Rick Ness returns to Gold Rush, new season premieres Sep 29

It’s been rumored for months that Rick Ness would be returning to Gold Rush after a one-season hiatus. Those rumors were finally confirmed earlier today as Discovery released a teaser trailer for Gold Rush Season 14 that concluded with a dramatic Rick Ness reveal!

The teaser video is highly stylized and features Parker Schnabel and Tony Beets looking like a father-and-son superhero duo as they stroll around a mining site wearing tuxedos. The footage occasionally shifts to black-and-white, with splashes of gold in the jewelry, fabric, dirt and water.

Tony and Parker remove their jackets and literally roll up their sleeves as they prepare to literally get their hands dirty looking for gold.

The teaser ends as Tony and Parker glance to the side at an apparent mystery man. The mystery man is revealed to be Rick Ness. Rick is also wearing a tux, but he is in the process of putting on his trademark baseball cap.

Discovery press release announcing Gold Rush Season 14

Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush Returns for a High-Stakes Season Friday, September 29 at 8/7c

The ambitious gold miners from Discovery Channel’s hit series Gold Rush are in for a make-or-break season that shifts the balance of power forever. There’s only room for the best when Gold Rush returns for a new season on Friday, September 29 at 8/7c.

After 10 years working in the Klondike, 28-year-old mining prodigy Parker Schnabel is at a crossroads. He must decide whether to play it safe and scale back his operation or risk it all on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire historically gold-rich virgin ground. It’s a massive gamble that could bankrupt him or deliver hundreds of millions in profit and cement his place as one of the most powerful miners in the region.

After dropping off the radar for nearly two years and giving up mining, Rick Ness is on a mission to turn his life around, make millions and achieve his version of the American Dream. But with no crew and very little money, Rick faces an uphill battle on his road to redemption, along with questions about what happened during his lost year.

Tony Beets, the 66-year-old “King of the Klondike,” wants to surpass his best-ever 5,300-ounce gold haul, worth a whopping $9 million. This year, he hopes to up the ante with a 6,000-ounce goal. Everything is looking up when he gets access to his coveted claims on the Indian River. But when one of his kids decides not to come back, it threatens to derail everything and puts pressure on the rest of the family to step up.

In gold mining, there is no better reward than hitting paydirt and potentially making millions overnight. With it come the challenges of mechanical failure or risk of sinking your life savings into barren ground. Despite previous successes, these miners must continue to put in the hard work to stay at the top and fulfill the ultimate American Dream.

Viewers can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #GoldRush and following Gold Rush on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Rick Ness hints at Gold Rush return

Rick Ness was a no show for Gold Rush Season 13. Crew member and friend Zee paid Rick a visit on camera at his Milwaukee home, and Rick revealed that he was struggling with depression and seasonal affective disorder.

In a confessional, Rick elaborated on his state of mind at the time the scene was filmed:

I am doing better, but it’s, uh — there’s just a lot of things that I don’t understand still, you know, with what I’m — whatever this is I’m going through. It’s, you know, it’s tough. Zee brought up my mother passing, and you know, I don’t like talking about it because he’s not wrong. Or, you know, I have her house and, like, I haven’t been there in two years, and, you know, I probably need to go there, I think, to face it. Maybe that’ll help, maybe it won’t. Once again, that’s the frustrating thing about it, I don’t know what’s causing it. And I think that’s — I don’t know if you ever know. When I’m ready, I will be gold mining again. I just don’t know when that is.

Rick seemed to suggest that his return to mining was imminent with a Facebook post he shared on February 6 of this year. In the post, Rick announced that he was looking for a diesel mechanic.

A few months later, Rick essentially confirmed he was mining again, without actually confirming he was mining again, with this Facebook post:

RUMOR ALERT!!

There’s a big mystery going on about whether or not I am mining this year. I’d love to confirm or deny this, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. On that note , please read the following post about me looking for operators to work on my mining claim which is where I am at right now, mining for gold🧐🤔

Looking for experienced and qualified operators to start work ASAP in Canada.

Must be willing to work long hours in a remote location and work as a team player under pressure. Don’t worry, we have some fun too.

All backgrounds with prior experience are welcome. Please send your resume and a quick note about yourself to ricknesscrew@gmail.com

We wish Rick Ness all the best on his return to mining and to Gold Rush. He seemed to be a very dark place for a long time, including his failed relationship with former fiancée, Leese Arie. His goal will likely be much more than finding gold, and we hopes he reaches it.

Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com