Ep 3. Running Dirt

In the third episode of the first season of Gold Rush: Alaska, titled "Running Dirt," the drama continues as the three mining crews continue their efforts to strike gold in the harsh Alaskan wilderness.

The episode starts with the Hoffman crew finding out that their equipment has finally arrived, but they soon realize that it will take them a long time to assemble it. Meanwhile, the Dakota Boys are exploring a new cut, hoping to find rich deposits of gold. They are using their modified suction dredge, nicknamed "The Beast," to extract deeper layers of dirt and gravel. However, the machine encounters some technical difficulties, which slows down their progress.

Over at Porcupine Creek, the crew led by Todd Hoffman is working hard to get their new equipment up and running. Todd is frustrated by the delays, but the team pushes through and finally gets the wash plant up and running. Next, they start hauling pay dirt from their claim to the wash plant. Jack, who is in charge of the loader, is struggling to keep up with the pace, which puts the whole operation in danger.

Meanwhile, the Dakota Boys are trying to fix their dredge, but the repairs are not going smoothly. Fred, one of the team members, is getting increasingly frustrated by the setbacks and the fact that they are not finding good gold. However, his son Dustin remains optimistic and keeps pushing the team to keep going. In the end, they manage to fix the malfunctioning part and resume their dredging operations.

Back at Porcupine Creek, the Hoffman crew finally starts running dirt through their wash plant. However, they soon realize that the gold they are getting is not as plentiful as they had hoped. This puts Todd in a bad mood, and he starts taking his frustrations out on his crew. He also clashes with his father, Jack, who is worried about the safety of the operation.

As the episode comes to a close, tensions are running high on all three crews, as they face various setbacks and challenges. The Dakota Boys are still struggling to find good gold and keep their equipment working properly, while the Hoffman crew is falling behind on their targets. In the end, it remains to be seen whether any of them will strike it rich or if they will all end up empty-handed.

Overall, "Running Dirt" is an exciting and action-packed episode that showcases the intense reality of gold mining in Alaska. As the mining season progresses, the stakes only get higher, and the drama intensifies. Viewers are sure to be on the edge of their seats as they watch these intrepid miners battle the elements and work tirelessly to achieve their dreams of striking it rich.