Rally Valley, Yukon — It was a battle of man versus nature as Rick Ness and his small but determined crew faced one of their toughest challenges yet: a collapsing wall and a flood threatening to wipe out their richest gold cut to date.
For weeks, the Rally Valley site had been yielding promising results, but danger loomed in the shadows. As Rick’s crew worked to clear slides and haul out pay dirt, water began pouring into the cut, destabilizing the already fragile walls.
“The wall’s starting to slough in. It’s just water pouring in,” Rick warned over the radio. “Stay safe. Get the hell out of there.”
A Desperate Gamble
Monster Red, the massive wash plant that powers Rick’s gold recovery, sat just 300 feet above the pit. Water seeping from its sluice lines had made its way back into the Rally Valley cut, causing the collapse. The crew’s only solution was risky: move their single working pump—1,000 feet down into Rally Valley—and drain the pit before it was too late.
The 8-inch pump, capable of draining 3,000 gallons of water a minute, was their last hope. With only one machine standing between success and disaster, nerves ran high.
“Sure, it’ll be a little nerve-wracking on the way down,” Rick admitted. “It’s the only pump we actually have right now.”
Against the Clock
For 24 tense hours, the crew worked non-stop. Their goal: drain the floodwaters, strip down to bedrock, and stockpile every ounce of pay dirt before nature closed the door.
“It’s probably one of the hardest cuts I’ve ever done,” Rick said, his voice heavy with fatigue. “This thing just keeps throwing curveballs. But we need that pay, and we’ve got to get it out before it’s unsafe.”
Finally, after days of backbreaking labor, the crew hauled the last load from Rally Valley.
“That’s the final load, man. We’re right down to bedrock,” one of the crew reported. Rick replied with relief: “Nice job, bud. Rally Valley—done.”
The Payoff
Despite floods and collapsing walls, Rally Valley delivered. In just two cleanups, Monster Red produced nearly 500 ounces of gold, worth over $1.3 million—already one-third of Rick’s 1,500-ounce season goal.
Gathered around their cleanup table, the crew celebrated:
“One hundred ounces right here… and another 81.87 to add. That’s 181.87 ounces this week,” Jason counted aloud, the jar glittering with yellow.
Rick summed up the moment:
“We started that whole four years ago. It’s nice to finish something like that. But at the same time, I hate to see that dirt go.”
What’s Next?
With Rally Valley behind them, Rick and his crew now face the challenge of finding the next big ground. The season’s not over, and every ounce counts.
For now, though, Rick Ness can finally close the book on Rally Valley—his hardest cut yet, but also his greatest triumph.
