Sulphur Creek erupts after hidden pay pockets are uncovered in the Gold Rush

Gold Rush aired season 16, episode 7 on December 19, 2025, and focused on renewed production at Sulphur Creek after crews uncovered pay pockets missed by earlier miners.

The episode followed Parker Schnabel and his team as they reassessed ground believed to be nearly finished and decided whether it was worth extending operations before the water license expired.

Six weeks into the season, Parker reported steady progress across his claims, with more than 2,000 ounces already mined. Sulphur Creek became a key focus after a routine pan revealed dense gold concentration, raising questions about how much value remained in the ground.

The episode also tracked parallel operations across the Yukon. At Dominion Creek, wash plants continued running to support Parker’s overall totals. Rick Ness worked through setbacks at Lightning Creek while waiting for confirmation on a critical water license elsewhere.

Tony Beets maintained consistent production, while Mike Beets continued operating independently at Paradise Hill. Across all locations, the episode documented decisions driven by permit deadlines, equipment limits, and available manpower.

Gold weighs, mechanical repairs, and planning meetings shaped the direction of each crew as the season progressed.

Hidden pay pockets extend the Sulphur Creek cut  in the Gold Rush

At Sulphur Creek, foreman Mitch Blaschke believed the cut was close to finished when Parker arrived to review progress. While inspecting the upper section, Parker panned material that had not been previously tested.

The result showed heavy gold content, leading Parker to consider expanding the cut toward the road. Mitch noted the urgency of the situation, saying,

“We’re pushing this project all the way to its absolute limit.”

With less than three weeks remaining on the water license, the decision meant committing to more stripping, hauling, and sluicing within a fixed window.

The crew focused on removing the remaining pay dirt and feeding it into the Roxan wash plant. Operations slowed when an aging loader began losing power and struggled to maintain output.

Mitch warned that without repairs, production would fall behind schedule. A mechanic diagnosed failed parking brake seals that allowed hydraulic oil to enter the transmission.

While the loader was down, the wash plant shut off to prevent running out of material. After several hours, the seals were replaced, and the loader returned to service.

Once operations resumed, the extended cut delivered consistent gold. Mitch observed the scale of the discovery without speculation, focusing on finishing the work before the permit expired.

The additional ground confirmed that earlier miners had missed sections of the pay streak.

Gold weighs confirm the value of the extension

By the end of the week in Gold Rush, the impact of the Sulphur Creek extension became clear during the gold weigh. Mitch’s single wash plant produced more than 400 ounces, a result that placed Sulphur among the top contributors to Parker’s weekly total.

Parker reviewed the numbers and shifted attention to coordination across sites rather than discussing future output. The Sulphur results, combined with steady production from Dominion Creek, pushed the weekly total to 827 ounces.

Mitch reflected on the workload created by the expansion, stating,

“It always turns into a lot bigger project than we think.”

Despite equipment downtime and limited time remaining on the water license, the crew completed sluicing while continuing reclamation work. The episode showed loaders feeding pay, conveyors running continuously, and cleanup crews processing concentrates.

Elsewhere in the episode, Rick Ness continued mining at Lightning Creek after low early returns, while preparing for a possible move back to Lower Duncan following water license approval.

Tony Beets added to his season total with steady weekly output, and Mike Beets processed old tailings at Paradise Hill. The Sulphur Creek results stood out as a reminder that untested ground could still deliver gold late in a cut, shaping decisions for the rest of the season.

Stay tuned for more updates.