# Gold Rush Alaska...Who's watching?



## michaelhunt (Oct 24, 2011)

1st season was awesome!
2nd season of Gold Rush Alaska started tonight and after watching it I know one thing for sure.....Dakota Fred would never be heard from again. He would be at the bottom of some 60' deep glory hole.


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## MuskieManOhio (Jun 29, 2008)

Watching it right now, ya he has no business being their!


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## billk (Feb 2, 2008)

Hoffmanns got shafted. Did all the work, found the color, and Dakota showed his true colors.


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## JSykes3 (Oct 14, 2010)

Missed it. I watched all of last season and loved it. Can someone give a summary of what happened? Thanks.


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## michaelhunt (Oct 24, 2011)

Dakota Fred bought the claim from the guy the Hoffmans were leasing from and took over the mining after all their hard work last season. They got booted out and are now searching for a new claim to work. Ole Fred will get his I hope!


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

mikehunt said:


> 1st season was awesome!
> 2nd season of Gold Rush Alaska started tonight and after watching it I know one thing for sure.....Dakota Fred would never be heard from again. He would be at the bottom of some 60' deep glory hole.



Glory hole?! I thought those were in the walls of mens Rr's.:C


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## Burks (Jun 22, 2011)

billk said:


> Hoffmanns got shafted. Did all the work, found the color, and Dakota showed his true colors.


Don't forget the Hoffmans missed a payment. Tough luck. Todd and his dad show they have little business savvy and a few fries short of a happy meal. When your livelihood depends on a payment......don't miss the damn payment.

I love hearing all this "teamwork" they keep talking about, but the cameras always seem to miss it.


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

"Gold fever' tends to bring out the worst in some persons. The comment of "When your livelyhood DEPENDS on making a PAYMENT, MAKE THE PAYMENT !!!" is unfortuneately VERY true...especially when that business is on the verge of a potentially HEAVY pay out..."legal"? Yeah..."moral?" Guess that depends on the "character" of who you`re asking...


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

well i feel bad for them boys working there ass of all last year and then it starts to pan out and this claim jumper says how hes been friends with the owner for years why dident he work the claim years ago, what he did is very low and i wouild have filled that dame hole in and ran over the homes they built there after i cashed the check he gave them,and realy liked the part were he said he was not scared of them but his ass stayed in the dame locked cabin,i wouild of had words with the owner too not cheep to drive all the way there, i will watch next friday but it probley going to look a bit like some of are lives were we do the hard work and the ceo,s steel and break the bank,but on the other hand the guy from the rock cory is no dummy im betting there is going to be some think up his sleve hes the only one not broke and has some good skills and im sure hes got rich friends so heres to fred hope they find ya dead and made into bear shi,.markfish


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## Jim Barger Sr (Sep 6, 2004)

You can view it on line at discovery.com


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

Burks said:


> Don't forget the Hoffmans missed a payment. Tough luck. Todd and his dad show they have little business savvy and a few fries short of a happy meal. When your livelihood depends on a payment......don't miss the damn payment.
> 
> I love hearing all this "teamwork" they keep talking about, but the cameras always seem to miss it.




this!!!!!!!!!!!

those idiots dont have a clue about what they are doing. last season, fred tried to help them and all they wanted to do is fight him and resist taking his advice. why? because they know it all. that old man seems like one of the dumbest people on earth. lets also not forget that TODD dragged those people up there without having even talked to the claim owner fully knowing that Fred was going to be talking to him and had talked to him. complete morons.

if they would have just WORKED as a team last season with this guy and treated him with some respect, he prob wouldnt have done what he done. one of those cases, what comes around goes around.


as it stands, the only thing i ever saw on tv that was as close to these morons was the two idiots that were diving for logs underwater. 

if you dont know what you are doing, how about not pretending like you do and trying to start fistfights with people that do when they are trying to help you. 

in the end, i reckon they wouldnt have a show not for all this non-sense.


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## greendragon (Sep 20, 2007)

I never miss a show and at times I have felt bad for those guys. Dakota Fred is a no good claim jumper. Back in the day someone would have shot him. Good luck to them and enjoy the show u guys.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

These idiots couldn't find gold in Fort Knox. Season one looked like an episode of the Three Stooges. They are way out of their element. Business is business. Skip a payment, lose your rights to the claim. Fred is the smartest one of the bunch.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Love the show!!!

Dakota Fred is a douche bag and I'm sure he'll get whats coming to him. Yeah, they missed a payment but him going behind thier back and buying thier claim out from under them after they done all the work and spent every dime they all had to do it was just wrong. I still cant figure out why they sold him thier plant and the 2 pieces of equipment though. They are obviously gonna need that stuff on the next claim. He wouldnt have gotten a single thing from me and I agree with whoever said they should have back filled thier hole and taken the cabins with them!!

Anyone watch the aftershow on Discovery.com? As much of a low life POS that I think Fred is, he said himself that if the Hoffmans would have went and sat down with the owner, none of this would have taken place.


