Gold Rush (TV series)

Gold rush in Alaska ( Original title: Gold Rush Alaska) is an American docu-soap the transmitter Discovery Channel, which is broadcast in Germany on DMAX.

Action Season 1

The airport operator Todd Hoffman and his father Jack Hoffman of Sandy, Oregon are close to bankruptcy. When he and his father see that the gold price rockets rapidly in height, they decide to dig in southeastern Alaska for gold, and lease of Todd's familiar Earl a 65 acre claim ( real estate) in Porcupine Creek, which is assumed to gold contains a value of about 15 million U.S. dollars. This has already been mined during the gold rush of 1898, at Porcupine Creek was even a gold digger village, but has since expired. He sold all nonessential things in order to buy the needed 180 tonnes of gold mining equipment and ship it to Alaska. Todd hires unemployed to ( Jimmy Dorsey, a real estate agent, James Harness, a mechanic, Greg Remsburg, a construction worker, Jim Thurber, a metal worker, and Chris Doumitt, a carpenter ), which has also hit hard the recession. All of us must work the first time at their own risk, without salary, to be later in the profits. The landlord Earl Foster are at 20% of yield. But already on the way to Alaska, there are problems. So they miss almost the cargo ship, have trouble with flat tires and struggling with ailing bridges.

Finally, they reach their claim, level the ground for a camp and build a water and electricity supply and accommodation, where they will live for the duration of their search for gold. Todd, the leader of the team, and his father Jack, who has been mined in the 1980s for three years in Alaska gold, can not agree on a strategy for the gold mining itself. Todd wants to get at gold deposits deep in up to 7 meters, could store old river courses. Jack, however, wants to the so-called Gloryhole - underground waterfall sediment deposits, which he suspected in 30 meters depth. Todd gets grantor and former Goldschürferkollegen his father a tip that he should look near the camp after one of these glory holes in 30 meters depth. Your neighbor, the owner of the neighboring Big Nugget Mine, John Schnabel, who digs at Porcupine Creek for 25 years, she warns, however, against accepting advice from Earl, since it refers to the claim by Earl has already seen two men go bankrupt. After a month, the women and children of the budding gold miners are flown. Finally, it gradually goes to the gold panning, but more on that first need to gold-bearing soil identified, built the equipment and the heavy equipment are reviewed for suitability function. To this end, more and more black and grizzly bears coming into camp, which instil a great terror to the families. The group must be the short spring and summer in Alaska as short as possible to take advantage, because each day they do not work, the team loses about $ 1,000 in operating and living expenses. All gold miners and their families are involved at their own risk in the undertaking, and the savings are quickly depleted. Despite all efforts, they fail in the first few weeks, sufficient amounts (ounces ) to promote gold. A serious illness of mechanic James Harness and the ailing health of the daughter of Todd Hoffmann make them to create, and the used equipment breaks down constantly. Now the nerves are on edge, and it comes to Reiberen and existential fears. After a heated argument, which ends in fisticuffs, the team of Jimmy Dorsey separates. Then finally comes the awaited gold, and you can breathe a sigh of relief. The owner of the claims, Earl Foster, but has strong doubts about whether the Hoffmann team will promote enough gold and equips the mine at Porcupine Creek a visit. Following intense discussions, the Hoffmans have to accept, take a friend of Foster, the experienced miners " Dakota " Fred Hurt as a consultant to the team. The Hoffman team, especially Todd and his father Jack, but have reservations Fred, because this behaves more as a team leader and not a team player. It constantly comes to battle, how to best approach depends on the gold. However, Todd and Jack must realize that Fred has far more experience in this field, and grudgingly accept the advice of Fred. The initial reluctance of the parties develops into open rivalry.

Action Season 2

Over the winter, Todd Hoffman and his father Jack have considered other claims in northern Alaska. You 've also had a second claim in the eye, but could not obtain water concession and must eventually empty-handed again. In the meantime, in the vicinity of Porcupine Creek the 17 -year-old Parker Schnabel from his grandfather, John Schnabel, took over operation of the Big Nugget Mine. John Schnabel digs here for 25 years after gold, but is now 91 years old and worked from now on only as a consultant for his grandson. Parker, who is still at school, will work in the summer holidays in the mine.

With the onset of spring begin Todd Hoffman and his team again to work on the Porcupine Creek and even manage to wash within days material and to win the first quantities of gold from the ground. Surprisingly, all the machines work without any major problems, although it was missed last season to make it winterized. The Hoffmans have even can acquire a stronger water pump, 3x more water than promotes their old machine. Earl Foster has now received a visit from " Dakota " Fred Hurt. Fred wants to Porcupine Creek lease and dig with his own team there. Since the claim is leased to the Hoffmans, that would be virtually impossible - Todd Hoffman but missed a lease payment over the winter and this has the consequence that the lease is no longer valid. Earl and Fred seal the deal and Fred takes him to Alaska to announce the Hoffmans the news. The Hoffman team is shocked by the news, and it is possible only with great difficulty, to prevent any violent incident between team members and Fred. However, it is clear that Fred is in the right, and the Hoffmans ask Fred to give them two days to evacuate the claims and to stay away until then Porcupine Creek. Fred agrees, and Todd even manages to sell the existing equipment for $ 80,000 to Fred. Todd has now determined to find a new claim, but since the mining season has already begun, this is an almost impossible task. Fred appeared surprisingly again at Porcupine in order to monitor the activities of Hoffman's because he does not trust them on the road. When the Hoffmans are deducted, he explains his intentions abrasions and wants to organize the terrain again. Because his team has not yet arrived, it remains only the filling up of excavated by Jack Hoffman water basin and the construction of a new road over the claim.

