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Season guide

Gold Rush: Alaska, Season 1

10 episodes Premiered Dec 3, 2010 Updated Jul 20, 2026

Gold Rush, which premiered in 2010, is an American reality television series that airs on Discovery and its affiliates. During its first season, the program was titled Gold Rush: Alaska. The series follows the placer gold mining efforts of family-run mining companies. In the inaugural season, the narrative focuses on Todd, his father Jack, and four other unemployed individuals who leave their homes to pursue a better

Season overview

Gold Rush, which premiered in 2010, is an American reality television series that airs on Discovery and its affiliates. During its first season, the program was titled Gold Rush: Alaska. The series follows the placer gold mining efforts of family-run mining companies. In the inaugural season, the narrative focuses on Todd, his father Jack, and four other unemployed individuals who leave their homes to pursue a better life. The group leases a gold claim in Alaska, where they must navigate the challenges of building homes for their families and warding off bears. As they operate their mining venture, the team takes fate into their own hands in an attempt to change their lives. The series documents the experiences of these ambitious miners as they head north in pursuit of gold. The production highlights the use of new machines and methods to extract gold from the ground, exploring whether the risks taken by the miners will lead to a significant payout. The show continues to follow the efforts of various mining companies as they pursue their goals in the field.

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Episodes

S1·E1

No Guts, No Glory

Dec 3, 2010 · 44 min

Six recession-hit patriots from Oregon stake everything on mining and head north to Alaska to dig for gold and save themselves from financial ruin. The team of greenhorns beg, borr

S1·E2

Gold, Guns, and Bears

Dec 10, 2010 · 44 min

The stakes get higher at the Porcupine Creek prospect as reality sets in about just how little time they have to get to their gold. The miners start to rebuild the mining ghost tow

S1·E3

Running Dirt

Dec 17, 2010 · 44 min

The crew races to set up the mining plant and start running dirt. When the families arrive from Oregon and question the lack of gold — and master mechanic Harness becomes dangerous

S1·E4

The Ultimate Price

Jan 7, 2011 · 44 min

The team attempts to finally run potential pay dirt through the wash plant. But a visit from the Department of Fish and Game reveals a violation, jeopardizing their vital water sup

S1·E5

The Pain Barrier

Jan 14, 2011 · 44 min

The miners continue to run dirt but an equipment malfunction brings the operation to a halt. Meanwhile, James Harness collapses and Jimmy Dorsey drives a wedge between himself and

S1·E6

Gold Fever

Jan 21, 2011 · 44 min

The miners' futures are on the line at Porcupine Creek. After 80 days, the miners are behind schedule, and the Hoffmans have run out of money and deliver the crew an ultimatum: fin

S1·E7

Going For Broke

Jan 28, 2011 · 44 min

With winter weather closing in, a gold recovery expert comes to help the rookies. Todd discovers a major design flaw in the equipment and is forced to make huge modifications. With

S1·E8

Bad Blood

Feb 4, 2011 · 44 min

The crew remains in deep financial hole. Veteran miner "Dakota" Fred thinks he can turn things around and he cranks up production faster than ever before. But when things start fal

S1·E9

Bedrock or Bust

Feb 11, 2011 · 44 min

Desperate to get to bedrock and large quantities of gold, Todd and Jack throw caution to the wind and dig deeper than ever before. With the brutal Alaskan winter threatening, they

S1·E10

Never Say Die

Feb 18, 2011 · 44 min

With the arctic winter looming, the crew races against the clock. Rain and thawing snow flood the mine and Jack puts his life on the line as the glory hole caves in around the mass