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## JSykes3 (Oct 14, 2010)

I personally think they should have did more research before making the decision to try for gold. How much do they have rapped up into this? To start off didn't they use $250,000? And they say they are doing this to feed their families and stuff? They could've used all of hat money to do so IMO.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

JSykes3 said:


> I personally think they should have did more research before making the decision to try for gold. How much do they have rapped up into this? To start off didn't they use $250,000? And they say they are doing this to feed their families and stuff? They could've used all of hat money to do so IMO.


Theres an estimated $15 million worth of gold on the claim they were on. $250,000 is a small price to pay to be awarded $15 million. I'm sure these guys are making enough from the show itself to support thier families.


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## JSykes3 (Oct 14, 2010)

BassBlaster said:


> Theres an estimated $15 million worth of gold on the claim they were on. $250,000 is a small price to pay to be awarded $15 million. I'm sure these guys are making enough from the show itself to support thier families.


Yeah I was thinking the same thing, about the money from the show. They are probably going to make more off of the show then with actual gold they find.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

BassBlaster said:


> Theres an estimated $15 million worth of gold on the claim they were on. $250,000 is a small price to pay to be awarded $15 million. I'm sure these guys are making enough from the show itself to support thier families.


I had to laugh everytime they stated there was an 'estimated' $15 mil worth of gold on the claim. That's the claim owner's 'claim', most likely to hype the value of the land. How can you estimate what amount of gold is in the ground on any given piece of land? I can 'claim' my house sits on $100 mil worth of gold all day. Whether it's true or not will never be known.


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## Burks (Jun 22, 2011)

Hetfieldinn said:


> I had to laugh everytime they stated there was an 'estimated' $15 mil worth of gold on the claim. That's the claim owner's 'claim', most likely to hype the value of the land. How can you estimate what amount of gold is in the ground on any given piece of land? I can 'claim' my house sits on $100 mil worth of gold all day. Whether it's true or not will never be known.


I was wondering the same thing. One part of the show someone says $6M, the next it's $15M. That's a HUGE difference (granted compared to $250k, $6M is still a hell of a payoff). Either way, the Hoffmans have only themselves to blame. I do feel bad for the guys working for them. They really have no other alternative but to give it another shot. Then again, would I sell all my worldly possessions and blindly follow some old "miner" and his son to Alaska to mine for gold? Probably not.....unless I had just enough to cover the bare minimum expenses for home. 

Dakota Fred didn't do anything wrong in my eyes. Hoffmans fumbled the ball, he just picked it up and ran it in for an easy score. Business is business. Can anyone here honestly say they would have let millions slip through their fingers? I wouldn't. Cold hearted? Maybe. But me and my family are #1.


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## JSykes3 (Oct 14, 2010)

Hetfieldinn said:


> I had to laugh everytime they stated there was an 'estimated' $15 mil worth of gold on the claim. That's the claim owner's 'claim', most likely to hype the value of the land. How can you estimate what amount of gold is in the ground on any given piece of land? I can 'claim' my house sits on $100 mil worth of gold all day. Whether it's true or not will never be known.


That's a really good point. My backyard is probably about 50' x 40'. I claim there is $2 million in gold in the ground. If anyone is interested in digging it up contact me.


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## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

I tried to watch it but it looks just like another SOAP OPERA..with a bunch of whiners


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

well you all can think what you want and if you miss one house payment the banks not going to sell your house out from under your feet,claim jumper was not there to help he was watching to see if they got any gold and them make up his mind to steel the claim,and the owner can say there 40.000.00 in gold there who cares he;s probley duked lots of guys out of tons of money over the years,and im sure the old timer across the river knows thst hes been there 30 years and he get around 30.000 a day out of his claim and it took him two years to dig that deep so im sure the some gold vain runs through there spot and claim jumper knows that,and the old timeer even said not to belive what the owner says,in one of the shows,so if your thinking claim jumper fred is on the level your nuts,like i said in the last post he had years to try that spot but dident till they showed the gold was there,and that when a thief striks when they know what you got..watch and see if im right there going to find a place in canada in the uncon area and hit it big,they will find better equitment and head north,and i wouild tell them pepole all around were they get there gas and suppleys and hope they dont sell claim jumper fred nothing and make him go 1000 miles to get fuel and suppleys that put a damper on the claim jumper,slime ball,but time will tell markfish


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## Burks (Jun 22, 2011)

markfish said:


> well you all can think what you want and if you miss one house payment the banks not going to sell your house out from under your feet


While this is true, I wouldn't throw a hissy fit and try to place the blame where it really doesn't belong like they are. Todd should be held accountable first, then blame Fred for trying to make a living. 

You missed your payment and now want to play the victim? Double standard there.