Todd Hoffman phoned now in that area in which they were traveling in winter, every claim owner and tries to find a mining base, which is not leased. He actually lucky and will take place on Quartz Creek, in the Klondike region of the Yukon in Canada, a non- leased claim. When first viewing the Hoffmans are not very impressed, the whole claim is namely large areas of overburden. The owner of Claims explained to them that a dredger between 1938 - and 1958 large parts of the claim has been processed and has thereby promoted by today's price of gold worth 1 billion U.S. dollars. The Hoffmans but also see untouched parts of the claim and the owner assured them that there was never mined, so Todd decides to sign the lease.

Meanwhile, the team of Fred Hurt has arrived at Porcupine: his son Dustin helps him in the mine in the works. The "Team Dakota " has invested a lot of money in a new, professional gold wash, the system of Hoffman breaks away, and sold leftover pieces of it in a later episode. Team Hoffman has now arrived at Quartz Creek, but must fix a new gold wash, as this was bought used and for years was no longer in use. The days have been going on and the team is getting impatient. The plant will be provisionally repaired, but a real stress test is pending. The mechanic of Hoffman, James Harness, feared serious damage in transit over a mountain pass. Since only a transport company in the area can carry the heavy plant, Todd can transport the system without verification. Arriving at the claim that Hoffman troupe begins blindly with the job and clears one, according to Todd, unspoilt area - it turns out in a later episode that the deforested area is already exploited, and the Hoffmans have nothing worked one week. Again, they are fighting against time, because the diesel engine, which has been made for grubbing could be missing in later episode. After this disappointment, the waves go high, and Todd Hoffman goes to the legendary gold prospector Tony Beets who leads a multi - million dollar test pit in Alaska, and asks for advice. Tony advises Todd to make sure drilling before he gets down to the ditch. Todd's father, Jack faces the whole very skeptical. The team decides in spite of the lack of funds to be carried out 12 holes with a cost of $ 3000. In fact, gold -bearing rock is on the claim, and the work can begin.

After various delays such as not enough water to wash the stones, clogging pumps and damage to the bulldozer, it is possible to promote more and more gold. The Hoffmans set a goal of 100 ounces of gold to take profits home can. At 70 ounces, they reach their break-even point, and short-term one is full of hope, to be able to actually reach 100 ounces. However, by the beginning of winter and error by Todd they only reach 93/5 ounces, that means $ 8,000 profit for everyone involved.

In the credits of the season, we learn that the team from her mechanic James Harness has disconnected because he is accused of a lack of motivation. The whole team is very disappointed not to have reached the mark of 100 ounces of self-imposed. Todd Hoffman intends to attract an investor in the third year of their company, and over 1000 ounces ( 31.1 kg ) to mine gold.

Between Season 2 and 3

After their second season in Alaska Search Todd Hoffman and his team in the jungles of Guyana to a year-round bewirtschaftbaren claim. They have arrived in the jungle find that their promised slogan is already taken and is farmed. They manage to get a new claim deep in the jungle. However, this location near the river Mazaruni claim seems to be unreachable when several attempts. Land fails the crew to insurmountable watercourses and water over the Mazaruni they do not come through the rapids. When they finally reach the claim, they immediately begin test excavations, however, have found that the soil does not contain enough gold to make the mining in this difficult area economically.

Action Season 3

The third season ran on American television on 26 October 2012. Todd Hoffman has doubled its crew and its equipment and now wants to dig on two claims to its target of 1,000 ounces to reach gold. Next to the old Quartz Creek claim he has leased additional claims on the Indian River. However, the new sluice boxes can not be delivered on time. Dave Turin leads the second team of the Hoffmans. Drilling on the new claim are promising, but the owner tells them that they have drilled on the wrong claim and shows them their actual claim. Drilling result here, however, that the gold is too low to make it economical to promote. After negotiations with the owner you can change their contract and dig on the promising claim. Dave gets a new car wash, one of the largest in the entire Klondike. Meanwhile, Todd discovers that his old car wash, Little Blue ' a large part of the gold does not catch, but flushes out into the settling basins. Marriage even more gold is lost, he rips off the system.

