:16:06,620 --> 00:16:08,103 Find where that valve is. 340 00:16:08,206 --> 00:16:09,689 Shut that thing down. 341 00:16:09,793 --> 00:16:11,103 Turn it off. 342 00:16:11,206 --> 00:16:12,586 [Paul] Winter's coming, y'all hear. 343 00:16:12,689 --> 00:16:15,241 We got a lot of dirt to move in a short amount of time. 344 00:16:15,344 --> 00:16:17,793 Hopefully they can help us get it through that 20% faster 345 00:16:17,896 --> 00:16:19,586 and with better recovery. 346 00:16:19,689 --> 00:16:21,000 In the end, it will be worth it. 347 00:16:26,896 --> 00:16:28,172 We don't have a whole lot of time 348 00:16:28,275 --> 00:16:30,103 so let's get down there and start getting all this cut out. 349 00:16:30,206 --> 00:16:33,034 [narrator] While Juan and PJ head 1,000 feet 350 00:16:33,137 --> 00:16:35,827 down the mountain to the stranded cut trailer... 351 00:16:35,931 --> 00:16:37,206 [Paul] We got the right measurements this time. 352 00:16:37,310 --> 00:16:39,724 - I think we should get it done. - I hope so. 353 00:16:39,827 --> 00:16:42,551 [narrator] Freddy and Paul kept the grips with the ground. 354 00:16:43,655 --> 00:16:46,379 I wish I had a straight face for you to look at. 355 00:16:46,482 --> 00:16:49,310 It looks like you've got 10 feet or more of overburden 356 00:16:49,413 --> 00:16:50,896 on top of your gravel here up. 357 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:55,103 Yeah. Never drains, never really dries out. 358 00:16:55,206 --> 00:16:58,448 All that overburden is really hard to deal with. 359 00:16:58,551 --> 00:17:01,034 It kind of flows like lava, 360 00:17:01,137 --> 00:17:02,310 - if you will. - Yeah. 361 00:17:02,413 --> 00:17:03,896 I've dug test holes out here. 362 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:05,413 - You see the pile. - I do. 363 00:17:05,517 --> 00:17:07,689 I dug as deep as my excavator would go. 364 00:17:07,793 --> 00:17:09,172 22 feet. 365 00:17:09,275 --> 00:17:10,137 Nothing? 366 00:17:10,241 --> 00:17:11,793 It could be under there, but it's deeper 367 00:17:11,896 --> 00:17:13,758 than I wanna go with. I got 22 feet 368 00:17:13,862 --> 00:17:16,000 - of overburden though. - Yeah. 369 00:17:16,103 --> 00:17:18,931 [narrator] If Freddy can identify better pay channels, 370 00:17:19,034 --> 00:17:22,310 he could lower Paul's overall cost of running. 371 00:17:22,413 --> 00:17:23,758 But first, 372 00:17:23,862 --> 00:17:25,655 he must figure out the landscape. 373 00:17:26,724 --> 00:17:28,379 Could've been glacier there too. 374 00:17:28,482 --> 00:17:32,034 Still, there's nice gravel deposit on top of it. 375 00:17:32,931 --> 00:17:35,482 Yeah, this area's hard to read. 376 00:17:35,586 --> 00:17:37,034 It's interesting, that's for sure. 377 00:17:37,137 --> 00:17:39,517 I've never seen something exactly like this. 378 00:17:39,620 --> 00:17:41,206 - It's a detective game. - It is. 379 00:17:41,310 --> 00:17:42,827 Well, let's get back at it. 380 00:17:42,931 --> 00:17:44,275 Yeah, let's fix the wash plant. 381 00:17:45,931 --> 00:17:49,103 [Freddy] I guess, all we can do now is 382 00:17:49,206 --> 00:17:51,379 think about it, keep looking around some more, 383 00:17:51,482 --> 00:17:53,758 and keep our fingers crossed and see what we find. 384 00:17:57,827 --> 00:18:00,137 [narrator] In the cut trailer, Juan designs 385 00:18:00,241 --> 00:18:02,379 the new large capacity hopper. 386 00:18:02,482 --> 00:18:05,103 Your hopper is just completely too small for what you're doing. 387 00:18:05,206 --> 00:18:07,034 So what we want to do is we're gonna actually make it 388 00:18:07,137 --> 00:18:08,758 a little wider and a little longer. 389 00:18:10,068 --> 00:18:11,758 So, it's gotta be exciting for you to be able to be 390 00:18:11,862 --> 00:18:13,482 out here for the summer to help your dad. 391 00:18:13,586 --> 00:18:14,896 - Grow up this way. - Right. 392 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,344 You know, out in the bush, 393 00:18:16,448 --> 00:18:18,655 working on heavy equipment, learning how to mine, 394 00:18:18,758 --> 00:18:20,172 and how to run equipment. 395 00:18:20,275 --> 00:18:22,724 It was awesome as an 11-year-old to be in an excavator. 396 00:18:22,827 --> 00:18:24,965 - Yeah, yeah. - Moving... moving mountains. 397 00:18:25,068 --> 00:18:26,482 - There it is. - Hmm-hmm. 398 00:18:29,310 --> 00:18:30,413 We got it all lined up. 399 00:18:30,517 --> 00:18:32,103 It's pretty much ready to go. 400 00:18:32,206 --> 00:18:32,965 Cool. 401 00:18:33,068 --> 00:18:34,137 We can go ahead and start cutting. 402 00:18:37,517 --> 00:18:39,000 [PJ] What actually is plasma cutting? 403 00:18:40,137 --> 00:18:41,275 It's got these electrodes in there, 404 00:18:41,379 --> 00:18:42,793 and that's to create the plasma gas 405 00:18:42,896 --> 00:18:44,793 with the electricity in the air. 406 00:18:44,896 --> 00:18:45,827 And that's what is actually used 407 00:18:45,931 --> 00:18:47,413 and it's forcing that through the steel. 408 00:18:47,517 --> 00:18:49,551 That arc is what's actually cutting. 409 00:18:49,655 --> 00:18:50,896 What can't that cut through? 410 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:52,620 Anything that doesn't conduct electricity. 411 00:18:52,724 --> 00:18:53,931 So if it doesn't conduct electricity, 412 00:18:54,034 --> 00:18:55,275 - it won't cut it. - Okay. 413 00:18:55,379 --> 00:18:56,586 So you can cut aluminum, 414 00:18:56,689 --> 00:18:57,896 you can cut copper, anything that 415 00:18:58,000 --> 00:18:59,103 - conducts electricity. - Awesome. 416 00:19:01,482 --> 00:19:03,655 You know, PJ really reminds me of me when I was his age. 417 00:19:03,758 --> 00:19:05,896 You know, that's all I wanted to do was work with my dad. 418 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:07,827 I'm just hoping that with what Freddy and I do here, 419 00:19:07,931 --> 00:19:10,344 we can help him realize his goal of being a full time miner. 