Tony Beets’ Operation Grinds to a Halt
A smooth morning quickly spiraled into disaster for legendary miner Tony Beets and his crew at Indian River. With both wash plants running flawlessly, it looked like a perfect start — until a major equipment issue brought everything crashing down.
“This morning we had two plants going, everything rolling just right. Then you show up — and boom, back to square one,” Tony said, visibly frustrated.
With both wash plants offline, including his main unit Sloo a Lot, Tony’s entire gold production has stalled — and with it, his ambitious 200-ounce weekly goal is at risk.
The Problem: Tailing Build-Up Blocks Production
The root of the problem? A buildup of fine tailings at the base of the wash plant. Because Sloo a Lot was sitting at ground level, waste materials from the sluice runs have backed up, halting the plant.
“If you don’t set it up quite right, the fine tailings will pile up,” Tony explains. “So, I’ve got to fix that.”
The Solution: Move the Plant – 45 Tons on a Treacherous Trail
To solve the issue, rookie foreman Cousin Mike was tasked with dragging the 45-ton wash plant one mile uphill to a new pad — one with more room for tailings to collect. The route was anything but safe: a narrow trail with a steep drop on one side and the Indian River on the other.
“If the wash plant slides in there, that’s the whole season gone,” Mike says nervously.
Despite the risk, Mike successfully maneuvered the 30-foot-wide plant through tight trees and narrow bends, avoiding damage to its fragile sluice boxes.
“Glad I have him,” Tony said. “He’s very handy — and he’s learning fast.”
Back Online: Sloo a Lot Ready to Run Again
With the wash plant successfully relocated and hooked up, the team fired it up once again.
“Now we’ve got room for tailings,” Tony smiled. “I think this is going to work out pretty good.”
Tony’s now back in the race to meet his 5,000-ounce season goal — and he’s counting on Mike to deliver.
Family Dynamics: Banter and Gold Weigh-ins
Later that week, the Beets family gathered for a gold weigh-in at Indian River, with Paradise Hill still offline. The lighthearted banter quickly kicked in.
“I was so nice by myself, and then my wife shows up,” Tony joked.
“Funny,” she replied. “She said the same thing at the hill.”
As jokes flew around the table, the spotlight shifted to Mike. It was time to weigh the results of his hard work — three days of sluicing on Sloo a Lot.
The Results: Not Quite There, But Still Gold
To stay on track, Mike needed to hit 200 ounces for the week. Instead, the cleanup yielded 75.3 ounces, worth over $188,000, bringing Tony’s season total to $849,000 so far.
“Not in our favor, but we got a little gold anyway,” Mike said.
“Still early in the season. All we can do is do better next week.”
Despite falling short, morale remained high — and the message was clear: this was just the beginning.
Final Words: Business as Usual in the Klondike
With the truck ready to haul gold and the crew heading back to work, Tony kept it brief:
“At least we got a couple ounces. See you at the end of the week. Or whatever.”
As the team pushes ahead into the harsh Yukon landscape, one thing remains unchanged: there’s gold in the ground — and the Beets family intends to get it.
Bonus: Parker Schnabel Signs Off from Discovery
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