The BEST episodes of Gold Rush: White Water

Every episode of Gold Rush: White Water ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Gold Rush: White Water!

Gold miners Dakota Fred and his son Dustin are back – returning to McKinley Creek Alaska, determined to make a fortune no matter the risk. But to find the big gold payout, they'll put their lives on the line by diving deep beneath the raging waters of one of Alaska's wildest creeks.

Last Updated: 4/1/2026Network: DiscoveryStatus: Continuing

8.03

174 votes

#1 - Royal Flush

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/14/2020

The Dakota boys finish out their season with a record gold haul. Fred discovers a pocket of gold above Thunder Falls. Two miles away, Dustin battles a boulder field. Despite heavy rainfall and raging waters The Dakota Boys find their biggest nugget.

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7.99

107 votes

#2 - Fred Hurt Forever

Season 8 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/29/2024

The miners mourn the loss of their mentor and mining legend, Fred Hurt. As they navigate grief and uncertainty, they must summon the strength to carry on Fred's legacy and persevere through the roughest waters yet.

7.93

122 votes

#3 - A Tragic Beginning

Season 8 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/8/2024

A heartbreaking revelation sends shock waves through the crew as they tackle their toughest dive site yet in search of millions in gold.

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7.87

120 votes

#4 - Dakota Fred Takes Charge

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/2/2022

Battling the raging whitewater at Nugget Creek, Dustin and crew must build a safe harbor for their dredge. Meanwhile, legendary miner Fred Hurt returns to help solve the mystery of the pilings gold.

7.85

129 votes

#5 - Buried Alive

Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/5/2021

An early winter storm turns McKinley Creek into a raging torrent. Unwilling to call it quits, Dustin and his crew prepare for their toughest battle yet. At the trifecta, Fred's worst fears come true as the walls of his dive hole come crashing down on him.

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7.83

175 votes

#6 - Rockfall Ravine

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/31/2020

Fred fires his dredge back up and lands his biggest gold haul of the year. Dustin faces an uncertain future and Carlos makes a surprising discovery at the new dive site.

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7.82

138 votes

#7 - Curse of the Gold Gods

Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/11/2022

With just a month left of the season, both crews are closing in on bedrock gold. But a life-threatening accident at Dustin's site forces his crew out of the water, while Kayla's crew battles an impenetrable obstacle.

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7.81

178 votes

#8 - Hands Full of Gold

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/7/2020

Dakota Fred taps out Thunder Falls with his biggest gold haul. Dustin hits the nugget jackpot at Rockfall Ravine.

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7.81

96 votes

#9 - Fred's Golden Gift

Season 8 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/5/2024

The loss of legendary gold miner "Dakota" Fred Hurt has the miners reeling. But their determination as they push on to honor Fred's legacy pays off with a record-breaking discovery.

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7.80

97 votes

#10 - "Welcome to My Nightmare"

Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 4/19/2024

An airboat accident could end this record-breaking season, and severe weather could make matters worse.

7.80

184 votes

#11 - Enter the Superclaw

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/29/2019

The Dakota boys bank their first gold hauls of the season. Dustin invents a custom super claw to remove massive boulders from his plunge pool. Fred and his crew are confronted by a deadly cable malfunction.

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7.79

131 votes

#12 - Cut and Run

Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/21/2022

Dustin Hurt makes a shocking and controversial decision that changes the course of his entire season. Kayla makes a desperate plea to double her chances at uncovering a life-changing pile of gold.

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7.78

144 votes

#13 - Blackout

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/18/2022

Just inches from bedrock and a potential life-changing payday at the Chute, Dustin Hurt and his crew are forced to dive in the most dangerous conditions they've ever faced.

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7.77

110 votes

#14 - Homemade Highway to Hell

Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/9/2022

A medical emergency threatens to end the season before it begins. Meanwhile, Kayla fights to gain access to her new claim, by building a 400-foot walkway into the sheer cliffs high above Nugget Creek.

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7.76

152 votes

#15 - Fortune Favors the Bold

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/11/2022

Dustin Hurt faces a dilemma: risk his life and financial ruin by purchasing and mining one of the most legendary and inhospitable claims in Alaska or play it safe in the white water of McKinley Creek.

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7.75

193 votes

#16 - The Widow Maker

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/1/2019

The Dakota boys are dredging towards a nugget trap they believe holds a jackpot of gold. After a rough season, this could this be the life-changing fortune they desperately need.

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7.73

125 votes

#17 - To The Edge

Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/12/2021

Determined to add to his season's record-breaking gold haul, Dustin pushes his luck to the very edge, as a freak accident sends him hurtling out of control towards the 80 foot drop at McKinley falls.

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7.72

127 votes

#18 - In Too Deep

Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/19/2021

Dustin risks the remainder of his season on an ambitious move upstream to raging waters in a quest to add to his record-breaking gold haul; after a brush with death, Fred must come up with a new plan before someone gets killed.

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7.72

145 votes

#19 - A Golden Opportunity

Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/11/2022

Dustin prospects new ground. Fred leads the crews as the creek rages.

7.72

175 votes

#20 - End of the Rainbow

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/17/2020

Dustin cleans up with his biggest gold haul yet. At Thunder Falls, engine failure and giant boulders block Fred's path to gold, and as the problems escalate, his life is on the line.

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7.71

207 votes

#21 - The Nugget Trap

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/1/2019

The Dakota Boys and the crew face difficulties and delays when their equipment breaks, but, their hard work finally pays off when they find a huge amount of gold.

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7.71

213 votes

#22 - Burned Alive

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/11/2019

Equipment failure leaves one crew member with life-threatening burns, while the advantage of having two dredges up and running proves successful.

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7.71

119 votes

#23 - Hell from the Heavens

Season 7 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/1/2023

A monster typhoon is on a collision course with Nugget Creek, threatening to rip the gold from Dustin's grip. With both crews on the verge of striking life-changing gold, they're prepared to stand their ground and fight back against the coming storm.

7.70

145 votes

#24 - Depths of Despair

Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/29/2021

The Dakota Boys are close to a huge gold cleanup; Ryan faces his worst fears as he dives deeper than ever into a crumbling, narrow 14-foot hole; Carlos finally hits bedrock at Rockfall Ravine and reveals that this dive site could pay out huge.

7.70

135 votes

#25 - The Last Stand

Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/18/2022

In the season finale, Dustin's return inspires a final push to get a life-changing pile of gold from McKinley Creek before winter freezes them out. Kayla calls one last Hail Mary play to reach House Rock bedrock payday.

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