420 00:19:17,379 --> 00:19:18,965 Better hurry up before it starts raining again. 421 00:19:21,413 --> 00:19:22,793 [narrator] Up at the mine, 422 00:19:22,896 --> 00:19:26,137 Freddy, Paul, and Beetle start work on the sluices. 423 00:19:26,241 --> 00:19:27,724 With this fine gold that you got, 424 00:19:27,827 --> 00:19:28,896 that really small gold. 425 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:30,931 That fine gold's 90% of your money 426 00:19:31,034 --> 00:19:35,103 so let's optimize the top end of this sluice box to catch that stuff. 427 00:19:35,206 --> 00:19:37,931 I've always been meaning to put something else in here. 428 00:19:38,034 --> 00:19:40,655 But I just never had the time or the resources to do it. 429 00:19:40,758 --> 00:19:42,827 I'll go grab some welding rod 430 00:19:42,931 --> 00:19:45,482 and the hood and we'll start welding in. 431 00:19:45,586 --> 00:19:50,103 [narrator] First, Freddy replaces Paul's clunky lockdown system 432 00:19:50,206 --> 00:19:52,586 with simple wooden wedges. 433 00:19:52,689 --> 00:19:53,758 [Freddy] Eyeballs. 434 00:20:06,275 --> 00:20:09,379 So, why is this wash plant called The Dude, Beetle? 435 00:20:09,482 --> 00:20:12,896 That passion of being a mechanic went down the bloodline. 436 00:20:13,793 --> 00:20:17,379 From me to Paul. From Paul to PJ. 437 00:20:17,482 --> 00:20:21,034 [Freddy] PJ's great-great-grandfather, Julius Thayer, 438 00:20:21,137 --> 00:20:24,172 nicknamed The Dude, was a mechanic 439 00:20:24,275 --> 00:20:26,620 and owned a gravel mine in Wisconsin. 440 00:20:26,724 --> 00:20:28,896 His motto, "We move the Earth," 441 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:33,827 inspired Beetle, Paul, and PJ to follow in his footsteps. 442 00:20:33,931 --> 00:20:35,724 [Paul] I remember my great-grandpa Dude a little bit. 443 00:20:35,827 --> 00:20:38,655 I was probably six or seven the last time I remember him. 444 00:20:38,758 --> 00:20:39,620 He'd show up to Grandma's house 445 00:20:39,724 --> 00:20:40,793 in one of his old dump trucks 446 00:20:40,896 --> 00:20:42,827 and we'd go climb on it and play on it. 447 00:20:44,172 --> 00:20:46,103 [Beetle] We are a dude train. 448 00:20:46,206 --> 00:20:48,758 Three generations of Mr. Fix-It's. 449 00:20:48,862 --> 00:20:50,896 Like Paul, there isn't anything he can't fix. 450 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:52,620 And I ain't too bad myself. 451 00:20:52,724 --> 00:20:55,827 He had all the fancy sayings, you know, like, 452 00:20:55,931 --> 00:20:57,551 "If you pull hard, it'll come easy." 453 00:20:57,655 --> 00:20:59,344 Or "Nothing harder is ever easy." 454 00:20:59,448 --> 00:21:01,413 Hmm-hmm. 455 00:21:01,517 --> 00:21:03,344 That oughta be about perfect right there. 456 00:21:03,448 --> 00:21:06,206 We're gonna put silicone on this ramp. 457 00:21:06,310 --> 00:21:09,275 [narrator] Freddy uses silicone to increase flexibility 458 00:21:09,379 --> 00:21:13,172 in the steel and prevent cracks forming in the sluice. 459 00:21:13,275 --> 00:21:16,068 [Freddy] Silicone will outlast this steel 20 to 1. 460 00:21:16,172 --> 00:21:17,965 [Paul] Boy, you learn something new everyday. 461 00:21:18,068 --> 00:21:19,000 Yeah. 462 00:21:20,827 --> 00:21:22,379 [thunder rumbling] 463 00:21:22,482 --> 00:21:23,586 What do you think, guys? 464 00:21:23,689 --> 00:21:25,241 Let's throw some carpets in here. 465 00:21:25,344 --> 00:21:26,413 We'll just shingle it up. 466 00:21:27,827 --> 00:21:29,137 - Two footer. - Yes, sir. 467 00:21:29,241 --> 00:21:31,241 We want that fine riffle to just be 468 00:21:31,344 --> 00:21:32,172 on this shorter carpet. 469 00:21:32,275 --> 00:21:34,896 I think, that being small like it is, 470 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:36,413 when you get these big loops under it, 471 00:21:36,517 --> 00:21:40,172 it's creating a finer vortex to catch that finer gold. 472 00:21:40,275 --> 00:21:41,931 Perfect. 473 00:21:42,034 --> 00:21:43,448 Looks like a whole different sluice box up there. 474 00:21:43,551 --> 00:21:44,965 - Yeah, it does. - Way different. 475 00:21:46,172 --> 00:21:47,689 Well, let's pick up all the tools 476 00:21:47,793 --> 00:21:50,103 and head down the mountain before the rain comes in on us. 477 00:22:07,586 --> 00:22:09,655 [narrator] After days of heavy rain, 478 00:22:09,758 --> 00:22:12,344 the Nyberg mine site takes another hit. 479 00:22:15,344 --> 00:22:17,655 [Paul] Middle of August here. Early middle August. 480 00:22:17,758 --> 00:22:21,241 We got snow today. 481 00:22:23,206 --> 00:22:25,137 Yeah, just gonna add that much more work 482 00:22:26,413 --> 00:22:27,758 to everything we already got going on. 483 00:22:29,827 --> 00:22:31,068 [narrator] Down at base camp... 484 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,413 They call it termination dust, 485 00:22:35,517 --> 00:22:37,793 when you get the first snow up high. 486 00:22:37,896 --> 00:22:40,482 It could be shortening our season. 487 00:22:40,586 --> 00:22:42,862 [narrator] With just two days left on the build... 488 00:22:44,620 --> 00:22:45,896 Give me a long one of these. 489 00:22:50,310 --> 00:22:51,862 - That long? - Okay, perfect. 490 00:22:51,965 --> 00:22:54,034 - Where would you like it? - Uh, right here. 491 00:22:54,137 --> 00:22:57,827 [narrator] Juan and PJ start to assemble the new large capacity hopper. 492 00:22:59,620 --> 00:23:00,689 Wanna lift that up? 493 00:23:01,793 --> 00:23:03,448 Hey Paul, you wanna run up with me 494 00:23:03,551 --> 00:23:04,586 and we'll cut that hopper off? 495 00:23:04,689 --> 00:23:06,172 - Yeah. Let's go. - If I can take it up there. 