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## dmills4124 (Apr 9, 2008)

The hoffmans did all the work in the first year that it took his neighbor two years to get to the same point. Those guys had to remove all that "OVERBURDEN"* to get to the gold. They went thru a couple of "PAYSTREAKS"* on the way down to the beginning(top most portion) of the gloryhole. It showed that after only one hour of running the plant and they have already gotten as much gold as they got the entire year before. Sure there were assay reports about the property and how much gold they can expect from certain spots after short coredrilling. 
Dakota Fred said it himself that he had wanted the owner to sell him that claim for years. I am sure that he used his long time friendship and the indise knowledge of the hoffmans claim to lie and then steal the claim after they proved that there was gold to be gotten. The most expense in any mine operation is to get thru the overburden to the actual ore they are after be it gold, silver, lead or copper. He knew that from his life experience that they had hit what they came to do but the winter landed on them before they could proove it. One more week and they would have paid for the entire years operating expense. Dakota Fred is nothing more than an old timed CLAIM JUMPER, and he would have lost his life in the 1800 for doing what he did. I really believe that the Hoffmans still have a legal recourse to their claim to get it back from DF.
JSykes3; If you can show assay reports that you have gold on your property and that you have the mineral rights to mine those minerals then I would sure be interested in working your claim. Although I really believe you are speaking with forked tongue. 
My name is on several claims in Arizona, one of which has 18 to 22 oz on gold per ton of rock. Physically I cant do it anymore nor am I in a financial position to get the mules and dynamite into the area to work it. Its in an area where no machines are allowed. Everything is done like it was in the earlie 1800's. 
Dakota Fred you better hire some super security and full time body guards because of what I read on the A&E web site blogs. Your life aint worth a pluged nickel. Some crazy Lunatic with sniper skills and his convictions will take you out. I just would not want to be you!
As for the Hoffmans The TV season has just started and I guess they have something up their sleeve to add to the drama for this season. So far it doesnt look like they have anything to show us equal to last year. I'll give it a couple of episodes till I delete it from the DVR. Like IRT Deadliest Roads.
TJMTCW 
d/m


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

dmills4124 said:


> The hoffmans did all the work in the first year that it took his neighbor two years to get to the same point. Those guys had to remove all that "OVERBURDEN"* to get to the gold. They went thru a couple of "PAYSTREAKS"* on the way down to the beginning(top most portion) of the gloryhole. It showed that after only one hour of running the plant and they have already gotten as much gold as they got the entire year before. Sure there were assay reports about the property and how much gold they can expect from certain spots after short coredrilling.
> Dakota Fred said it himself that he had wanted the owner to sell him that claim for years. I am sure that he used his long time friendship and the indise knowledge of the hoffmans claim to lie and then steal the claim after they proved that there was gold to be gotten. The most expense in any mine operation is to get thru the overburden to the actual ore they are after be it gold, silver, lead or copper. He knew that from his life experience that they had hit what they came to do but the winter landed on them before they could proove it. One more week and they would have paid for the entire years operating expense. Dakota Fred is nothing more than an old timed CLAIM JUMPER, and he would have lost his life in the 1800 for doing what he did. I really believe that the Hoffmans still have a legal recourse to their claim to get it back from DF.
> JSykes3; If you can show assay reports that you have gold on your property and that you have the mineral rights to mine those minerals then I would sure be interested in working your claim. Although I really believe you are speaking with forked tongue.
> My name is on several claims in Arizona, one of which has 18 to 22 oz on gold per ton of rock. Physically I cant do it anymore nor am I in a financial position to get the mules and dynamite into the area to work it. Its in an area where no machines are allowed. Everything is done like it was in the earlie 1800's.
> ...


first off, that first run they made was, by their guestimates, .5oz which is what? about $700? and thats if it weighed a half oz. that old man throughout the entire last season exxagerated the amount of gold they were finding so that .5oz estimate was prob more like 1/4 oz so now were down to $350.

secondly, what on earth would fred have had to lie about to the claim owner? anybody with two eyes could have watched last season and seen how inept these morons are. continually underestimating cost, time and continually overestimating the amount they would find. constantly doing stuff ass-backwards and then arguing and fighting about it, refusing to take reccomendations from someone who actually knows how to mine for gold and refusing to work as a team. dragging feet all summer long, taking forever to get stuff together.

i would be shocked if that hole they dug is actually a true glory hole anyway and i would be shocked if those idiots will find any gold before the show ends considering they are starting from scratch, again, and we all know how well that went last year.


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## JoeFish (Apr 2, 2011)

My thoughts on the opener:
1: They sure had alot of nice new trucks and campers when they were pulling in. Discovery channel $$. 
2: A mining operation setup like that sureley is worth alot more than $80k.
3: even if legal, dakota fred is a jerk. But the crew did not make it easy for him to like them.


_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

well there is a 2nd season for a reason right,and there is going tobe something going on for sure i to have read some of the post by the pepole that live around there and there not happy with claim jumper fred,and like i said they should have boycotted his needs and cost him twice as much to run,lets put this in fishermen terms,your a tournament fishermen and your working on brush piles and marking thing in the lake and getting good fish to come and stay in you spots and just days before that big tourn,you go out and hit your spots and hit big fish off of them spots you made all summer,and come the big day your ready and know were to go only to find guys have been watching you pre fish and there all on your spots and win the tourn,off your hard work,sound abought right,and not one person but me has brought up the owner or john the old man across the river,hes a good old boy,and said NOT TO TRUST THE OWNER,and he even backs up my last post in one of the shows that he;s see lots of men come and go home broke,cause the owner said were to look he;s a con artist,and fred is as stright as a snake,this will get deeper.markfish


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## ScottB (Apr 15, 2004)

JoeFish said:


> My thoughts on the opener:
> 1: They sure had alot of nice new trucks and campers when they were pulling in. Discovery channel $$.


