Kevin Beets Borrows Tony’s $4 Million Dozer to Save His Struggling First Season
It’s been a tough start for Kevin Beets, now leading his first mining operation as a solo mine boss in the Klondike. Nine weeks into the season, Kevin is already a month behind schedule — and not a single ounce of gold has been mined.
“We thought we’d already be sluicing by now,” Kevin admits. “But delays, delays, breakdowns, breakdowns. The faster we can get this pay out, the faster we can get running.”
Behind Schedule and Under Pressure
Kevin’s team has finally hit pay dirt at the Lynx Cut, but it’s frozen solid. To get things moving, they need to dig out all the frozen pay from three acres, stockpile it, and let the sun thaw it before sluicing can begin.
The problem? Kevin’s D10 dozer — the workhorse of his operation — has been out of action for over a month after blowing its transmission. Without it, the crew is forced to rely on smaller, less powerful machines.
“The breakdowns kill us every single time,” Kevin says in frustration. “We’re already a month behind on everything.”
Foreman Brennan Ruault does what he can, using an excavator’s ripper blade to break up the frozen ground. But it’s slow, grueling work. “It’s definitely not been a smooth spring,” Brennan says. “We’re doing as much as we can, but hitting deadlines is tough with a small crew and old equipment.”
A Visit from Tony and Minnie
As pressure mounts, Kevin’s parents — Tony and Minnie Beets — show up at Scribner Creek to check on progress. Kevin leases the ground from Tony and owes him 10% of all gold mined as royalties. But with production stalled, Kevin is already late on his first payment.
“Kids or friends, don’t matter,” Tony says bluntly. “You gotta pay.”
When Tony arrives, he gets straight to business.
“We’re spending a lot of money day after day,” Kevin tells him. “Our piggy bank is dwindling fast. We really need a dozer to rip the ground.”
Tony thinks for a moment. “How desperate are you for another one?”
“Very much so,” Kevin replies without hesitation.
“Well,” Tony says, “all I got is the D11.”
The $4 Million Lifeline
Tony Beets’ Caterpillar D11 is a 115-ton powerhouse — one of the biggest and most valuable dozers in the Klondike, worth around $4 million. Its massive ripper can tear through frozen pay dirt like butter.
“You can borrow that D11 for a couple days,” Tony offers. “The sooner you get sluicing and get some gold, the sooner I get my royalties.”
Kevin can hardly believe it. “Really appreciate it. Thank you,” he says.
Tony adds one condition: “Make sure only Brennan runs it. I don’t want anyone else on it.”
With that, the Beets family strikes an informal deal — a father helping his son, but also a businessman ensuring his investment stays profitable.
“That went pretty good,” Minnie laughs as they drive off. “Maybe next time we visit, they’ll have a gold weigh.”
Tony grins. “I’ll polish the scales for them.”
A Turn in the Season
Back at Lynx Cut, Kevin’s crew finally sees progress. Using the D11, Brennan rips through the frozen ground with ease. In no time, a mountain of pay dirt begins to rise.
“This is one of our first big wins this season,” Kevin says, looking at the massive pile. “It’s hard not to get excited. We’ve still got a long way to go, but this feels good.”
The next step: move the wash plant into place and finally start sluicing.
“It hasn’t come easy,” Kevin admits, “but we’re not giving up. We’re just getting started.”
