The stakes are high in Gold Rush Season 14 as a cast of several miners return to try and strike it rich in this make-or-break season in 2023.
Gold Rush revolves around the gold mining journey of different family-led mining companies from the Klondike region of Dawson City, Yukon, Canada, and Alaska.
The reality series made its debut on December 3, 2010, on the Discovery Channel. Season 14 premiered on Discovery+ on September 29, 2023.
Main Cast of Gold Rush Season 14 (2023)
Parker Schnabel
Gold Rush veteran Parker Schnabel has been present in the series since Season 1.
Schnabel has appeared in over 200 episodes of the hit reality show, and he has shown no signs of slowing down in the field of mining. He has already mined a total of over $13 million worth of gold (via Discovery).
Gold Rush Season 14 puts Schnabel at a crossroads with a major decision to make on whether to risk everything to obtain a new gold-rich land or simply play it safe and take a step back.
Ultimately, Schnabel has led an extremely efficient season thus far between his Sluicifer and Big Red plants, finding a whopping 4000 ounces worth of gold over the course of the latest string of episodes. Schnabel also met with the McCaughan family about a deal to lease land from him, which could lead into future seasons.
Tony Beets
Tony Beets is one of the most successful miners in the Klondike area. He made his debut in Gold Rush Season 2.
Beets' main goal for the new season was that he wanted to beat his previous record of 5,300-ounce gold haul (worth $9 million) by aiming for 6,000 ounces. Beets will try to do so within the confines of the Indian River.
The season has been a tumultuous one for Beets though, leading to profanity-filled arguments with his family members about broken equipment and the best strategies for efficiency. Tensions came to a head in Episode 15 when the crew's trommel malfunctioned after being worked on by Tony's son, Kevin.
Rick Ness
After taking a year off from mining and not being present in Season 13, Rick Ness finally makes his long-awaited return in Gold Rush Season 14.
In an interview with People in September 2023, Ness admitted that he suffered from depression, noting that "there [were] a lot of things going on:"
"I was having some mental health issues. There [were] a lot of things going on. I'm a gold miner with the stigma there. I don't really ask for help, you know what I mean? I've always been that way. And it's just some things were going on in my head, and I didn't know what it was, because I didn't know anything about depression and things of that nature. And so I just thought I'd deal with it myself and try and figure it out, which is tough when you don't know what you're dealing with."
Season 14 has shown Ness on a mission for redemption, but one downside about his return is that he doesn't have enough resources to turn things around. Things haven't been the most fruitful though, with Ness revealing in Episode 12 that the running costs for his operations have amounted to around $750,000.
[ Meet Rick Ness: 4 Things to Know About Gold Rush Star ]
Fred Dodge
After appearing as a guest star in the first two seasons, Fred "Freddy" Dodge became a Gold Rush mainstay in Season 3. Since then, he has been a consistent part of the reality series with over 40 years of mining experience.
Aside from his stint in Gold Rush, Dodge is also the star of his spin-off series, Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge's Mine Rescue, which made its premiere on January 3, 2021.
The spinoff features Dodge helping struggling mine owners recover and strategize for a better gold recovery.
Chris Doumitt
As a veteran miner, Chris Doumitt was initially a member of the Hoffman Crew before switching sides with the Parker Crew. He's one of the most trusted and reliable members of the said crew.
Chris has been married to his wife, Sharon, for 45 years, and they were blessed with two children.
When he's not mining, Chris engages himself with fishing, playing golf, and winemaking.
Roger Schnabel
Roger Schnabel is Peter's father and the part owner of the Big Nugget Mine.
He's been one of Peter's most reliable allies throughout Gold Rush's run on the small screen.
Brian Zaremba
One of Rick Ness' closest friends is Brian Zaremba. The veteran miner hails from Wisconsin, and he has a wife and two dogs.
Aside from striking the gold in mining, Brian also has 20 years' worth of experience in the field of construction.
Mitch Blaschke
Initially serving as the Hoffman Crew's mechanic, Mitch Blaschke joined Parker Crew in Season 5 alongside Gene Cheeseman.
Blaschke is a self-trained mechanic, and his expertise managed to help Parker Crew maintain the smooth operations of its washplants. As a result, it helped the team earn consistent gold record totals.
Nancy Schnabel
Nancy Schnabel is Parker's mother and Roger Schnabel's wife.
She first appeared in Gold Rush Season 2.
Tyson Lee
Tyson Lee is a miner from the Parker Crew who also serves as the team's rock truck driver. He joined the team in Season 6.
Minnie Beets
Minnie Beets is Tony's wife, and they have been married for 25 years.
She handles the accounts of the family business at Paradise Hill and is the spokesperson for Gorilla Cookies.
Mike Beets
Mike Beets is one of Tony and Minnie's sons and is the supervisor of Paradise Hill.
Aside from his role as supervisor, Mike is also a medieval recreationist.
Monica Beets
Monica Beets is Tony and Minnie's daughter and Mike's sister.
She also works at Paradise Hill. Monica is married to Taylor Mayes.
Len Hoekstra
Len Hoekstra is a friend of Tony Beets whom he occasionally hires for special tasks, such as changing an impeller on the barge and working in the dredge.
Morgan Lauren
Joining the cast of Gold Rush Season 14 is newcomer Morgan Lauren.
Lauren works under Rick Ness' crew as an equipment operator and gold washer.
Before joining the mining business, she worked as an oil field equipment operator for 10 years.
Fred Lewis
Fred Lewis makes a return to Gold Rush in Episode 6, approaching Parker Schnabel about the possibility of helping out with his operations.
Schnabel politely declined, leading Lewis to take time off from the mining business.
Kevin Beets
After announcing that he would be taking a break from gold mining in the Season 14 premiere, Kevin Beets returns to the show in later episodes. However, a blowout with his father, Tony, may have sent him off the show once again.
After adjusting the roller rings of the trommel, the machinery still manages to malfunction. This causes a massive argument between Kevin and his father, ultimately resulting in Kevin deciding to walk away even after an offer of his own claim from Tony.
Gold Rush Season 14 is available to stream on Discovery+.
