The Final Push in the Yukon
As the Yukon landscape freezes and mining season nears its end, most crews wind down. But Tony Beets, dubbed “King of the Klondike”, does the opposite. Just 180 ounces shy of his 5,000-ounce season goal, Tony doubles down, determined to extract every last flake of gold while conditions allow.
Two Plants Running, One More to Go
Tony had already been operating two wash plants:
-
The Trauml at Paradise Hill
-
The Slle at Indian River
-
But with a goal in sight and time running out, he wasn’t satisfied. He aimed to activate a third plant, turning attention to the Hester Cut — a promising but troublesome patch Monica had worked earlier.
Hester Cut: From Hope to Hassle
The Hester Cut wasn’t just any ground — Tony had eyed it for over 40 years. Monica’s early season attempt to mine it turned into a nightmare. The area became a soggy soup hole where machines sank and even draining efforts failed.
Instead of giving up, Monica pivoted:
Why not run old-timer tailings — material previously mined, but still rich in gold?
Years ago, they pulled 330+ ounces in 5 weeks from similar tailings. Now, with gold prices nearly doubled, it was a smart, low-risk play.
Enter the Super Wash Plant
To make this plan work, they needed capacity — fast. That’s when Tony surprised Monica by revealing a brand-new, half-million-dollar wash plant.
Monica was stunned.
This state-of-the-art beast was built for efficiency:
-
A huge hopper with water jets
-
Hydraulic steel fingers to separate waste
-
Precision sluice boxes for capturing gold
Originally, they thought of reviving the old Moose Creek trauml, but the Super Sloo was quicker and better. Tony made the call: Drop it, hook it up, start sluicing.
Setting the Monster in Place
Getting it ready was no small feat. Monica and Glenn teamed up with heavy machinery to raise and position the 17-ton plant.
With guidance from Tony over the radio and teamwork from Mike, the crew locked it into place beside the tailings. Final adjustments were made with Monica on the 700 loader.
The energy was high. The mission was clear. And the momentum — finally — was theirs.
The Moment of Truth: Gold Weigh-In
After days of intense work, the Beets crew gathered at the Gold Weigh site.
First up: Indian River comeback cut
-
As the gold poured into the jar, the numbers climbed fast:
10 oz → 30 oz → 90 oz… -
Final: 205.80 ounces
✅ That single cleanup pushed them over the 5,000-ounce mark.
Tony’s reaction? A proud smile and a classic joke about spending the inheritance.
More Gold, More Glory
Next: Mike’s trauml at Paradise Hill
-
Result: 264.76 ounces
Now, their season total hit 5,290 ounces — inching toward an all-time record. With gold prices soaring, their haul was worth nearly $14 million.
Tony praised Mike with rare fatherly pride: “Strong haul for my mini Beets.”
Looking Ahead
The new wash plant and Monica’s tailings plan had saved their season. What began as a potential disaster at Hester Cut turned into a comeback story.
As the team exchanged laughs and light-hearted challenges, Tony delivered his signature exit line:
“That’s all, folks.”
But everyone knew: they’re not done yet.