Exactly what I thought. How could all those guys who risked everything they had last year and lost it all buy new pick up trucks this year. Todd couldn't buy a used dozer for $45K but he is driving around in a new truck that cost more than that. More made for TV "reality". (Like Dakota Fred driving up just as they are counting their gold!)


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Another couple points to consider: just because the crew THOUGHT they were close to the bedrock that DON`T mean they made it and from what have read of mining gold off bedrock called "scraping' there are 2 BIG problems. #1 is alot (or even the MAJORITY) of the gold can actually get mashed into cracks and crevases in the bedrock requiring heavy duty rock smashers to pulverise the top foot or so of bedrock cracks and crevasses to get ALL the gold possible after washing the exposed face with high pressure water jets then removing almost ALL that water. Due to it`s mallability (softness) the biggest nuggets and hunks will then be exposed and most times a glory hole "monkey" will be lowered down in with a bucket to actually pick it up by hand. Keep in mind, due to it`s weight it`s difficult to just vaccum it out of that hole, so SOMEONE has to climb or get lowered in. #2 Once you`re reasonably sure no gold remains you start to remove more overlay to expand your "glory hole" again. #3 When you have to shut down for winter and come back the next spring often your former "glory hole' is only a shallow depression after the thaw, meaning you basically get to start anew from scratch...often an entire operation can just "disappear" during a winter and spring into the aluvial gravel flood plain unless well sited. IT AIN`T as easy as it may seem...and Dakota Fred had better not be counting his gold just yet...


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

I love the show and I think Discovery channel is trying desparately to retain the original premise -- a group of down-on-their-luck average joe's who risk everything to chase a dream -- but I believe it can also spin out of control in a hurry as more viewers with deep pockets step in to help. I'm happy Jim Thurber found some free medical help to ease his back pain, but that's an example of something out of reach to the average joe. What's next? The water rights to the new claim "miraculously" appear?


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## Burks (Jun 22, 2011)

Net said:


> What's next? The water rights to the new claim "miraculously" appear?


Oh great job. You just ruined the episode for millions of brainless viewers that can't see past "reality". You sir, are on the top of the soiler food chain and should be embarrassed. 
















Not really. Just glad to see I'm not the only one that sees crap like that in shows. I view them for what they are, entertainment. Nothing more. American Chopper.....fantastic example.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

haha no problem burks...I'm here to help. 

I think after 10 yrs most people "get" reality tv. Miles & miles of video footage carefully edited into whatever the director wants the show to look & feel like. Reality is boring. Reality tv is entertaining.

Oops...meant to say James Harness in my last post....not Jim Thurber.


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## fishingdude (Nov 24, 2010)

Burks said:


> Oh great job. You just ruined the episode for millions of brainless viewers that can't see past "reality". You sir, are on the top of the soiler food chain and should be embarrassed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



This show is as real as Fred Flinstone and Barney Rubble working in Bedrock. 
Sorry, but as I read this thread I feel as if I'm sitting in a body shop waiting for my truck and all the woman around me are yapping it up about "AS THE WORLD TURNS or DAYS OF OUR LIVES" Anyone that truly believes this show needs to re-evaluate a few things.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

fishingdude said:


> This show is as real as Fred Flinstone and Barney Rubble working in Bedrock.
> Sorry, but as I read this thread I feel as if I'm sitting in a body shop waiting for my truck and all the woman around me are yapping it up about "AS THE WORLD TURNS or DAYS OF OUR LIVES" Anyone that truly believes this show needs to re-evaluate a few things.


I find the flintstones highly entertaining. Maybe that's why I like this show so much.

"You're probably right..." -Phil Jackson


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Kinda like the myth of the California "`49 miners"; that everyone got RICH overnight. Realistically, the 1`s who got "RICH" were the merchants who flocked to the area and inflated their prices while running their businesses to relieve those few who DID "strike it rich' of that hard won gold, and on the side bought up claims.


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## Nikster (Mar 14, 2007)

Tooooooooooooooooo Loooooooong & drawn out.

boooooooooooooring.

Nik,


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

I watched last season, but I think it was only to see what fool move they were gonna pull next. I'm sure some of it is done with editing, but, IMO, if they didn't make so many screwy mistakes there wouldn't be anything to edit. As an example, on the new show, they all stand around watching the pump drain water, then, the next day, when the pit is almost empty, they decide to go try to start their equipment. Practically, that's a day wasted.

IMO, if they should be mad at anybody, it should be Todd. If you had a hunting lease 12 hours away, would you drag 6 or 7 of your best friends there to hunt if you'd not talked to the owner before hand? Especially if you hadn't paid a dime toward the lease this year, would you just assume that the land owner hadn't leased, or, in this case sold, to someone else? That "one" payment was probably for the whole year. I mean, the Hoffmans had time and money to go to the Klondike in search of a new lease, but, had no time to call the original owner?? Dakota Fred has done nothing wrong. Try to see it from his eyes. If he has truly been trying to buy that land for years, and is on good terms with the original owner, he probably had a hand in leasing it to the Hoffman crew in the beginning. If he's been in gold mining for years and been trying to buy that land for years, how should he see it if the original owner had sold to the new upstart Hoffman crew? I'm sure if the Hoffmans would have done some research, learned the craft, and came at season 1 like they had a clue, none of this would have happened.