Parker Schnabel sets a new crew and builds around 30 years old gold wash. He wants to reach 300 ounces of gold this season by a tripling of per hour washable in the plant material. From Earl Foster he leased an additional claim, since he no longer has place in the Big Nugget mine to degrade. In the first week alone, he creates 25 ounces. However, he does not know if he can trust his men, because apparently two Sickertröge with a total of one ounce of gold missing.

Dakota Fred can not dig in the former Glory Hole of Hoffman meanwhile. Due to huge amounts of snow threatens to flood the area. Therefore, he is exploring further up the hill to the Glory Hole and enlarged to its team with two new members and its fleet by a large wheel loaders. However, the old wash plant was damaged by the winter and must be repaired. When Fred learns that one of his new men must take medication, with which it may operate machinery, he immediately separates from him.

Dave Turin has to hurry, so that the permafrost thaws not because they could no longer degrade the resulting mud with their bulldozers. However, since a bulldozer he breaks down what the team forced to work through the remaining Bulldozer day and night. After the first clean-out of the washer only to discover that the soil contained hardly any gold. You decide to remove more soil and again to try it in greater depth. Meanwhile, Todd's new car wash is still not finished and can not be delivered. He goes to engineer the system and helping to build. During his absence, their main investor visited the mine and strikes chaotic states. Without washer no gold is mined. He sets the Hoffmans an ultimatum 3 weeks to find 100 ounces of gold. Finally, the new washing drum arrives and can be established. Team Turin second clean-out is a complete success. Parker Schnabel is in financial trouble. In order to get money in the short term, it assumes an order for renewal of bridge over the Porcupine Creek. This leads to conflict between him and Dakota Fred, because so for the duration of construction for Fred mine would be no access to the outside world. According to the contract but must Parker Disconnect up to 7 days. You agree that Parker realizes a Behelfszugang that may be happening at least on foot. During this time, breaks the suspension of the guide wheel on the chain drive at Fred excavator. From old metal residues, it is possible to weld him a functioning spare part. After the bridge Parker wants to dig the large gold again. He sets his team a limit of 50 ounces for this week to build with the money, a new access road to a gold-rich territory on the claim that he had discovered at the end of last season, whose driveway was destroyed by the winter.

Meanwhile, the ordered for Todd's team car wash has arrived and set up. After a few hours of operation, it turns out that the motor for driving the washing drum is too weak. The conversion, which had to follow it, the operation was delayed again by a week and the promising material could only with more than eight weeks late to be processed. After the first big Cleanout However, it turned out that seals were frayed in the wash and most of the gold was lost. The turned out to be a flop washer repair, would have again taken several weeks to complete. Todd sees as the only way, only the closure of the Quartz Creek claim and joins forces with Dave's team to dig together at Indian River can. Together, they handle more material than ever, so that the mining grounds are exhausted quickly. Although the team opens up several new mining sites, they choose to process the on disused Quartz Creek claim left behind material which must be reconciled with dump trucks to the washing plant at Indian River 6 km away. The most promising vein of gold on a slope, the team discovered much too late to exploit them before winter can. With a huge fire, they managed to thaw the frozen ground by more than 80 ounces rauszuholen from him before winter marked the end of the season final.

At the end of the season, the Hoffmans promote 803 ounces of gold, which are worth $ 1,280,000 at the time and so missed their target of 1,000 ounces. Parker Schnabel generated 192 ounces, which has its running costs just met so and Dakota Fred built from 163 ounces of gold, exceeding its expected 160 ounces so scarce.

Self-description

The Wild West was yesterday, but the gold fever is back. With a firm goal in mind, take six men in the Alaskan wilderness their fate into their own hands: on a secluded claim near the Canadian border they want to pan for gold.

Locations

• Big Nugget Mine ( " Emerson trench " at the confluence of the Porcupine Creek and Smith Creek / Smith Creek Hill ) Season 2 -

• Dawson ( Yukon ) Area Quartz Creek Mine ( outside of Dawson City, on Quartz Creek, near the mouth of the Creek Toronto ) Season 2 -
• Indian River Mine (approx. 2, 6 km from the Quartz Creek mine away ) season 3

Criticism

Official bodies in Alaska, the fear is to hear that because of the show and the alleged successes of prospectors a new " Gold Rush" could in Alaska due to the economic situation in the United States. Confirm the charge by the Discovery Channel that off- camera somebody officially monitors the activities of the Hoffmans, and these have been kept to all requirements and regulations of the State of Alaska with a few exceptions.

Jimmy Dorsey, a former member of the Hoffman team, said in an interview that the show is scripted and therefore is a pseudo - documentary. Todd Hoffman said in a statement that the allegations of Dorsey are wrong. James Harness also referred to the series as a pseudo - documentary and confirmed that she was partially scripted. In an interview with oregongold.net he said that the episodes are quite different from what he has heard the events in reality. ( "It truly is not the way I remember it, and it Distorts my memories ... I get mad, Because it 's different from what I remember. " )

Broadcast in Germany

The second season began in February 2012, and the third season on December 14, 2012 DMAX.