Rick Ness Battles Against the Clock in Desperate Push for 1,800 Ounces at Vegas Valley
Rick Ness, a familiar figure in the world of gold mining, is facing the most critical stretch of his season at Vegas Valley. With only four weeks left before his team hits a hard deadline, and the gold prices climbing to record highs of $3,600 per ounce, there’s an overwhelming sense of urgency. After months of setbacks, including the gamble of opening the Valhalla cut, Rick is now banking on a final push to meet his ambitious goal of 1,800 ounces of gold. But, with limited time and mounting mechanical issues, Rick is navigating through one of his toughest challenges yet.
The gold rush season began with great hopes. The sharp increase in gold prices was supposed to benefit Rick’s operation. However, the team is struggling to capitalize on the spike due to the impending end of the season. “Gold prices are so high, and I’m pissed off that we’re not in a position to take advantage of it,” Rick says. “We’re way too close to the end of the season. We’re going for 1,800 ounces, and it seems like a fantasy at the moment.” The pressure is palpable, and Rick’s focus is sharper than ever as he tries to turn the situation around.
Back in familiar territory, Rick pivots to the Vegas Valley cut, a site that has saved his season before. After a failed attempt at the Valhalla cut—where 150 feet of overburden yielded nothing but clay—Rick knows he must make Vegas Valley work if he hopes to salvage the season. “The vultures are circling, and people are already offering to buy the place,” Rick admits. But he’s not ready to give up. “I’m not willing to give up yet. We’re about to run some good ground.”
The Vegas Valley cut is 200 feet deep and holds the promise of delivering a rich harvest of gold. Rick’s team is well-acquainted with the site, having mined it successfully in the past. With hopes of a weekly haul of 350 ounces, Rick fires up the wash plant, Monster Red, and his crew begins to haul paydirt from the site. “We had huge numbers out of Vegas Valley last year, so we know the potential is there,” Rick notes, a sense of cautious optimism in his voice.
For a while, it looks like the plan is working. Bailey Carton, the operator, begins loading gold-rich paydirt into rock trucks, ready to be processed through Monster Red. After nearly two months of not sluicing any gold, the team finally starts to see progress. “It feels great to finally start running the plant,” Rick says. “I know the guys are happy too. It’s been stressing them out, but now we’ve got gold in sight again.”
However, even as the wash plant hums to life, the team faces more challenges. Within days, the crew faces unexpected breakdowns that threaten to derail their progress. A rock truck goes down with a flat tire, and another truck starts making strange noises. The crew is down to just two working trucks, which complicates their efforts to keep the plant running smoothly.
“This is our last spare tire, and this is the last drive line we’ve got,” Rick explains, his voice tinged with frustration. “We really need these trucks to stay up and running.” With the plant shut down, the team scrambles to fix the broken trucks, losing precious time in the process. “Downtime’s crucial,” Rick says. “Every minute counts, especially with winter around the corner. We can’t afford to lose any more time.”
Despite these setbacks, the team pushes forward, determined to get the operation back on track. After getting the trucks up and running again, they fire up the plant and get back to sluicing. The excitement is evident as the first gold starts to filter through the system. “It’s good to see gold again,” Rick says with relief. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, but it’s the right step in the right direction.”
After a few more days of sluicing, the team begins to weigh their haul. Rick and his crew nervously watch as the gold is poured onto the scale. “That’s 205.4 ounces,” Rick announces. “Worth just over $730,000. It’s not 350 ounces, but we’ll take it.” While it’s a far cry from the 350 ounces per week they need to hit their goal, it’s a sign that they are finally back on track.
Rick is determined to continue the fight, even as time runs out. “We’ve got a long way to go, but I know we can do it,” he says. “We’ve got the right crew, and we’ve always pulled through in the end.” With only a few weeks left to go, Rick is putting everything on the line. He and his crew know that their chance to hit 1,800 ounces—and save the season—depends on a record-breaking haul in the final stretch.
As the final days of the season tick away, Rick Ness is focused on one goal: making sure that every ounce of gold counts. Whether or not he reaches his target of 1,800 ounces, one thing is certain—this season has been one of the toughest, most unpredictable challenges of his career. But if anyone can pull it off, it’s Rick and his crew, who are ready to give everything they have to finish strong.