496 00:23:06,275 --> 00:23:07,482 - Yeah. - You got a little mud 497 00:23:07,586 --> 00:23:08,655 - going on here. - Yeah. 498 00:23:09,551 --> 00:23:10,724 Saving it for a rainy day. 499 00:23:13,896 --> 00:23:16,724 [narrator] To get Juan's new hopper in place today, 500 00:23:16,827 --> 00:23:19,379 Freddy must remove the old smaller hopper. 501 00:23:21,827 --> 00:23:23,379 But first, he must tackle 502 00:23:23,482 --> 00:23:26,896 a seven mile drive up the mountain. 503 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,241 I don't know how much rain and snow we got last night, 504 00:23:29,344 --> 00:23:31,724 but I'm guessing probably an inch of moisture. 505 00:23:31,827 --> 00:23:32,827 Maybe more. 506 00:23:32,931 --> 00:23:34,896 I don't know. But it's a muddy son of a gun. 507 00:23:36,448 --> 00:23:38,206 We'll fight through it the best we can. 508 00:23:39,310 --> 00:23:41,586 It's an uphill battle, but most of them are. 509 00:23:43,137 --> 00:23:44,862 [Juan] We're gonna have to be chained up all the way around 510 00:23:44,965 --> 00:23:46,793 now with that snow on the road. 511 00:23:46,896 --> 00:23:48,655 - Yup. - Okay. 512 00:23:48,758 --> 00:23:51,310 - Well, I'm gonna keep on welding. - Okay. 513 00:23:51,413 --> 00:23:52,482 Thanks, Juan-o! 514 00:23:55,172 --> 00:23:56,724 We'll see, uh, 515 00:23:56,827 --> 00:23:58,517 - if these chains hold out. - Yeah. 516 00:23:58,620 --> 00:24:03,758 The snow adds a whole another layer of snot, if you will. 517 00:24:03,862 --> 00:24:06,413 Just gets them that much more slippery and 518 00:24:06,517 --> 00:24:07,931 need that much more control, 519 00:24:08,034 --> 00:24:09,448 steering or trying to stop. 520 00:24:09,551 --> 00:24:10,931 We're just gonna try to do it once, 521 00:24:11,034 --> 00:24:12,413 do it right, and get it done. 522 00:24:14,448 --> 00:24:17,310 [narrator] As Freddy and Paul brace for the muck... 523 00:24:17,413 --> 00:24:18,379 Ready or not, here we come. 524 00:24:19,827 --> 00:24:23,137 [narrator] Juan's master class with PJ is back in session. 525 00:24:25,689 --> 00:24:26,689 Yeah, perfect. 526 00:24:26,793 --> 00:24:28,413 Here's a measuring tape for you. 527 00:24:28,517 --> 00:24:29,413 Sweet. 528 00:24:33,655 --> 00:24:36,034 - So the way we got this cut out a little bit... - Yup. 529 00:24:36,137 --> 00:24:38,241 We're gonna leave a little bit of a gap. 530 00:24:38,344 --> 00:24:39,206 That's pretty damn good. 531 00:24:40,172 --> 00:24:41,137 So what are your plans? 532 00:24:41,241 --> 00:24:42,620 You know, I know you're doing this right now. 533 00:24:42,724 --> 00:24:44,241 Well, this year I'm going to school, 534 00:24:44,344 --> 00:24:47,172 and then whenever I graduate high school, I plan on moving up here and... 535 00:24:47,275 --> 00:24:48,689 - Full-time, huh? - Trying to make a living, yeah. 536 00:24:48,793 --> 00:24:49,862 Nice. 537 00:24:51,034 --> 00:24:52,758 - See how this is lifted, right there? - Yup. 538 00:24:52,862 --> 00:24:54,137 Close that gap up. 539 00:24:57,620 --> 00:24:58,758 So now we know it's flat. 540 00:25:03,413 --> 00:25:04,931 Have you welded much? 541 00:25:05,034 --> 00:25:06,758 [PJ] No. Not with stick. 542 00:25:06,862 --> 00:25:07,896 [Juan] Wanna give it a shot? 543 00:25:09,068 --> 00:25:10,379 [PJ] I'm gonna mess it up. 544 00:25:11,758 --> 00:25:13,482 You can give it a shot. I don't care, man. 545 00:25:13,586 --> 00:25:15,793 We can grind it out. 546 00:25:15,896 --> 00:25:18,586 You want to be able to continue this as your future career, 547 00:25:18,689 --> 00:25:20,896 you know, a lot of this is gonna be real important for you to learn. 548 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,068 You know, when you're a miner, you kind of have to do it all. 549 00:25:23,172 --> 00:25:25,275 The better prepared you are, the better off you're gonna be. 550 00:25:27,172 --> 00:25:28,724 You know, it makes me a little nervous that, uh, 551 00:25:28,827 --> 00:25:31,241 PJ's a little reluctant to learn how to do some of these things. 552 00:25:31,344 --> 00:25:33,827 You know, welding's a big part of what we do as miners. 553 00:25:33,931 --> 00:25:36,758 What Freddy and I have to do is kind of help build up his confidence. 554 00:25:45,068 --> 00:25:46,827 I don't know why I'm sliding so much. 555 00:25:54,724 --> 00:25:56,068 [Paul] We're definitely spinning. 556 00:26:00,586 --> 00:26:02,724 [Freddy] I don't know what I've got myself into here, but... 557 00:26:04,482 --> 00:26:06,034 I'm in some kind of rut. 558 00:26:07,137 --> 00:26:08,000 Oh. 559 00:26:19,655 --> 00:26:20,931 Gonna destroy this truck. 560 00:26:23,620 --> 00:26:24,827 We aren't gonna make it. 561 00:26:26,931 --> 00:26:29,068 - Nope. Not today. - No. 562 00:26:34,103 --> 00:26:36,310 - Probably gonna have to ride her down, huh? - Gonna have to. 563 00:26:40,068 --> 00:26:43,551 [narrator] Unable to reach the mine, Freddy must reverse 564 00:26:43,655 --> 00:26:45,517 down a mile of sludge. 565 00:26:49,551 --> 00:26:51,000 We're sliding off, your side. 566 00:26:54,206 --> 00:26:55,896 I got the wheels cranked, too. 567 00:26:57,034 --> 00:26:58,034 Son of a bitch. 568 00:27:00,517 --> 00:27:03,206 As long as I can make the truck turn the direction I want it to... 569 00:27:03,310 --> 00:27:05,034 But it's kind of just sliding right now. 570 00:27:05,137 --> 00:27:06,413 Whoo. My God. 571 00:27:14,034 --> 00:27:15,137 You can back right in here. 572 00:27:18,413 --> 00:27:22,379 [narrator] Getting stuck now could leave Freddy's truck stranded 573 00:27:22,482 --> 00:27:23,310 for days. 574 00:27:33,482 --> 00:27:35,206 Go ahead and cut her. 575 00:27:35,310 --> 00:27:37,034 It's gonna be close. Go about two feet! 576 00:27:37,137 --> 00:27:39,965 Need that perfect 50-point turnaround. 577 00:27:41,310 --> 00:27:42,517 You're good. 578 00:27:42,620 --> 00:27:44,068 - Hop in. - Gonna jump in. 579 00:27:51,931 --> 00:27:53,758 Well, that was an epic failure. 580 00:27:56,310 --> 00:27:58,586 [PJ] Seeing this getting close to finished, I'm pretty excited. 