HEAVY METAL MOVES: Kevin Beets Future-Proofs Sulphur Creek Despite Crew Exodus
In the high-stakes chess match of Klondike gold mining, Kevin Beets is betting on logistics to save his season. Faced with a shrinking crew and a dwindling stockpile of pay dirt, the eldest son of “The King of the Klondike” successfully executed a high-risk relocation of his 35-ton wash plant this week—a move intended to “future-proof” his operation at Sulphur Creek.
The Great Migration
With the “Links Extension” pay dirt officially exhausted, Kevin was forced to move his $750,000 wash plant to a more strategic position near the “Pyramid Cut.” The maneuver was far from a simple tow; the plant had to descend a 20-degree slope, navigate a hairpin turn, and then ascend a 400-foot, 30-degree incline.
The primary motivation for the move was waste management. “Down here, we only had 20 feet we could fill up [with tailings],” Kevin explained, gesturing to the cramped lower site. “At the new location, we’re going to have 120 feet. It’s easier on the equipment and shorter trips for the trucks.“
Rookie Under Pressure
Kevin placed his new recruit, Buzz—a former member of Rick Ness’s crew—into the operator’s seat for the move. The tension was palpable; flipping the massive plant would be a “season-ender.“
The operation hit an early snag when the plant’s sluice runs began dragging in the dirt. “We’re just scraping them right now. This isn’t going to work,” Kevin shouted, halting the move to manually raise the runs to prevent them from being ripped off the frame.
The challenges intensified at the base of the final hill. The 480 excavator originally tasked with the pull proved insufficient, its tracks slipping as the 35-ton plant dug into the soft earth. Kevin was forced to call in the “big guns”: a 63-ton D10 dozer. With three times the pulling power of the excavator, the dozer finally crested the hill, successfully seating the plant in its new home.
The “Piggy Bank” Weigh-In
Before the plant was shut down for the move, the crew processed the final remnants of their stockpiled pay—material Kevin referred to as his “piggy bank.” After three days of sluicing, the team gathered for a modest but encouraging gold weigh.
The cleanup delivered 56.59 ounces of gold. At current market rates, the haul is valued at approximately $198,000. While the number is a drop in the bucket compared to the season’s ambitious goals, it provided much-needed validation for the crew.
Sulphur Creek Season Progress:
| Metric | Current Total |
| :— | :— |
| Weekly Gold Recovery | 56.59 oz |
| Weekly Cash Value | ~$198,000 |
| Season Total to Date | 162.09 oz |
| Season Goal | 2,000.00 oz |
A “Dropping Like Flies” Crew
The successful move comes at a time of internal turmoil for the Beets camp. Kevin admitted the team is “hurting” for experienced operators. Veteran miners like Renon and Kaden have recently departed, with Kaden reportedly defecting to Parker Schnabel’s massive Sulphur Creek operation.
“People are dropping like flies around here,” Kevin noted grimly. “When people leave a small crew, you feel it.“
However, the addition of Buzz seems to have bolstered morale. When asked how working for the Beets family compared to his time with Rick Ness, Buzz’s response was a diplomatically brief: “Very different.“
With the plant now positioned to strike the Pyramid Cut, the clock is ticking. “The plant stops, but the bills don’t,” Kevin remarked. The team hopes to begin sluicing by the end of the week, chasing the remaining 1,838 ounces needed to hit their 2,000-ounce target before the winter freeze.