Parker Throgmorton

Staff Writer

     Do you remember the days when you were a child and wanted to dig? Whether it was a buried treasure or a hole to China, that was one activity that never got old. A few men have taken their childhood past times to the grown-up level and are trying their luck at striking it rich as gold miners in Alaska. Their unique “recipe for gold” is filmed to  be transformed into the hit Discovery Channel show, Alaska Gold Rush.

     The show follows the paths of three different groups of miners: The Hoffman Crew at their new mine in Quartz Creek, Parker Schnabel at his Grandpa’s Big Nugget Mine, and the Dakota boys at Porcupine Creek. The Hoffman Crew is made up of six different unemployed miners with only one year of experience each. Last season, they attempted to mine Porcupine Creek, but failed epically and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. This mining season they pack up and moved to a new claim with “virgin ground,” meaning it has never been touched by any machines or miners. This is their last shot at striking it rich in Alaska. 17 year old Parker Schnabel is taking over his grandfather’s Big Nugget Mine this season, in an attempt to save the mine from going under. Dakota Fred and his “Dakota Boys” took over the Porcupine Creek claim after the Hoffman crew got kicked off by the property owner because of their lack of profit in the earlier season.

     Despite our struggling economy, one substance has never lost value, but instead, gained value. That substance is gold and its prices are at an all time high. These miners have everything on the line as they gamble their money to strike it rich or lose it all. Tune in to the Discovery Channel at 8 on Fridays to follow their journey.