581 00:27:58,689 --> 00:28:00,551 It's getting there. We just gotta... 582 00:28:00,655 --> 00:28:02,896 We gotta finish the backside, put the grizzlies on it, 583 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:04,862 and, uh, then we're ready to take it up top. 584 00:28:04,965 --> 00:28:06,103 [horn honking] 585 00:28:06,206 --> 00:28:07,482 Why's Freddy back already? 586 00:28:12,896 --> 00:28:14,448 I didn't make her, buddy! 587 00:28:14,551 --> 00:28:15,793 Back already, huh? 588 00:28:15,896 --> 00:28:17,689 Yeah. I got stuck multiple times, 589 00:28:17,793 --> 00:28:19,068 had to back out about a mile. 590 00:28:19,172 --> 00:28:20,413 I don't know 591 00:28:20,517 --> 00:28:22,586 if you get that hopper done if we can even get it in there. 592 00:28:24,103 --> 00:28:27,137 - Plus we got other miners to go help, so... - That's exactly right. 593 00:28:27,241 --> 00:28:30,517 [narrator] If they can't get the 1000-pound hopper up the mountain 594 00:28:30,620 --> 00:28:32,793 in the next 24 hours, 595 00:28:32,896 --> 00:28:36,241 they may have to abandon the entire rescue. 596 00:28:38,758 --> 00:28:40,862 We may not be able to install it for 'em. 597 00:28:42,241 --> 00:28:43,620 You can fight Mother Nature, 598 00:28:43,724 --> 00:28:46,862 but Mother Nature's going to win, sooner or later. 599 00:29:05,103 --> 00:29:06,827 [Freddy] Yesterday, the weather went to hell on us. 600 00:29:06,931 --> 00:29:09,206 We weren't getting trucks up there. 601 00:29:09,310 --> 00:29:11,482 [narrator] Freddy and Juan have been cut off from 602 00:29:11,586 --> 00:29:12,965 the Nyberg's wash plant 603 00:29:13,068 --> 00:29:14,448 for a whole day 604 00:29:14,551 --> 00:29:19,482 after a summer snow storm turned the access road to sludge. 605 00:29:19,586 --> 00:29:24,172 It's fine right now, but we're running out of daylight really quick on this job. 606 00:29:24,275 --> 00:29:25,724 And, uh... 607 00:29:25,827 --> 00:29:26,862 We just gotta get it done, 608 00:29:26,965 --> 00:29:29,034 no matter what we gotta do to get it done. 609 00:29:30,068 --> 00:29:31,103 [narrator] Now, 610 00:29:31,206 --> 00:29:33,586 a short weather window is their last chance 611 00:29:33,689 --> 00:29:37,551 to get the new 1000-pound hopper to the mine. 612 00:29:37,655 --> 00:29:38,793 How we gonna do this, then, Fred? 613 00:29:38,896 --> 00:29:41,241 There's no getting my truck up there. 614 00:29:41,344 --> 00:29:42,620 I hate saying that, 615 00:29:42,724 --> 00:29:44,896 but, I mean, if we can't get it in there, we can't. 616 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:46,068 - Yeah. - You know, it's the real deal. 617 00:29:46,172 --> 00:29:47,862 Well, we can't get it in, we can't get it in, 618 00:29:47,965 --> 00:29:50,241 but I don't really like that idea. I'd like to do it. 619 00:29:53,482 --> 00:29:55,068 Could go right in the back of the Ford. 620 00:29:56,965 --> 00:29:59,241 Put it in the back of the pickup. 621 00:29:59,344 --> 00:30:01,413 I could put a welder in the back of the side-by-side. 622 00:30:01,517 --> 00:30:03,172 - Hopefully we can make it up. - Yeah. 623 00:30:03,275 --> 00:30:07,000 [narrator] Paul's pickup is one-third the weight of Freddy's service truck 624 00:30:07,103 --> 00:30:10,241 and their only shot at transporting the new hopper, 625 00:30:10,344 --> 00:30:13,413 but it means leaving most of their tools behind. 626 00:30:13,517 --> 00:30:15,413 Well, let's do it. Let's load it up. 627 00:30:15,517 --> 00:30:17,827 We'll get it done in time, before the weather comes back in. 628 00:30:27,482 --> 00:30:29,137 Keep coming! Keep coming! Keep coming! 629 00:30:30,034 --> 00:30:31,758 - Watch that tailgate. - Yup. 630 00:30:33,862 --> 00:30:35,586 - Well, we're good there. - Perfect. 631 00:30:36,655 --> 00:30:38,379 Strap it down. 632 00:30:38,482 --> 00:30:40,206 That's good. She ain't going anywhere. 633 00:30:40,310 --> 00:30:41,724 Now we're down to an ATV, 634 00:30:41,827 --> 00:30:43,103 hand tools, 635 00:30:43,206 --> 00:30:44,482 and the little welders. 636 00:30:44,586 --> 00:30:47,379 What's gonna be a lot more difficult without all our tools, 637 00:30:47,482 --> 00:30:49,000 without Juan and mine's trucks up there... 638 00:30:51,275 --> 00:30:52,793 Let's get this hopper in here. 639 00:30:52,896 --> 00:30:53,862 Let's try to, anyway. 640 00:30:56,586 --> 00:30:58,241 I guess you lead the way, huh? 641 00:31:00,482 --> 00:31:02,793 [narrator] Juan takes point in the ATV. 642 00:31:07,137 --> 00:31:08,758 You guys good back there? 643 00:31:08,862 --> 00:31:11,000 [Freddy] We're not crossing the creek. We're driving in the creek. 644 00:31:18,655 --> 00:31:21,172 It's pretty muddy in through here. 645 00:31:21,275 --> 00:31:23,068 [Juan] Yeah, it's a little, uh... A little rough, Fred. 646 00:31:25,655 --> 00:31:26,931 - [crashing] - Whoa. 647 00:31:27,034 --> 00:31:28,448 Whoa. 648 00:31:28,551 --> 00:31:30,103 - [Freddy] Got a little sideways. - Yeah. 649 00:31:32,448 --> 00:31:33,827 It's a horrible road. 650 00:31:34,827 --> 00:31:36,068 When it is wet, yup. 651 00:31:45,551 --> 00:31:47,620 - Home, sweet home! - Home, sweet home! 652 00:31:48,724 --> 00:31:49,724 Made it. 653 00:31:51,724 --> 00:31:53,586 - View's pretty, though, huh? - [Paul] Beautiful. 654 00:31:59,586 --> 00:32:01,068 [narrator] Mountain conquered. 655 00:32:01,172 --> 00:32:02,689 - Let's get to work. - Do it. 656 00:32:03,827 --> 00:32:05,137 We gotta cut that off. 657 00:32:05,241 --> 00:32:06,172 The old one. 658 00:32:06,275 --> 00:32:08,310 Get ready to swing this in place. 659 00:32:08,413 --> 00:32:11,000 [narrator] The first step, remove the old hopper. 660 00:32:12,206 --> 00:32:13,413 Unfortunately, we don't have our trucks up here, 661 00:32:13,517 --> 00:32:15,137 so we don't have torches or a plasma cutter. 