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

Those guys remind me of carnies...what a joke

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## 10fish (May 12, 2005)

There is a reason the "big money" investor pulled out. It's called attorney review ; his people reviewed the docs and found that Todd left a huge loop hole opened.

Someone please tell Todd to Hire an attorney to review his docs.

Feel better now- OK I like the fact that they are screwups and obvious underdogs. No doubt they are clueless and have no business skills BUT that is what makes it kinda cool -- I'm all for the underdog winning. I hope they hit it in a big way. 
This year I hope they learn that this isn't a family camping trip and leave the little kids at home.
As for Dakota Fred-- very sneaky play , I don't like it but he did what the Hoffmans didn't do and that was work out a deal with the owner. Fred knows his stuff and deserves his reward for out foxing the other guy- on one hand you want to punch him in the face and on the other hand I gotta say well played old man.


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## Byg (Jun 6, 2006)

geez... I like the show but the drama crap is old, how many times will they're equiptment break this year or dude's back go out. Old Fred jumpin there claim makes for good tv.
look for more predictable crap. Think about it, if they hit gold the show would be over. You know they will get there claim and water right's or there would not be a season 2 HUH??? Hell I would prefer they can the crap and just film them mining,what they find and how they do it, and what they do day to day save the crap for reality TV trash. Oh I forgot it is reality tv. I am just pissed because I liked it originaly but as it went on it was a joke. Just like the motorcycle guys son/dad


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

well i dident get to see last night show so was wandering what happened did they go north and find a new site,and was it any good or not,markfish


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

They did get a new site. Its not the original one they were gonna get in the Klondike. This was mined in the 50's with a dredge and there is a huge portion that the dredge couldnt get too that has never been touched. They bought a new/old washplant that they had to rehab and got it moved to the new site.

The old man that mined next door on thier old claim, turned his operation over to his 17 year old grandson.

This year its seems like they are gonne be jumping back and forths from the Hoffmans to the kid to Dakota Fred. Its not just gonna be about the Hoffmans.


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

yeah, it looks like discovery channel has figured this thing out. 

theres the people that like to watch for the mining - your gonna get that with the young kid and dakota fred.

then theres the people that are pulling for the hoffmans - they are still gonna be the focal point of the show

then theres the people that like the drama - the ineptitude of the hoffmans will still be in full effect.


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## dwmikemx (Mar 22, 2008)

I'm pullin for the grandson. What a great kid! 16 years old and taking things over for his grandpa. He said in the interview that if he didn't take over. his grandfather might give up mining for gold and waste away. (so to speak) It looked like grandpa is proud as hell of his grandson's determination. Hard to find kids like that today.


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Agreed. To be that motivated at 16 now adays is very unusual. Must be the locale. And you`ve got to admit, the glint of that GOLD that you`ve wrestled from Mother Earth might have something o do with it...wish them all some luck. Wonder what the former "glory hole" looks like after the winter with no pumps running and the meltoff and thaw...


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

FISHIN216 said:


> Those guys remind me of carnies...what a joke
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


How so? They have small hands and smell of cabbage? Lol.

I tried to watch but was bored to tears.


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

well thats good how wouild you like to be 17 years old and digging up 15.000 a day thats enought to get me to work and its all turn key for him right, and when they show claim jumper that to means one thing there is a plot here,to me there all in on something,just my way of thinking there all togethere one way or a nother,well will see how this PANS out,thanks for the info markfish


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

The show is entertaining, but it's obviously gone down the 'scripted' road. Would guys that can all of a sudden afford a fleet of new trucks, buy $30K water pumps and $40K bulldozers forget to make a payment on the claim? Would Discovery let that happen, and put the future of the show in jeopardy? They obviously saw the potential to add more 'characters' to the story line, and most likely made up the 'forgot to pay the bill' story line to add Fred as the bad guy to add drama.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

markfish said:


> well thats good how wouild you like to be 17 years old and digging up 15.000 a day thats enought to get me to work and its all turn key for him right, and when they show claim jumper that to means one thing there is a plot here,to me there all in on something,just my way of thinking there all togethere one way or a nother,well will see how this PANS out,thanks for the info markfish


No offense mark but that has to be the worst pun ever!!!!
J/k I like the show and do watch but take it all with a grain of salt
It is what it is......reallity tv


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Are you implying that it`s staged or "rigged"? What`s next? "Scripted" professional wrestling? Kim Kardashian marrying strictly to rake in a bunch of $$$$$$$? Dishonest politicans "for sale" ? "Insider" trading on Wall Street? Say it isn`t so ! WILL give them this though, the amount of work required IS real, as are the problems of running such an operation in the field; constant breakdowns, mud, mosquitos, all endured for the hard won sight of the BEAUTIFUL glint of that precious metal clawwed from the bowels of the Earth...


