Rick Ness Battles Back: Monster Red Returns as Gold Target Looms
Duncan Creek, Yukon — Rick Ness’s comeback season is hanging by a thread, and the pressure has never been higher. With a make-or-break goal of 1,000 ounces of gold needed to survive, fund his crew, and return next year, every hour of run time now counts.
“If I don’t get this thousand ounces, I don’t have the capital to come back again,” Rick confesses. “I want to leave here knowing that I left nothing on the table.”
Chasing 1,000 Ounces — But Still 300 Short
As of this week, Rick is still 300 ounces shy of his goal. Rally Valley, a gold-rich claim that yielded over 180 ounces per week two years ago, is now his last and best shot. But early delays and lost time have left the crew scrambling.
“We’ve got a huge stockpile sitting on the pad,” Rick says. “We’ve got to run it through Monster Red as hard as we can, all day, no stopping—350 yards an hour or more.”
The team finally begins sluicing Rally Valley’s nugget-rich pay dirt. Spirits are high. Minor hiccups aside, Rick says this is “the best crew I’ve ever had.”
Then disaster strikes.
Disaster Hits: The Water Pump Fails
Just as operations gain momentum, Monster Red loses water flow. Smoke pours from the pump, and the plant comes to a halt.
The culprit? A suction line clogged with leaves. Because the pump’s intake was too close to the surface, debris blocked water flow, creating a vacuum that collapsed the heavy-duty suction hose.
“That thing is puking so much smoke… It’s falling on its face,” Rick says. “Let’s shut it down before this thing dies.”
Inspection reveals a large hole and a collapsed pipe. Rick and his crew quickly improvise a fix—patching the hole with rubber, adding clamps to keep the line open, and burying the intake deeper to avoid future debris buildup.
“We’re putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound here,” someone jokes, but the crew is determined.
Back in Action — But Time is Running Out
Three hours lost, and the pressure mounts. Rick estimates they could be missing out on 9–10 ounces of gold per hour.
Finally, the pump is back online. Water flows. Monster Red roars back to life.
“We can’t afford mess-ups like this,” Rick mutters. “But at least it’s running right now.”
Gold Count In — A Season-High Haul
After the dust settles, it’s time to weigh the week’s gold.
“We need 150 ounces a week to hit 1,000,” Rick says. “I don’t know if we got it, but it’s going to be close.”
The count begins:
40… 50… 70… 100… 105… 110… 124.27 ounces.
Worth nearly $250,000, it’s their biggest gold weigh of the season.
They didn’t hit the 150-ounce goal this week—but they’re now sitting at 823.95 ounces total.
The Final Push Begins
“We’re so close,” Rick says. “That number makes you really want to push as hard as we can.”
With Rally Valley’s gold getting richer the deeper they go, Rick believes they still have a shot. One solid week, no breakdowns, and the 1,000-ounce dream is still alive.
“If we keep our heads on a swivel and run strong next week… we’re going to get it,” Rick says.
“We’re right there, man. That’s what it’s going to take.”