662 00:32:15,241 --> 00:32:16,827 So we're gonna have to cut it all out by hand, 663 00:32:16,931 --> 00:32:18,137 get the new hopper in place, 664 00:32:18,241 --> 00:32:20,172 get out of here before it snows us in again. 665 00:32:30,758 --> 00:32:32,137 Oh, man. It's double-lined. 666 00:32:36,517 --> 00:32:38,275 Oh, come on, baby. You're almost there. 667 00:32:40,724 --> 00:32:42,896 Oh, come on. Be nice to me. 668 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,344 - Is it gonna cut it? - She ain't gonna be happy, but she'll cut it. 669 00:32:50,172 --> 00:32:52,103 Saw overheated already. 670 00:32:52,206 --> 00:32:53,620 [Freddy] We're trying to do everything with a grinder, 671 00:32:53,724 --> 00:32:55,206 but we gotta get it done quick 672 00:32:55,310 --> 00:32:57,931 because the weather's coming back in. 673 00:32:58,034 --> 00:33:00,482 - Kind of sucks not having the trucks in here, Fred. - Yeah. 674 00:33:00,586 --> 00:33:01,965 If we had another day... 675 00:33:02,068 --> 00:33:03,931 - We don't have another day. - Just gotta go with what we got. 676 00:33:07,344 --> 00:33:08,448 Where do you want me to cut, Juan? 677 00:33:08,551 --> 00:33:10,448 Along this line, here. 678 00:33:10,551 --> 00:33:11,965 - That one? - Yup. 679 00:33:12,068 --> 00:33:14,827 [narrator] To beat the next weather front and save the rescue, 680 00:33:14,931 --> 00:33:18,896 young gun PJ will have to step up like never before. 681 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:20,413 [Juan] You know, the more you can learn, 682 00:33:20,517 --> 00:33:21,965 the better off you're gonna be. 683 00:33:22,068 --> 00:33:23,896 Now you gotta just get out there and learn how to do it yourself. 684 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:25,586 School of Hard Knocks, yeah? 685 00:33:30,793 --> 00:33:31,758 Careful. 686 00:33:31,862 --> 00:33:32,724 Slippery. 687 00:33:32,827 --> 00:33:34,275 Probably easier if you go like this. 688 00:33:40,275 --> 00:33:41,068 Nice. 689 00:33:45,827 --> 00:33:47,448 [Freddy] I have kind of an idea. 690 00:33:50,275 --> 00:33:53,379 - PJ, you wanna run it? - I don't care. Go ahead. 691 00:33:53,482 --> 00:33:55,586 You get in there. You run it. 692 00:33:55,689 --> 00:33:57,517 That's your baby. 693 00:33:57,620 --> 00:34:01,586 PJ's trying to make the dream of gold mining come true. 694 00:34:01,689 --> 00:34:04,827 But there's only one way for him to make that dream come true, 695 00:34:04,931 --> 00:34:06,206 and that's do it. 696 00:34:06,310 --> 00:34:07,758 You ready, PJ? 697 00:34:07,862 --> 00:34:10,206 I was born ready. 698 00:34:10,310 --> 00:34:13,034 [narrator] The School of Hard Knocks is about to get harder. 699 00:34:15,517 --> 00:34:18,310 - On your call, Juan-o. - Go ahead, Fred. She's ready to go. 700 00:34:24,724 --> 00:34:25,689 See what it does... 701 00:34:30,793 --> 00:34:33,310 - [Juan] She stroked out already? - Yeah. 702 00:34:33,413 --> 00:34:35,000 Roll your bucket up! 703 00:34:38,965 --> 00:34:39,758 Go! 704 00:34:39,862 --> 00:34:41,034 Whoa, whoa, whoa! 705 00:34:41,896 --> 00:34:42,827 Other way! 706 00:34:50,241 --> 00:34:51,793 - Got it. - [Juan] That's it. That's the end of it. 707 00:34:53,655 --> 00:34:54,758 [Freddy] It's all yours, buddy! 708 00:34:58,241 --> 00:35:00,724 That is one sexy-looking hunk of scrap iron. 709 00:35:00,827 --> 00:35:01,724 [laughing] 710 00:35:07,310 --> 00:35:08,103 Thank you. 711 00:35:08,206 --> 00:35:10,344 [PJ] Freddy and Juan are awesome. 712 00:35:10,448 --> 00:35:12,931 Uh, they're really good, down-to-earth guys. 713 00:35:13,034 --> 00:35:14,275 I'm extremely lucky 714 00:35:14,379 --> 00:35:16,931 that I got this opportunity to learn a lot of good things. 715 00:35:17,034 --> 00:35:18,275 I was proud of myself. 716 00:35:22,275 --> 00:35:23,448 [narrator] Time running out, 717 00:35:23,551 --> 00:35:26,068 the new hopper is installed. 718 00:35:26,172 --> 00:35:27,586 Am I good over there, Juan? 719 00:35:30,103 --> 00:35:32,034 You're good. Boom down! 720 00:35:32,137 --> 00:35:34,344 - Boom? - Boom down! 721 00:35:34,448 --> 00:35:36,172 Oh, just perfect. 722 00:35:38,689 --> 00:35:39,965 Looks good. 723 00:35:40,068 --> 00:35:41,344 Wasn't the most ideal situation, 724 00:35:41,448 --> 00:35:42,965 but we were able to cut the old hopper off. 725 00:35:43,068 --> 00:35:44,137 We got the new one in place. 726 00:35:44,241 --> 00:35:45,551 Now we just gotta weld it. 727 00:35:45,655 --> 00:35:47,965 It's sitting pretty good. I'm happy with the way it fits, so, uh, 728 00:35:48,068 --> 00:35:49,034 it's a win in my book. 729 00:35:56,275 --> 00:35:59,206 [Beetle] Can't wait to see how this thing ups our production. 730 00:36:00,172 --> 00:36:02,689 Time is of the essence. 731 00:36:02,793 --> 00:36:05,000 It's beautiful. Let's see how it performs, though. 732 00:36:09,551 --> 00:36:10,310 Yup. 733 00:36:10,413 --> 00:36:11,241 That will work. 734 00:36:13,379 --> 00:36:14,724 Just keep our fingers crossed 735 00:36:14,827 --> 00:36:16,620 that there's lots of gold in this next four hour run. 736 00:36:28,896 --> 00:36:30,000 Well, we've got a little extra time, guys. 737 00:36:30,103 --> 00:36:31,241 You wanna help me make that sign? 738 00:36:31,344 --> 00:36:33,172 - Yeah, let's do it. - Yes. Absolutely. 739 00:36:33,275 --> 00:36:35,310 [narrator] Fixes at the mine complete, 740 00:36:35,413 --> 00:36:39,000 there's just enough time for a personal touch. 741 00:36:39,103 --> 00:36:41,068 So we're gonna make a little sign for your trommel. 742 00:36:41,172 --> 00:36:43,103 I know you guys named it after your father. 743 00:36:43,206 --> 00:36:44,103 His grandpa. 744 00:36:44,206 --> 00:36:45,310 Your grandfather? 745 00:36:45,413 --> 00:36:46,482 My grandfather, 746 00:36:46,586 --> 00:36:48,000 Paul's great-grandfather, 747 00:36:48,103 --> 00:36:49,551 PJ's great-great-grandfather. 