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## Bigjoe (Aug 13, 2011)

Lowell H Turner said:


> WILL give them this though, the amount of work required IS real, as are the problems of running such an operation in the field; constant breakdowns, mud, mosquitos, all endured for the hard won sight of the BEAUTIFUL glint of that precious metal clawwed from the *bowels of the Earth*...


heh heh, heh...he said Bowels...heh heh, heh heh, heh...


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## xmatthewx (Jul 29, 2007)

i can't stand the show. too much whining, and unnecessary "suspenseful" moments. but as a kid, i used to pan for gold in the river. of course to no avail. haha. i was always obsessed with gold mining. so i watch hoping to see them find the mother load. but, who ever on here referred them to the three stooges, was spot on.


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Yeah, they started too late in the season, didn`t know what to actually do at 1st and were pretty ameratuerish starting out, which cost them money and time...


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

well i dident get to see it so how did it go for them gold diggers,markfish


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

Lowell H Turner said:


> Yeah, they started too late in the season, didn`t know what to actually do at 1st and were pretty ameratuerish starting out, which cost them money and time...


markfish - lowell said it best, even though he is talking about last season, this pretty much sums it up for this year as well.


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

This season is going nowhere fast that's for sure. They focus on the little things that don't intrigue me at all. Example... Wasting 10 minutes showing them find the boundary stakes, get to the digging! And... Dakota Fred needing an 1 1/2" nipple to get his mini wash station up and running, so they spend 5 minutes showing how he gets it from his neighbor. Where's the damn GOLDRUSH!!

FYI, I'll be watching next week.


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

I watch the show. I like the idea of being in alaska prospecting for gold , Id love it. But the show does tick me off constantly , they are always running out of time and have to get moving , yet they stand around and talk and argue so much they cant get anything done. They get started late in the day after breakfast and sitting around talking for a while , then they quit long before dark so they can sit around and talk some more. Id be starting before sunup and stop well after dark , there is always something that can be done even when the machinery aint running. Bankers hours wont find any gold. Its a show mostly about what NOT to do


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

well it sounds like there panning the same old ,hit and not panning the gold.they got the chance of a life time getting paid to gold hunt,and all there doinging is wasting time,im with the last post get your ass to work and mind that gold 15 hr,a day and get it done,pay me to go there and ill do a much better job getting gold and a bit of fishing too.markfish


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## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

tried to watch it but it looks like they are stretching a 10 minute show into a hour.the announcer keeps re hatching the past,,


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

Its a real shame though , the show had some real potential. I think almost every man in the world and half the women have dreamed of just dropping everything , taking off to alaska and mining for gold full time. They had a literal captive audience and bored us to death.


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Obviously this is NOT a proffesional crew. Professionals would have had been set up in under 3 days and been mining 24/7 from 1st thaw to past freeze up; if it is a rich enough strike, some operations know how to heat critical parts of the machinery to gain upto 2 wks "extra' production. The crew on the show are OBVIOUSLY "rank amateurs", except for Dakota.


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## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

A friend of mine likes it, but I can't get past that sqealy voiced guy on the commericals. He sounds like a screaming baby with a load in his pants.


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

7thcorpsFA said:


> A friend of mine likes it, but I can't get past that sqealy voiced guy on the commericals. He sounds like a screaming baby with a load in his pants.


lol. ive got that idiots voice down pat. i could play him on saturday night live. the wife is gets a kick out of it. not sure why, but it makes her giggle.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

yonderfishin said:


> Its a real shame though , the show had some real potential. I think almost every man in the world and half the women have dreamed of just dropping everything , taking off to alaska and mining for gold full time. They had a literal captive audience and bored us to death.


+1

I still like the show but my patience is wearing thin too. I'm actually starting to feel bad for the producers...especially since they are now trying to build competition between Dakota Fred and Parker Schnabel. The Big Nugget mine has been in continuous operation for over 25 years! Dakota Fred is still getting set up and waiting on his eqipment. No competition here! As for the Hoffman's, all they need is a good shrink. I started watching the aftershow but had to turn it off as they debated whether the old man "stormed off" or just "disappeared". 
:Banane39:


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## Hatchetman (Apr 13, 2004)

If that fricken Todd Hoffman says "fricken" one more time I'm gonna fricken throw up....


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## JSykes3 (Oct 14, 2010)

I caught up on the new season yesterday. What a load of barnacles. You couldn't pay me to believe they will find gold. The preview for the next episode shows that they hit rock when they start digging. They should have at least brought a shovel along to see if there was rock underneath. Why do you thing the dredger thing had to stop at that point? Because there is rock 6 inches below the surface. I am very disappointed at this show.


