Rick Ness Strikes Gold: Rally Valley Delivers $2.3 Million Payday — But a Frozen Future Looms
DUNCAN CREEK, YUKON — After weeks of backbreaking work, long nights, and near-zero temperatures, Rick Ness and his crew have finally hit one of their biggest jackpots yet. Deep in the Yukon’s Rally Valley, the veteran miner has pulled off a remarkable win — hauling in nearly 930 ounces of gold worth over $2.3 million, marking the richest stretch of his mining career.
Rally Valley’s Final Push
At the start of the season, Rick set his sights on Rally Valley — a small but incredibly rich pit that quickly proved to be a gold miner’s dream.
In just two weeks, the site delivered 500 ounces of gold, valued at around $1.25 million.
“Make sure you get every last bit,” Rick told his crew as they neared the end of their pay pile. Every scoop of dirt counted — and the pressure was on to keep the gold coming once Rally Valley ran dry.
A Plan to Smash the Season Goal
Rick’s next move was bold. He planned to shift operations half a mile north, across the creek, to a familiar site: the Bench Cut — a zone his team began mining last year.
In just five weeks back then, they had pulled 450 ounces from a 7-acre section. Now, Rick wanted to expand into a 5-acre extension already stripped and ready to dig.
Foreman Buzz Legault led the charge to the bench, prepping pay dirt for Rick’s second wash plant, Rocky. “I’m getting down to the pay rock and stockpiling it,” Buzz explained. “The idea is to stay ahead of the game.”
Frozen Ground, Frozen Hopes
But as Buzz fired up his excavator and began to dig, a new problem emerged — one that could end the season before it truly began.
The entire bench cut was frozen solid.
“We stripped this last year,” Rick said, shocked. “How the hell is it still frozen?”
Temperatures had plummeted over the winter, locking the ground in layers of permafrost. Rick had miscalculated the thaw, and his second operation was now unusable.
“This sucks, man,” he admitted. “This is a disaster. I don’t have a second option right now — and I’ve got no clue what to do next.”
Running Out of Pay Dirt
Back at Duncan Creek, the Rally Valley pay pile was nearly gone. The team shoveled through the last few buckets as the gold count slowed to a trickle.
“The pay’s looking slim,” Rick said grimly. “We’ve got to hit our season goal — but we need ground, and we need it fast.”
Adding to the tension, Rick’s water license — essential for next year’s operations — was still uncertain. That meant this season could be his last shot at big production.
A Desperate Search for Thawed Ground
Refusing to give up, Rick and Buzz began testing nearby areas — digging shallow test holes to check for thawed ground.
Most of the first sites were still frozen, but on the far edge of the bench, they noticed small poplar trees growing — a natural sign that the soil below might be warmer.
Buzz dropped the bucket again.
“It’s totally thawed,” he said, smiling. “Looks like good stuff.”
Fine Gold — But Real Hope
The first test pan showed promise: 15 to 20 colors of fine gold.
“It’s very fine,” Rick noted, “but we can catch that fine gold. It’s worth running.”
He quickly ordered the trucks in to start hauling pay dirt to Rocky. The operation was back on — fragile but alive.
The Big Payday
As the final cleanup rolled in, the numbers told the story of a season hard fought and well earned.
432.17 ounces from the last run — pushing Rick’s total Rally Valley haul to 929.75 ounces, valued at more than $2.3 million.
For Rick, the result was emotional.
“That’s the highlight of my 13 years of mining,” he said, surrounded by his crew. “And the fact that we did it with just seven of us — that’s what makes it special.”
He paused, visibly moved.
“I can’t thank you guys enough. This is the reason we come up here. When we put up numbers like this, we all go home real happy.”
A Game-Changing Season
After years of hardship and rebuilding, the last two seasons have marked a turning point for Rick Ness. From debt and doubt to record-breaking paydays, he’s rebuilt not just his operation — but his confidence.
“The last two years have really been a game changer for me,” Rick said.
Now, with winter closing in and uncertainty ahead, the Rally Valley strike stands as proof that persistence, teamwork, and grit still pay off — even in the frozen heart of the Yukon.
