For more than a decade, the Discovery Channel series Gold Rush has given the world an inside look into the world of gold mining. Each season, viewers watch as miners go on an intense quest for gold that sometimes results in them coming up empty-handed. However, like other shows that involve any kind of treasure hunting, the show has a lot of moments that can be somewhat disappointing for viewers. As a result, the show has to find ways to keep viewers engaged since they can’t always rely on uncovering gold. That said, if you are a fan of the show, you’ll probably agree that there have been lots of times where the show did a little bit too much. Keep reading to see our list of five moments from Gold Rush that went too far.
5. Rick Ness Costs Parker $50,000
It goes without saying that mining for gold can be a very expensive undertaking. The show’s cast members have to invest lots of money into heavy machinery, additional workers, and other things. That said, no one wants to feel like they are throwing money away. Unfortunately, however, Parker Schnabel had to watch $50,000 of his hard-earned dollars go to waste during season eight. In the episode, Rick Ness overpromised what he could deliver on a project. Not only was he not able to get everything done in time, but he also went over the budget by $50,000. You don’t have to be a mathematician to know that going over budget — especially by that much — is never a good thing. Of course, this resulted in things getting pretty heated between the two.
4. Accidental Truck Crash
Mining for gold may not be as dangerous as some other jobs, but it certainly isn’t completely risk-free. Due to the use of heavy machinery and other things, it can be fairly easy for people to get hurt while on the job. Unfortunately, this became a reality during an episode in 2019. While trying to clear some land, one of the drivers on Rick’s team accidentally drove into another truck. The accident resulted in one of the show’s crews members being injured although it doesn’t appear that the injury was serious. The moment ultimately served as a lesson to everyone on Rick’s team to be more mindful while they’re on the job.
3. Mitch’s Risky Tractor Maneuver
Even if you have never driven a tractor, you probably know that it’s something that needs to be maneuvered with care. Needless to say, the moment when Mitch Blaschke made some risky decisions with a tractor while trying to work on a job. In his attempt to drive some plants up a hill using a tractor, things started to look a little dicey. With one wrong move, Mitch and the tractor (and the plants) could’ve easily fallen into the pond below. Fortunately for everyone involved, no one was injured and no accidents happened, but many viewers still felt like Mitch’s decision wasn’t the wisest. At the end of the day, though, being a gold miner requires taking some serious risks and that’s not something that everyone is willing to do.
2. Parker’s Boating Accident
A boat is probably the last vehicle that comes to mind when most people think of gold mining. However, if you’ve ever watched Gold Rush you know that the show is full of surprises and there’s a lot more to gold mining than most people realize. During season nine, Parker and Mitch were out on a boat excursion when Parker accidentally crashed the boat and landed on top of Mitch. The crash resulted in an injury that left Mitch out of commission for a little while. Parker felt awful for injuring Mitch as the two are also good friends in addition to being coworkers. Luckily for Mitch, he was able to make a full recovery from his injuries.
1. Tony Beets’ Gasoline Fire
Everybody looks a good joke, but during 2014 Tony Beets took things a little too far during an episode of Gold Rush. For some reason, Tony and his team thought it would be a good idea to fill a dredge pond with gasoline and then set it on fire. The incident resulted in Tony getting in legal trouble and having to pay a fine. According to an article from CBC.com, “Beets and his company were both found guilty of allowing employees to pour gas into a dredge pond and then setting it on fire. It occurred in October, 2014, at his mining operation on the Indian River near Dawson City, Yukon.”Gold Rush
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