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

JSykes3 said:


> I caught up on the new season yesterday. What a load of barnacles. You couldn't pay me to believe they will find gold. The preview for the next episode shows that they hit rock when they start digging. They should have at least brought a shovel along to see if there was rock underneath. Why do you thing the dredger thing had to stop at that point? Because there is rock 6 inches below the surface. I am very disappointed at this show.


i most certainly could be wrong and i apologize for looking like a moron if i am but i thought they implied earlier in the season that this land could be frozen.

they called it permafreeze. i thought that is what they were hitting in the preview for next week.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

Yeah I believe its the permafrost they'll be hitting. There was an episode where Todd and the old man attended some auctions during the offseason looking for dozers equipped with a ripping claw for the permafrost. They couldn't afford the dozer they really wanted. Looks like the one they got might not be up to the task?


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

They probably arent doing it right ..........again.

When they went to look at the new claim the guy told them it was too shallow for the the machine they were using and thats why they stopped where they did , and whats left is the untouched ground for them to mine. They need to get rid of the original crew and concentrate on the other guys that are actually doing it right and finding gold.


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## JSykes3 (Oct 14, 2010)

Yeah, even if it if permafreeze or frost they are still very dumb for mining that land. I have no experience mining but it's just common sense.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

JSykes3 said:


> Yeah, even if it if permafreeze or frost they are still very dumb for mining that land. I have no experience mining but it's just common sense.


I dont know about going that far its definetly worth a shot, hell they said that dredge got something liek a billion dollars worth of gold out of there back in the day the land could be gold rich or those tailing left behind for that matter, hell the schnobel boy is going back through tailings that are only 20 yrs old with new equip and having pretty good luck. The tailings that are left on the hoffmans claim are like 70 yrs old. But I wouldnt be sinking all my eggs in one basket on untested land


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## JSykes3 (Oct 14, 2010)

fishintechnician said:


> I dont know about going that far its definetly worth a shot, hell they said that dredge got something liek a billion dollars worth of gold out of there back in the day the land could be gold rich or those tailing left behind for that matter, hell the schnobel boy is going back through tailings that are only 20 yrs old with new equip and having pretty good luck. The tailings that are left on the hoffmans claim are like 70 yrs old. But I wouldnt be sinking all my eggs in one basket on untested land


Yeah I know, that would be the tailings of the dredger. Didn't they get land ahead of the dredger? The land it couldn't get to? Or was the tailings behind included with the claim?


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## JSykes3 (Oct 14, 2010)

I hate how nothing was accomplished this last episode. Should have known the land before the river was dredged, just as the owners Dad confirmed. They need to get their stuff straight. I think next season, if there is a next season, it'll just be Fred and the kid from the Big Nugget mine.


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## triton175 (Feb 21, 2006)

You'd think those Hoffmans would learn from their previous mistakes. Most of their errors were in planning, and they still are. They didn't know the ground was frozen, they didn't know the field had already been mined? Poor planning. Just stupid.


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

yep. turning into a soap opera with way too much drama and tremendous odd amount of overall stupidity. I'd Lynch Dakota Fred. The SOB.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

Poor planning for sure. Todd Hoffman likes to use the excuse that no one is going to come right out and tell you where to dig. Maybe not, but those older & wiser claim owners don't seem to mind giving out advice once they see what the Hoffman's are trying to do. Why won't the Hoffman's seek their advice beforehand?


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## idgiot (Nov 20, 2008)

No matter what happens, as far as if they get any gold or not, the views of what the gold mineing has done and continues to do to the beautiful state of Alaska is alarming.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

JSykes3 said:


> Yeah I know, that would be the tailings of the dredger. Didn't they get land ahead of the dredger? The land it couldn't get to? Or was the tailings behind included with the claim?


I am not sure if the tailing are included but the owner of the claim owns the tailings to im sure hed let them run them, more dirt ran=more gold= more money for the claim owner. IMO they should locate the wash plant between the tailings and the spot they actually are mining, and run both together (if possible). I think the old man that came in at the end and giving suggestions to them will be a regular from now on may take them under his wing so to speak. They are making progress......slowly but surely. Have a feeling all the failures are to "show" that anyone can do it once they hit the gold.


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## dwmikemx (Mar 22, 2008)

Net said:


> Poor planning for sure. Todd Hoffman likes to use the excuse that no one is going to come right out and tell you where to dig. Maybe not, but those older & wiser claim owners don't seem to mind giving out advice once they see what the Hoffman's are trying to do. Why won't the Hoffman's seek their advice beforehand?


The Hoffmans arn't smart enough to pour pi$$ out of a boot.


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## idgiot (Nov 20, 2008)

dwmikemx said:


> The Hoffmans arn't smart enough to pour pi$$ out of a boot.


You would think they would seek more input from the owners of the claim before they start a new adventure, but by the same token, wouldn't it be more financially profitable for them to offer more advice in the begining?


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## Nikster (Mar 14, 2007)

Turned it on & watched a bit, GOOD GOD.

Hey i'm gonna start selling bridge's. Any takers?

Nik,


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## Jim Barger Sr (Sep 6, 2004)

There's gold there and they'll find it. Did you see the drilling results in the preview? If what was in the pan came from that test bore, they should do alright if their equipment is up to the task. Loved the way they ripped the permafrost. I'm rootin' for 'em! Everybody starts somewhere and I like their independent, albeit EXPENSIVE, ways. Kinda like me if my wife makes me stop and ask directions... I make sure not to listen to the direction giver?