748 00:36:49,655 --> 00:36:50,482 Oh, okay. 749 00:36:50,586 --> 00:36:51,965 He liked to fish and play cards, 750 00:36:52,068 --> 00:36:53,068 and he cheated at both. 751 00:36:53,172 --> 00:36:54,103 [laughing] 752 00:36:54,206 --> 00:36:55,724 Let's cut it out. What do you say? 753 00:36:55,827 --> 00:36:57,000 Yeah. 754 00:37:07,517 --> 00:37:08,896 Beautiful. 755 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:10,000 I love it. 756 00:37:11,034 --> 00:37:13,448 - Thank you so much. - No problem, guys. 757 00:37:13,551 --> 00:37:14,689 "The Dude." 758 00:37:27,482 --> 00:37:30,103 There's one last thing we need to weld on and 759 00:37:30,206 --> 00:37:32,137 if I could, I'd like to borrow your welder. 760 00:37:32,241 --> 00:37:33,827 Absolutely. 761 00:37:33,931 --> 00:37:35,413 [narrator] In Alaska, 762 00:37:35,517 --> 00:37:40,068 the Nyberg's wash plant is about to officially become The Dude. 763 00:37:40,172 --> 00:37:44,241 This is to dedicate our trommel to my grandfather, 764 00:37:44,344 --> 00:37:49,206 someone who has inspired us, uh, throughout our entire lives. 765 00:37:49,310 --> 00:37:52,310 Probably the most emotional weld I'll ever do. 766 00:37:53,172 --> 00:37:54,137 - You ready boys? - Yup. 767 00:37:54,241 --> 00:37:55,310 Watch your eyes. 768 00:37:58,793 --> 00:38:00,724 Can I put a tack on there, too? 769 00:38:00,827 --> 00:38:01,896 Absolutely. 770 00:38:12,448 --> 00:38:13,379 Beautiful. 771 00:38:14,931 --> 00:38:16,275 Give her a whirl, son. 772 00:38:16,379 --> 00:38:18,517 I've never welded with those. 773 00:38:18,620 --> 00:38:21,206 You're gonna be a gold miner, you're gonna have to learn how to weld, son. 774 00:38:22,655 --> 00:38:25,724 [narrator] After five days watching from the sidelines, 775 00:38:25,827 --> 00:38:28,724 PJ is ready to take the torch. 776 00:38:28,827 --> 00:38:29,724 [PJ] How do I start? 777 00:38:29,827 --> 00:38:31,689 You watch there under your welding rod. 778 00:38:33,620 --> 00:38:34,586 Mmm-hmm. 779 00:38:34,689 --> 00:38:36,379 [Beetle] Go just like this to get it started 780 00:38:36,482 --> 00:38:38,241 And then watch her... Your arc. 781 00:38:38,344 --> 00:38:40,137 [Paul] And you'll see the sparks. Yeah, you wanna hold it 782 00:38:40,241 --> 00:38:41,620 just a little bit off of it. 783 00:38:41,724 --> 00:38:43,689 Then you wanna touch both pieces of metal. 784 00:38:48,275 --> 00:38:49,551 - See that now? - Yeah. 785 00:38:49,655 --> 00:38:51,034 Now weave it between the two. 786 00:38:52,275 --> 00:38:53,482 And then pull her off. 787 00:38:56,620 --> 00:38:58,310 - There you go. She's gonna stay up there. - You got her. 788 00:38:59,862 --> 00:39:01,862 [Beetle] It's a real honor to share this 789 00:39:01,965 --> 00:39:03,551 with my son and my grandson. 790 00:39:04,551 --> 00:39:06,310 Now Grandpa Dude is with us. 791 00:39:06,413 --> 00:39:07,344 How did it come out? 792 00:39:07,448 --> 00:39:09,000 Fantastic, you guys. 793 00:39:09,103 --> 00:39:10,620 Thank you so much for your helping 794 00:39:10,724 --> 00:39:12,344 - and making that come true. - Hey, no problem. 795 00:39:12,448 --> 00:39:15,241 That means a lot, you know? Now you got four generations. 796 00:39:15,344 --> 00:39:18,068 [PJ] My grandpa, Beetle... I could see the tear in his eyes. 797 00:39:18,172 --> 00:39:19,758 That was the perfect moment. 798 00:39:19,862 --> 00:39:21,551 Made him extremely happy. 799 00:39:23,034 --> 00:39:25,413 [Juan] I'm proud of PJ. I know he was a little nervous about welding, 800 00:39:25,517 --> 00:39:28,275 but I think he's well on his way to be a full-time gold miner. 801 00:39:28,379 --> 00:39:29,689 [Paul] Pretty proud of him. 802 00:39:29,793 --> 00:39:33,103 I see a lot of myself in him, like fixing stuff. 803 00:39:33,206 --> 00:39:34,965 I think we get it from our Grandpa Dude. 804 00:39:36,034 --> 00:39:38,172 Being stubborn, doing it my way. You know? 805 00:39:47,862 --> 00:39:50,620 [narrator] Before the final test run can start, 806 00:39:50,724 --> 00:39:53,344 Freddy has unfinished business. 807 00:39:53,448 --> 00:39:56,000 - I'm trying to figure the geology out here, right? - Yeah. 808 00:39:56,965 --> 00:39:58,310 [narrator] Helping Paul find 809 00:39:58,413 --> 00:40:01,448 gold-rich ground worth mining next season. 810 00:40:02,724 --> 00:40:04,034 There's a story here. 811 00:40:04,137 --> 00:40:05,241 We just gotta learn how to read it. 812 00:40:05,344 --> 00:40:07,862 Yeah. What language is it in? 813 00:40:07,965 --> 00:40:10,068 So you can see these flat rocks are laying flat? 814 00:40:10,172 --> 00:40:10,931 Yup. 815 00:40:11,034 --> 00:40:12,517 That means it was in water, 816 00:40:12,620 --> 00:40:13,896 'cause when they're just glaciered in, 817 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:15,862 - they're all jumbled all over, right? - Okay. 818 00:40:15,965 --> 00:40:18,172 So, that water flow was right here. 819 00:40:18,275 --> 00:40:19,517 - Headed that way? - Right here 820 00:40:19,620 --> 00:40:21,172 when this rock was placed here. 821 00:40:21,275 --> 00:40:22,862 So let's find another flat rock. 822 00:40:22,965 --> 00:40:25,206 So that front edge, same direction. 823 00:40:25,310 --> 00:40:26,965 - Every one of them? - Every one of them. Yup. 824 00:40:27,068 --> 00:40:28,620 - That's amazing. - So that water flow was right here. 825 00:40:29,793 --> 00:40:30,724 - Headed that way? - Right here. 826 00:40:32,034 --> 00:40:33,758 The direction of the rocks 827 00:40:33,862 --> 00:40:37,655 suggests a water channel once flowed through this landscape, 828 00:40:37,758 --> 00:40:39,620 concentrating gold as it went 829 00:40:39,724 --> 00:40:42,896 and leaving a gold-rich scene. 830 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:45,517 - Instead of out here guessing, you know? - Yeah. 831 00:40:45,620 --> 00:40:49,172 This is kind of leading you on a road map. 832 00:40:49,275 --> 00:40:52,931 Paul will still have to strip deep into the overburden. 