"America's Toughest Jobs" - September 8, 2008 episode

Still in Alaska, this time, they go to Girdwood, where the Crow Creek Mine is located. This week, the task is gold mining on a creek with 35 degree rushing water.

The first day of the challenge, they are taught the shovel and panning method and how to swirl their pans to get the dirt and sand and rocks out and to try to reveal any gold that might be present. Each of the contestants are working separately, and some take the time to move some really big rocks, under which is regarded to be fertile ground for gold. Phil has an inauspicious start when he slips and falls in the creek, but luckily, there were no other consequences other than losing a bucket. After a long day of working, it's time to pitch the tents for the night, but too many leaders and not enough followers cause problems, with tension rising between Rie and Bryce. The next morning, some of the contestants make breakfast, and some get firewood, but others, like Bryce, just stand around doing nothing. The contestants aren't just being judged on how much gold they find but also things like teamwork.

This second day, they'll be dredge mining, where a tube is used to suck out sand and clay into a fast rushing trough of water that will hopefully trap any gold pieces on the carpet at the bottom. Not all of the contestants are working hard, as Steven is seen slacking off and taking breaks for snacks. After the dredging, the contestants still have to pan through the dirt and sludge they've accumulated.

When the day is over, the two miners decide that the best of the bunch was Sandy for her great effort and willingness to work hard.

The bottom four, though, include Steven, Phil, Bryce and Ben. They will be using the dredge mining method, and the one who mines the least amount of gold in the alloted time will be kicked off.

However, before their final task, they get a surprise - each gets a satellite phone call from a loved one. Steven especially appreciates the opportunity because his mother had breast cancer and now has stomach cancer, and she is able to update him that her condition is steady at the moment.

They are then off to their task. The other contestants can't help, but they try to give moral and verbal support, though they're not as much of a help as they think they are. One by one, they retreat to the tents for sleep, but the four are working all night.

After the deadline the next morning, it's time to measure their gold. Ben goes first and receives the weight of his gold. Next up is Steven, who ends up getting the most gold out of all of them. Then, it's Bryce's turn, and he ends up with one-tenth of an ounce more gold than Ben. Last, it comes to Phil, who ended up with quite a bit less than Ben, so Phil is eliminated from the game, much to the dismay of many of the other contestants who liked him. They all say he was a hard worker, but hard work isn't all that's necessary in gold mining - you have to be able to coax the gold out of the rubble.

At the very end of the show, it was noted that Phil did not go back to his job as a pharmaceutical sales rep. Instead, probably because he did the best in last week's challenge, he ended up accepting a job as a long-haul truck driver in Alaska.


This was a pretty good episode. I had no idea they still really did gold mining, and using fairly old-fashioned methods too.

Bryce was being a complete ass this week. He was so cocky and said he worked just as hard as anyone else when it was obvious that he didn't. He's lucky he slipped by.

I was really surprised, though, that it was the bottom four that had the benefit of a luxury - of being able to speak to a family member when none of them have been able to. It seemed weird to reward the four worst performers of the challenge!

And Ben was just an idiot. Yeah, dude, they're prejudiced against dreadlocks, that's why they picked you. It wasn't that you weren't as good as most of the other people. Whatever.

But it was so cool at the end to find out that Phil ended up being an actual long-haul truck driver! Senta apparently didn't go back to her job either. I wonder how many of the contestants will end up having a career change because of this show.

Next week - monster trucks!