Previews

Gold Rush exclusive: Big Red looks like Star Wars AT-AT walker as Brennan and Mitch try to reposition it

The intensity on Brennan's face reveals how serious this task is for Gold Rush Parker's crew. Pic credit: Discovery
The intensity on Brennan’s face reveals how serious this task is for Gold Rush Parker’s crew. Pic credit: Discovery

On Friday’s new episode of Gold Rush, you may have a feeling of deja vu. The clip opens in the Klondike with Parker Schnabel’s main man Mitch Blaschke, who has been given a task that might remind you of a certain scene in one of the past Star Wars films.

Parker Schnabel and his already exhausted crew have been dealing with a huge swath of dirt to mine, over two times the normal pay and the task is onerous.  The team is giving it their all and Mitch says: “It’s been quite the struggle to get to where we’re at and we’re pretty close to making some money again.”

But the bad news for Parker and company is that the water permits and their looming expiration is making the crew do three years’ worth of work in less than one year.

Read our exclusive interview with Parker Schnabel here!

It’s a lot of digging, sifting and scouring the land, and Parker is determined to not leave even a speck of gold in the ground.

Concerned about the pitch and the narrow plateau he has to work on, Mitch surveys the scene and says: “The stuff laying a little steeper than what we like, but we don’t have the time or the materials that – you know – cut this down and probably make it as good as it should be.”

It’s a task only for the most experienced dozer driver. The narrator explains the challenge:

To get the plant into place, Mitch needs to drag big red on to the berm. Then, reposition on the other side of the plant, so he can drag it the final hundred yards to its new purpose-built pad.

The entire production now looks like a scene from The Empire Strikes Back as Big Red looks just like a dirtier version of the AT-AT walkers that were sicced on the rebel alliance by Darth Vader.

Now the progression of Big Red is going well, except the edge of the berm has no leeway.  It’s sweaty palm time.

Between Big Red and the edge of the berm, there are just fifteen feet of leeway for the fourteen-foot wide excavator to pass. This Big Red plant is heavy and huge so everyone better be having a good day and be on their game.

But as a precaution, Mitch calls in a more experienced hand. It gets a bit dicey as Mitch calls in Brennan Ruault to take over for the dangerous maneuver.

Watch to see how Brennan navigates the giant piece of machinery as the team watches. Mind you, they are under immense pressure to sift and sluice more dirt than they ever have in their careers.

Tune in Friday to see if Brennan Ruault gets Big Red to its final destination or if it falls in the 25-foot drop to the pond below.

Likely scenario? It will all work out in the wash:

Gold Rush airs Fridays at 9/8c on Discovery and DiscoveryGo.

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