833 00:40:53,034 --> 00:40:56,068 But if he can find more old water channels, 834 00:40:56,172 --> 00:41:00,172 he'll run better pay dirt and increase his profits. 835 00:41:00,275 --> 00:41:02,448 You know, I could turn something that's worth $1 a yard 836 00:41:02,551 --> 00:41:04,551 into something $50 a yard. 837 00:41:05,931 --> 00:41:08,862 [Paul] Freddy taught me about Redneck Geology 101. 838 00:41:08,965 --> 00:41:11,448 I'm gonna pay closer attention to how these rocks are laid in 839 00:41:11,551 --> 00:41:13,896 so I can follow where the channels went and 840 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:15,551 hopefully find more gold with it. 841 00:41:21,379 --> 00:41:22,862 [Freddy] Well, 842 00:41:22,965 --> 00:41:25,413 - it's quite an improvement. - Yes, it is. 843 00:41:25,517 --> 00:41:27,206 [narrator] All fixes complete, 844 00:41:27,310 --> 00:41:29,793 Freddy and Juan make a final inspection. 845 00:41:30,965 --> 00:41:33,379 Before, your sluice box was all the same. 846 00:41:33,482 --> 00:41:35,448 - You had all the same ripples all the way down. - Yeah. 847 00:41:35,551 --> 00:41:38,206 So you were concentrating strictly on nuggety gold. 848 00:41:38,310 --> 00:41:40,896 Now you're set up to be able to catch the fine gold and the nuggets. 849 00:41:42,275 --> 00:41:45,482 [narrator] Paul's old 13-foot sluice was set up to catch 850 00:41:45,586 --> 00:41:47,206 only coarse gold. 851 00:41:47,310 --> 00:41:51,413 Freddy's installed expanded metal in five different configurations 852 00:41:51,517 --> 00:41:54,241 to maximize fine gold recovery. 853 00:41:54,344 --> 00:41:56,862 You should catch most of your coarse gold right up top. 854 00:41:56,965 --> 00:42:00,034 - If we can get you another 5% more small gold... - Oh, that would be great. 855 00:42:00,137 --> 00:42:01,517 And then that hopper 856 00:42:01,620 --> 00:42:03,344 that Juan built, there... 857 00:42:03,448 --> 00:42:04,862 I mean, before, you were spilling 858 00:42:04,965 --> 00:42:07,103 probably 10% of your material on the ground. 859 00:42:08,896 --> 00:42:12,206 [narrator] The Nyberg's old 4-foot hopper could only handle 860 00:42:12,310 --> 00:42:13,793 limited material. 861 00:42:13,896 --> 00:42:16,517 Juan's larger 6-foot wide hopper 862 00:42:16,620 --> 00:42:20,965 will increase the amount of dirt going through the plant. 863 00:42:21,068 --> 00:42:23,310 [Freddy] This chute... It's gonna help you get more gold 864 00:42:23,413 --> 00:42:24,448 to where you recover it. 865 00:42:24,551 --> 00:42:25,655 What do you say? Should we run it? 866 00:42:25,758 --> 00:42:27,068 Let's wash some rocks. 867 00:42:27,172 --> 00:42:27,965 Let's make some gold! 868 00:42:28,068 --> 00:42:29,310 Forget washing rocks! 869 00:42:29,413 --> 00:42:30,310 [laughing] 870 00:42:30,413 --> 00:42:31,206 Fire up the pump! 871 00:42:38,034 --> 00:42:39,310 [Juan] First bucket ready. 872 00:42:39,413 --> 00:42:40,551 [Freddy] First bucket! 873 00:42:40,655 --> 00:42:43,000 - I'm excited, Juan-o. - [Juan] Me, too. 874 00:42:43,103 --> 00:42:45,344 [PJ] I love this new hopper that Juan built me. 875 00:42:45,448 --> 00:42:46,758 It's catching all of the big rocks 876 00:42:46,862 --> 00:42:48,137 that aren't supposed to go through there, 877 00:42:48,241 --> 00:42:49,689 and I'm not spilling any. 878 00:42:57,310 --> 00:42:58,482 Hey, PJ! 879 00:42:58,586 --> 00:42:59,482 How many buckets? 880 00:43:00,965 --> 00:43:03,448 One-hundred twenty five buckets in 45 minutes. 881 00:43:04,448 --> 00:43:06,241 One-hundred six yards an hour. 882 00:43:07,103 --> 00:43:08,000 That's awesome. 883 00:43:09,344 --> 00:43:10,517 [narrator] In the first test, 884 00:43:10,620 --> 00:43:15,448 the Nybergs ran 65 yards of pay dirt an hour. 885 00:43:15,551 --> 00:43:20,551 The new hopper allows PJ to feed an extra 41 yards through the plant, 886 00:43:20,655 --> 00:43:23,689 an increase of 63%. 887 00:43:26,448 --> 00:43:30,103 Getting as much pay dirt in the quickest time possible. 888 00:43:30,206 --> 00:43:32,241 Well, what do you think, Juan? Let's go look in the sluice! 889 00:43:35,172 --> 00:43:36,103 Looks good, Fred. 890 00:43:37,275 --> 00:43:39,689 - How does it feel? - Feels good. 891 00:43:39,793 --> 00:43:40,896 It's moving pretty good. 892 00:43:42,275 --> 00:43:44,931 Hey, you have father, son, grandson here. 893 00:43:45,034 --> 00:43:50,241 And his great-great-grandpa, The Dude, washing rocks for us. 894 00:43:50,344 --> 00:43:52,931 I can't put into words how I feel right now. 895 00:43:53,034 --> 00:43:54,517 It's a dream come true. 896 00:43:54,620 --> 00:43:55,620 Rewarding. 897 00:43:55,724 --> 00:43:56,793 Loving every minute of it. 898 00:43:56,896 --> 00:43:58,551 Wouldn't rather be in any other place. 899 00:44:01,517 --> 00:44:02,448 Last bucket! 900 00:44:11,275 --> 00:44:12,551 [PJ] We're running a lot more material. 901 00:44:12,655 --> 00:44:16,965 Last time, I only had, uh, 350 buckets for the first test. 902 00:44:17,068 --> 00:44:19,655 And the second test, I had 515. 903 00:44:19,758 --> 00:44:20,620 So... 904 00:44:20,724 --> 00:44:23,000 You do the math. 905 00:44:23,103 --> 00:44:26,448 I know the bucket count's up. Tailing pile's bigger. 906 00:44:26,551 --> 00:44:28,310 Let's see if there's more gold in the box. 907 00:44:28,413 --> 00:44:31,206 - See any gold, Juan-o? - Well, I see some up top, there, Fred. 908 00:44:31,310 --> 00:44:33,827 Oh, yeah. There's gold here, here. 909 00:44:33,931 --> 00:44:35,758 - Seeing something here. - Yeah. All in here. 910 00:44:35,862 --> 00:44:37,551 [Freddy] I wouldn't mind doing a pan right here 911 00:44:37,655 --> 00:44:39,482 to show you how those carpets work real quick, 912 00:44:39,586 --> 00:44:42,000 and see what we're catching for fine gold in there. 