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

I'm convinced they'll find gold one way or the other! Ratings are too good for there NOT to be a third season...


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

1 thing about permafrost: it CAN act as a "catch' for any gold above it. Would love to see them find bedrock above the water table and powerspray it- your mouth might just fall open...several decades ago in Siberia an earthquake drastically changed the water table at a dredge site, stranding the dredge. As the crew was walking around it, they looked over a shelf of bedrock nearby jutting up and in the cracks and crevasses in it they found close to 700 POUNDS of raw gold, mashed into them eons ago. Even raw gold is QUITE 'malliable'...how many ounces in a pd? Raw gold is approx worth 3/4th refined gold, conservatively...anyone good at math?


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Two points....
One, I too think there is gold at the end of their rainbow.....would be a really sucky show if not....
Two, Hmmmm.........I'm thinkin that there is three pages on here so far so I would say DC has achieved their goal! Someone is watching.


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## killingtime (Apr 29, 2009)

ok i am not the brightest pumpkin in the patch but the last show just made me laugh of how dramatic they try to make this show. i run heavy equipment for a living and have run alot of dozers alot bigger than the one they had on the show. me and my buddy was watching the show when they were sliding around on the on the permafrost i said why dont they rip the dirt so they can get some traction and towards the end of the show they made it look like they just came up with that idea. why else would you buy a dozer with a ripper on it when you have frozen dirt over 4 feet deep. you need to loosen it some how to push it. they are really trying to build the damatics of this show or they are really a bunch of dillholes but they must be smart enough to get money from the discovery channel to do this show.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

The show reminds me of the All White Snapping Turtle saga....


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## Burks (Jun 22, 2011)

Lowell H Turner said:


> 1 thing about permafrost: it CAN act as a "catch' for any gold above it. Would love to see them find bedrock above the water table and powerspray it- your mouth might just fall open...several decades ago in Siberia an earthquake drastically changed the water table at a dredge site, stranding the dredge. As the crew was walking around it, they looked over a shelf of bedrock nearby jutting up and in the cracks and crevasses in it they found close to 700 POUNDS of raw gold, mashed into them eons ago. Even raw gold is QUITE 'malliable'...how many ounces in a pd? Raw gold is approx worth 3/4th refined gold, conservatively...anyone good at math?


Are you talking standard ounce or troy ounce (which precious metals are measured in)?

Troy is ~10% heavier than a standard ounce. We'll do standard for ease.

1lb = 16 ounces

16oz x 700 = 11,200 ounces

11,200oz x $1700/oz = $19,040,000

$19,040,000 x 75% (worth of raw vs refined gold) = $14,280,000

Give or take a few thousand depending on current gold prices.


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## Worm Man (Jan 7, 2006)

I think the Hoffmans will find some gold. Most of these guys are clueless. I think it is hiliarious. I can't question their heart and determination to find gold though. I also think there will be a third season and will include the virgin grounds they flew to look at before making their decision to mine porcupine creek again.


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## "Big" mark the shark (Jan 21, 2010)

Hatchetman said:


> If that fricken Todd Hoffman says "fricken" one more time I'm gonna fricken throw up....[/QUOT HA HA YOU GOT THAT RIGHT


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## LmitingOut (Mar 11, 2011)

show seems really scripted this season, they have been really jumping time lines it seems.


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## 10fish (May 12, 2005)

Parker saved this season, that kid has "it". Smart, well spoken, clever and no doubt could out work anyone on the show , not to mention having serious guts. I mean come on taking a 20+ ton dump truck up a 50% grade in reverse over and over again. 
Thats why I watch now, just seeing his grandpa light up at Parkers efforts and Parker wanting to show grandpa he can do it makes the show bearable.

I think they should just show Parker the whole time and before each commercial just do an " oh yea by the way " section- All they need of the Hoffmans is a still shot of them with half the team with their thumb up their butt and the other half picking their nose with " Nothing changed" stamped on the photo.

And a still shot of Fred standing by the POS equipment he bought from the hoffmans titled "fail".

Im pulling for the kid to do well the rest of them just cause me brain damage.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

Looks like the Hoffman crew will finally be mining some gold. Will it be enough to pay the bills? I hope someone is keeping a good record of expenses or there'll be a lot of squabbling over profits.

I agree, Parker and his grandpa are interesting to watch and I hope they hit it big.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

yeah looks like the hoffmans have gold, and a good bit of it but are they going to be able to collect it all with out washing it out of the plant?

Parker is the man and hopefully he gets a big hit.

I actually feel bad for fred no matter how big of a d*** he is that flood really really sucks


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Burk, well done ! That crew in Siberia found that much trapped in the rock outcropping in 3 days of work; imagine if you could get out MOST of the gold trapped in an area`s bedrock? Supposedly it`s "uneconomical' to use a rock grinder usually...


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## petewv (May 4, 2010)

does any one watch "Gold Fever" on the outdoor channel? this looks like the real deal. Tom Massie is a real tool.


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## B-Rye22 (Dec 14, 2011)

That is such a good show.


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