‘Gold Rush’: Fred Lewis ‘At the End’ of His Rope in Exclusive Sneak Peek

Fred Lewis’ crew is up against a massive ice jam that could mean the end of their season. In a PopCulture.com exclusive sneak peek of Friday’s all-new episode of Gold Rush, Lewis admits he’s at “the end of [his] rope” as a huge ice sheet at California Creek prevents the crew from making any progress mining. 

As Buzz Legault tries to get things moving with heavy machinery, Lewis guides him from the side of the river, urging him to be careful amid the treacherous ice. “It’s not feasible,” Legault tells Lewis after another failed attempt. “We’re gonna have to think of something else…because this is definitely not gonna work.” Dejected, Lewis responds, “F- dude, we don’t have a backup plan,” asking, “We got nothing, is that what you’re telling me?” Legault responds, “I’m afraid at this point in time,” as Lewis tells him, “We’re f-ked, Buzz.”

If the cold spring continues, the ice might never fully melt, which would completely destroy Lewis’ dream of a successful season. It’s a possibility that takes Lewis to his edge, which he reveals when Stuart Mckenzie comes to check on him. “I don’t have anything else to throw at this,” Lewis tells Mckenzie, who reminds him, “It’s one of those things where we’re not gonna go home; we’re not gonna quit.”

Finances are a huge concern for Lewis, who confesses, “I’m gonna run out of money.” Mckenzie assures him, “It’s a possibility, but it’s also a possibility that we’re gonna hit the motherlode and walk out of here … being able to go back and buy Bentleys.” Lewis explains that while “usually” that’s the kind of thinking that he’s got going on, things have been different this season. “Lately, it just seems like there’s some puppeteer pullin’ my strings and making s- go wrong, and it’s like, ‘How much can you take? How much can you take?’” he confesses. “And I just wanna cut the f-king string. I’m just at the end of my rope, man.” Gold Rush airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery and streams the same day on discovery+.