913 00:44:44,655 --> 00:44:47,344 Okay, now we're gonna take a gold pan-size area 914 00:44:47,448 --> 00:44:48,758 and throw it on there. 915 00:44:50,758 --> 00:44:52,103 Let's see, huh? 916 00:44:52,206 --> 00:44:53,103 Look at that. 917 00:44:54,068 --> 00:44:55,310 Oh, wow. 918 00:44:55,413 --> 00:44:57,793 - Holy cow... - And that was only a pan-sized piece of that. 919 00:44:57,896 --> 00:44:58,896 - Yeah. - Wow. 920 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:01,034 [PJ] That was all in this, that one little... 921 00:45:01,137 --> 00:45:02,931 Do you think that's how much we were losing? 922 00:45:03,034 --> 00:45:04,448 Well, you were losing some of that. 923 00:45:04,551 --> 00:45:07,655 But that's why we set those ripples up the way we did. 924 00:45:07,758 --> 00:45:09,275 It's to catch more of that. 925 00:45:09,379 --> 00:45:11,551 The majority of their gold's that, 926 00:45:11,655 --> 00:45:13,068 - not big nuggets, right? - Yup, yup. 927 00:45:13,172 --> 00:45:14,586 That's why you guys are the masters. 928 00:45:14,689 --> 00:45:17,137 [Freddy] We're something, anyway. 929 00:45:17,241 --> 00:45:19,000 Well, let's finish pulling that box, huh? 930 00:45:19,103 --> 00:45:20,586 We just got the second test done 931 00:45:20,689 --> 00:45:22,862 and, uh, honestly, it was a great run. 932 00:45:22,965 --> 00:45:24,793 The sluice box that Freddy reconfigured... 933 00:45:24,896 --> 00:45:26,413 It was set up perfectly, 934 00:45:26,517 --> 00:45:28,413 so we're pretty excited about the cleanup. 935 00:45:28,517 --> 00:45:31,620 Hopefully, it's gonna be good for these guys. You know, really, 936 00:45:31,724 --> 00:45:33,137 they're trying to make a career of this 937 00:45:33,241 --> 00:45:34,931 and, uh, they need all of the gold they can get. 938 00:45:49,068 --> 00:45:49,862 Over there. 939 00:45:49,965 --> 00:45:51,551 Oh, look who's here. 940 00:45:51,655 --> 00:45:53,000 How does it look? 941 00:45:53,103 --> 00:45:54,448 Looks better. 942 00:45:54,551 --> 00:45:55,965 But, uh, 943 00:45:56,068 --> 00:45:57,413 the scale will tell us the truth. 944 00:45:57,517 --> 00:46:01,724 Well, let's weigh it out. It's a half ounce last time. 945 00:46:01,827 --> 00:46:06,068 [narrator] To hit their 100 ounce goal before winter shuts them down, 946 00:46:06,172 --> 00:46:09,965 this gold weigh needs to deliver at least an ounce of gold. 947 00:46:12,172 --> 00:46:14,000 - There's a lot of fine gold in it. - Yeah, there is. 948 00:46:15,379 --> 00:46:16,724 - There you go. - 0.65. 949 00:46:18,379 --> 00:46:20,206 Point... Three-quarters of an ounce. 950 00:46:22,103 --> 00:46:23,206 There you go. 951 00:46:23,310 --> 00:46:25,275 - 1.07. - 07. 952 00:46:26,241 --> 00:46:28,413 [narrator] 1.07 ounces, 953 00:46:28,517 --> 00:46:31,000 worth roughly $1800, 954 00:46:31,103 --> 00:46:34,586 a 100% increase on the first test. 955 00:46:34,689 --> 00:46:36,620 - That's great. That's great. - It's not bad. 956 00:46:36,724 --> 00:46:38,068 It doubled your recovery. 957 00:46:38,172 --> 00:46:40,827 Same amount of work, double the gold. 958 00:46:40,931 --> 00:46:44,793 [narrator] Giving them a fighting chance at success. 959 00:46:44,896 --> 00:46:46,413 [Juan] You know, I can see how you guys have 960 00:46:46,517 --> 00:46:47,724 a really short season out here. 961 00:46:47,827 --> 00:46:50,172 So now, it's not time to play around. It's game time. 962 00:46:50,275 --> 00:46:51,862 - No, yeah, we gotta wash as much as we can - Yeah. 963 00:46:51,965 --> 00:46:53,172 as fast as we can. 964 00:46:53,275 --> 00:46:55,068 It's gonna be a short fall with the snow here. 965 00:46:55,172 --> 00:46:56,724 Nothing hard is ever easy. 966 00:46:56,827 --> 00:46:58,000 Well, guys, 967 00:46:58,103 --> 00:47:00,724 we gotta hit the road, so here's your gold. 968 00:47:00,827 --> 00:47:01,965 It was a pleasure working with everyone. 969 00:47:02,068 --> 00:47:03,000 - Thank you, Juan. - Thank you. 970 00:47:03,103 --> 00:47:04,275 - Absolute pleasure. - Thank you, Freddy. 971 00:47:04,379 --> 00:47:05,655 Thank you, Juan. 972 00:47:05,758 --> 00:47:07,793 - Good working with you, sir. Likewise. - Juan, it was a pleasure. 973 00:47:07,896 --> 00:47:08,965 [Beetle] Safe journeys. 974 00:47:09,068 --> 00:47:10,206 [Juan] I'm proud of PJ, 975 00:47:10,310 --> 00:47:12,758 what he was able to accomplish while we were here. 976 00:47:12,862 --> 00:47:15,137 [Freddy] PJ... He's got a bit of gold fever. 977 00:47:15,241 --> 00:47:17,137 I did, as well, at his age. 978 00:47:17,241 --> 00:47:18,965 And he's a hard worker, right? 979 00:47:19,068 --> 00:47:22,068 It's his dream to be a full-time gold miner, 980 00:47:22,172 --> 00:47:25,206 so hopefully the fixes that Juan and myself have done 981 00:47:25,310 --> 00:47:27,724 will help him achieve that goal. 982 00:47:27,827 --> 00:47:29,310 It's kind of cool having 983 00:47:29,413 --> 00:47:32,172 three generations on top of a mountain, mining gold. And they love it. 984 00:47:32,275 --> 00:47:33,413 Well, Juan-o... 985 00:47:33,517 --> 00:47:35,172 - Off to the next one, huh? - Yup. 986 00:47:37,931 --> 00:47:40,379 My plan is to be out here for many years 987 00:47:40,482 --> 00:47:43,448 and then, uh, eventually turn it over to PJ and say, 988 00:47:43,551 --> 00:47:45,103 "Here you go, kid." 989 00:47:45,206 --> 00:47:49,034 I can sit in my rocking chair in the cabin and maybe play with the grandkids. 990 00:47:49,137 --> 00:47:51,689 [PJ] My heart is out here in the mountains. 991 00:47:51,793 --> 00:47:52,896 I can gold mine. 992 00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:54,413 I can work on the heavy equipment. 993 00:47:54,517 --> 00:47:55,689 It made me who I am. 994 00:47:55,793 --> 00:47:57,448 I wouldn't choose another life. 995 00:47:58,655 --> 00:47:59,620 Thank you, Juan. 996 00:47:59,724 --> 00:48:01,000 Thank you, Freddy.