Alaska TV gold mining show glorifies recklessness (Haines: camper, train)

[heathen]

There's nothing visually wrong with that bridge. Do you guys get out of town much? If they exceeded posted weight limits, then that's an issue. On a separate note, all these Alaska reality shows (that I've seen) are really badly done. Just cheap forgettable programming about people I don't like. The scenery's nice for 5 minutes, but just not worth it. Go outside...

[Sunset_Va]

Shades of "Into the Wild", bringing new visitors to the old bus........

[Dakster]

Thank god on the third episode they brought someone who knows what they are doing on to the show.. Although, I bet alot (all) of this is staged drama.

If you watched the entire show, they called Alaska DOT to see the weight limit on the bridge. (They made it look like they called AFTER the first excavator went across, I bet it was done BEFORE) The one person that shoots the bear, has a bear tag....

I doubt this show will encourage throngs of people to "go to Alaska" to "gold mine". Takes too much money to get there and get equipment there. Most people don't think camping is all that fun for longer than a few days.

BTW - If the crew is as bankrupt and broke as they make it seem, and assuming they each make $60-$70k in a few months. It will be a very welcome chunk of change - but obviously isn't enough to retire on.

[blueflames50]

they found approx. $20,000....after expenses of equipment etc...you figure it out...it cost the reality show money....here's the local newpaper article....the town is hoping more like them show up to help pay pay the towns bills!! hahahaa

Made-for-TV miners make debut Friday - Chilkat Valley News - Haines, Alaska

[Dakster]

That answers the only question I had remaining! The Discovery Channel did not lose money on the shoot - they made it up in ratings... Either way they were going to win!

It looks like Haines will win too... Even though they didn't find the millions they were looking for, I don't see any losers. Do you?

Even the people taking the "gamble" made out since Discovery Channel probably paid the way for them. I guess I am a glass half full person.

[DannyL]

Originally Posted by Dakster

. Although, I bet alot (all) of this is staged drama.

.

yup....it is....

[NomadicBear]

I just happened upon this show tonight. Not watching a lot of TV, it was by pure luck. I'm not sure what episode number I saw, but they shot and killed a bear under the guise that it was threatening. What a joke. It was a tiny bear, maybe 200 lbs. It didn't look too much bigger than my dog, honestly, and the thing was cowering behind a bush when they shot it.

All I can say after watching this show is WOW. Talk about a bunch of IDIOTS. The old man should be banned from operating heavy equipment, power tools, autos, sharp knives- anything that he can harm himself or others with. In fact, he should be sent to Sun Lakes, AZ. Some guy was starting a chainsaw in an unbelievably unskilled and reckless manner and nearly cut his leg wide open. Another guy with a goatee and a god complex ("get out of my cabin") thinks he's a professional gold miner but he's likely an out of work logger who wouldn't know gold if it fell in his lap. I think he's actually the son of senior McDoofus. The entire operation is an absolute embarrassment.

[warptman]

Idiots, all idiots...just watched the new episode.

[blueflames50]

Originally Posted by warptman

Idiots, all idiots...just watched the new episode.

We couldn't bring ourselves to watch it!! that bad huh JoeJoe?? glad we didn't watch it...

[juneaubound]

Originally Posted by NomadicBear

I just happened upon this show tonight. Not watching a lot of TV, it was by pure luck. I'm not sure what episode number I saw, but they shot and killed a bear under the guise that it was threatening. What a joke. It was a tiny bear, maybe 200 lbs. It didn't look too much bigger than my dog, honestly, and the thing was cowering behind a bush when they shot it.

All I can say after watching this show is WOW. Talk about a bunch of IDIOTS. The old man should be banned from operating heavy equipment, power tools, autos, sharp knives- anything that he can harm himself or others with. In fact, he should be sent to Sun Lakes, AZ. Some guy was starting a chainsaw in an unbelievably unskilled and reckless manner and nearly cut his leg wide open. Another guy with a goatee and a god complex ("get out of my cabin") thinks he's a professional gold miner but he's likely an out of work logger who wouldn't know gold if it fell in his lap. I think he's actually the son of senior McDoofus. The entire operation is an absolute embarrassment.

Well my guy came across the show last night and they had 3 or 4 shows playing back to back. And we watched them all. Yeah they're all idiots for all the reasons listed above (and the things listed above were all just in one of the episodes).

The bear shooting bothered me though. One of the kids left graham crackers out and the bear came into camp. The announcer on the show said the "grizzly" was becoming a dangerous nuisance to the camp. It was a young black bear that was scared of his own shadow. They didn't kill him in defense of life or property. They stalked him and shot him while he was hiding. And then they strung him up so we could all actually SEE just how small this little guy was. And then they all made jokes about eating "bearittos".

They can all screw around, endanger their own lives as well as everyone elses on sight, and p*ss away a ton of money. But the bear thing left a really bad taste in my mouth.