Gold Rush: Alaska

Out of Indian River pay dirt, Todd comes up with a risky plan to hit his 1,000 ounce goal. A bad fall puts Fred out the game, leaving Dustin to dig the glory hole. Parker worries his season is over but his grandpa is convinced he's near the mother load.

Todd pushes the Big Red washplant to near breaking point on his best ground yet. Fred and Dustin battle to save a broken down excavator as water floods the glory hole and Parker faces his worst nightmare as the dangerous mine road claims its first victim.

Tensions mount between the day shift and nightshirt as Todd pushes his men harder than ever. Parker battles his ancient washplant and the treacherous road from Discovery Claim while Dustin risks it all diving for hidden gold in the frozen glory hole water.

Todd forces his crew and Dave's crew to merge into one team. The Dakota Boys use their new equipment to get back down to the bottom of the Glory Hole. Parker risks his life to get paydirt from an abandoned mine site down a dangerous mountain road.

Todd calls it quits on his turbo trommel and shuts down his Quartz Creek operation. Dave's race to open a new cut leaves his dozer hanging over a cliff. Parker finally hits bedrock at Emerson Trench and two broken machines force Fred to go deeper in debt.

Todd Hoffman faces closure if he fails to get 100 ounces of gold for his investor. The Dakota Boys believe they've finally found the elusive Glory Hole. Parker Schnabel uncovers the two-year mystery of Smith Creek just as his grandpa reveals bad news.

Todd and his crew finally get to test the new Turbo Trommel. Dave pushes his crew to double their last clean out. The Dakota Boys receive a visit from an inspector with the power to shut down their mine and Parker brings in dynamite to blast a boulder.

Todd finally takes delivery of the Turbo Trommel. Dave's mine at Indian River could close if they can't improve on their disastrous first clean up. The Dakota boys are forced to run second hand dirt and Parker sets a 50-ounce, $80,000 goal for the week.

Todd's chief investor demands to see 100 ounces of gold in the next three weeks. Parker's crew goes into meltdown when he forces them to replace a bridge and Fred attempts to make a precision part for his vital excavator from a pile of scrap metal.

At Quartz Creek, the mine is at a standstill since Todd ripped out their wash plant. At Indian River, Team Turin bites off more than they can chew. Parker faces a cash-flow crisis.

In the Klondike Dave Turin and his new crew have no claim to mine. Todd faces his father's fury when he drags out their only working wash plant leaving their crew unable to run the all gold-rich pay dirt they've stockpiled. The Dakota boys take on two new miners, a man and a woman. Parker sets a goal of nearly half a million dollars for the season.

Gold Rush executive producer Christo Doyle asks the tough questions and gets the real dirt on the miners. Personal revelations, bets and challenges all play out in this revealing special. Don't miss all the extras of this no-holds barred look at the stories seen on TV.

In never before seen footage, the miners unearth the sometimes ugly truth about their 2011 mining seasons. The crews also clue us in on their big plans for the 2012 season. Determined to turn failure at Big Nugget into success, Parker goes to extremes to prep the Big Nugget mine. Jack goes under the knife to rid himself of nagging back pain. And in a shocking development, one miner is kicked off the Hoffman crew.

The Hoffman crew is desperate to get 100 ounces, but Todd's decision to run the dozer on solid ice ends in disaster. The Big Nugget mine faces closure if Parker fails to hit a pay streak and Dakota Fred thinks he's finally found Jack Hoffman's glory hole.

The Hoffman crew battles frozen dirt and frozen pipes as they struggle to hit their goal of 100 oz. Parker makes a last ditch effort at Smith Creek Hill and the Dakota Boy's season may be over when Dustin smashes the side of the wash plant.

The Hoffman crew risks its all to run through the night in a bid to finally break even for the season. Fred has to abandon his best pay dirt yet when his excavator gets stuck in the pit. John Schnabel returns to the Big Nugget Mine after his heart attack.

A heart attack has 91-year-old mining legend John Schnabel battling for for his life. The Hoffmans find a gold nugget that becomes a game-changer and Dakota Fred accomplishes what Jack Hoffman never managed to do at Porcupine creek.

A key crew member calls it quits at Quartz Creek. Meanwhile, massive rocks break Dakota Fred's de-rocker and Parker reconsiders his future after smelting his 35oz season haul into a solid gold bar.

The Hoffman crew is dead in the water until Harness can repair their broken excavator. Parker Schnabel totals his gold for the season and hands the Big Nugget mine back to his grandpa. Meanwhile, the Dakota boys lock horns trying to re-open their mine.

With the wash plant up and running the Hoffman's have their first clean out. Dakota fred works furiously to win his bet with jack. Parker clashes with his grandfather about whose in charge of the mine.

The test holes pay off for Todd and get the team back together. Not for long though as a relationship mechanic James Harness has, starts to derail him when he's needed most. Fred returns to mining.