‘Gold Rush’ Exclusive: Ness Crew Breakfast Wins And Keno Pay Losses
Discovery’s Gold Rush tonight opens with the most mouth-watering American and Canadian breakfast with sausage, eggs, bacon, and biscuits. But the hearty meal ends with some worries for Team Ness.
In the hills above Keno City, population 20, Ness and his small crew are preparing to turn his season around.
Despite the biscuits and gravy, french toast, bacon, and sausage feast, Ness is concerned. After sinking over one million dollars into his operation, Rick Ness is pressured to stay on the gold.
What happens for Team Ness
Dead ends and clay dirt are vexing the crew. In TV Shows Ace exclusive clip below, Ness says: “Man, we’re in trouble. Last week we went in the frozen cut, but it was a bust. All we found was clay, and I’m nearly out of pay.”
He adds: “The creek cut extension here. I really can’t afford to shut this wash plant down.”
The ground in Keno is patchy and hard to read. As a result, Rick’s new operator Brennan Ruault is struggling to follow the pay.
He says: “A lot of variables in this ground. I just some of this pay I’ve been digging lately over here doesn’t seem that sweet looking. So we hit a really deep clay mud hole, and Rick told me last year when they found some really good gold was that really red-stained rock. But now, I haven’t seen any of that red gravel. It’s all dark gray.”
Ruault checks the box. “That doesn’t look good. It doesn’t look very good at all.”
The cleanup reveals nothing but tailings. Ruault must consult with Rick to make a pivot, as the pan reveals loads of sand. One speck of gold in a pan is not good.
Ness now must find a place within his claim to start working, which means moving big equipment and dealing with permafrost. The Creek Cut pay strip may be on the other side of the valley, and to get there, it will burn up all the calories they all consumed at breakfast.
The initial tests show no frost, and Ruault has really taken it upon himself to be a problem solver for Ness as the test pan is a winner. The strip they head to is “shaped like a piece of bacon,” as the morning’s breakfast made an impression on Ruault.
If Ness wants to beat Schnabel, he has to keep thinking past his immediate problems, and with help from Ruault and the others, he may ace this season’s gold haul.
Other Gold Rush crews
Fred Lewis has had a rough start, but now he is testing bedrock. He is optimistic and initial tests prove his hard work is paying off.
The issue is the washplant he needs is 130 miles away from where he is planning to dig. But Lewis is unstoppable, and the all-veteran crew is given the good news. Their last season was a disaster, so any win for Lewis’ crew is good news.
The wash plant is a three-hour trip with hills. In addition, some mechanical issues need to be addressed, and all that cost has to be absorbed by Lewis.
Tune in to see how Schnabel and Beets are faring, too, as the race to get the gold is early in the season:
Gold Rush airs Friday at 8 PM ET/PT on Discovery.
