The Untold Truth Of Gold Rush: White Water's Fred Hurt
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"Gold Rush" has gone strong on Discovery since it first debuted in 2010. The show follows the exploits of several different mining groups as they venture into varying territories, from Alaska to the Yukon, in the hunt for what's effectively buried treasure. There's still a ton of gold out there waiting to be discovered, and a lot of people still have that old prospector spirit to see what riches await them in the wilderness.
A lot of the people featured throughout "Gold Rush" have gone on to become media personalities in their own right. Fans have come to connect with the miners, as tends to be the case with any reality series. And while a fair amount of attention goes toward the likes of Parker Schnabel and Tony Beets, it's important to pay respect to the man who helped Todd Hoffman along in his mining journey — Fred Hurt. He was on the show starting from its first season advising Hoffman before venturing out with his own crew.
He stayed on the show throughout its fourth season before moving forward with his own spinoff series, "Gold Rush: White Water." Despite his prominence on Discovery, there's still a lot about the miner most people are unaware of. While he tends to keep a low profile, here's what we know about the iconic personality that is Fred Hurt.
Fred Hurt's first love was fishing
Fred Hurt didn't always necessarily think he would become a miner. In fact, when he was a young boy, his first passion involved fishing. He learned to love aquatic life, and for a period of time, he thought he would become a marine biologist (via Affair Post). It wasn't long until he learned that people who pursue that way of life don't exactly make a ton of money, so he began pursuing other interests.
He may not have become a marine biologist, but he at least managed to find a way to incorporate his interest into his chosen career path, namely mining for gold. For Hurt's 77th birthday, "Gold Rush: White Water" documented him going for a dive at the bottom of a raucous river. It's clear even in old age he's not afraid to get his hands dirty and go for a swim.
Gold mining wasn't his first profession
Given his expertise in the field of gold mining, it would be easy to assume he had always wanted to be a miner once he decided marine biology wasn't for him. However, he was in a completely different field for many years before catching the digging bug. When he worked as a commercial diver as a young man, he soon learned all about underwater construction, and he would go on to own his own construction company for 25 years.
He retired from that trade in 2004, and rather than hang around his house all day doing nothing, he pursued another interest in that aftermath. He went into a completely different industry, namely mining, where he's been ever since. In some ways, his days in the construction world probably helped his mining efforts as he learned about support systems necessary for salvage and demolition.
He left Gold Rush for financial reasons
Fred Hurt joined "Gold Rush" from the very beginning. He was on Todd Hoffman's team for Season 1, and the following season, he ventured forth with his own team. They'd stick around for Seasons 3 and 4, and after that point, they abruptly left the show. Granted, they didn't say goodbye to Discovery entirely. They went on to star in the spinoff series, "Gold Rush: White Water," but it's enough to make fans wonder why Hurt felt the need to leave the mainstay series.
While he's never specified the precise reason for his departure, it apparently all came down to money. Starcasm quoted Hurt's Facebook page, where he wrote, "I am a working class guy like most of you. After spending more for four years straight than I made, there was no way for me to continue. But the main reason is simple......and I quote.... 'If you want a Miner, call me.......if you want an Actor, pay me like one.'" Apparently, working on "Gold Rush: White Water" was a more lucrative prospect for Hurt and his family.
Fred Hurt has an estimated net worth of $6 million
Based on the above-mentioned Facebook post, it may be easy to assume Hurt is hurting for money. But that's apparently not the case. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he's done quite well for himself and has amassed a total net worth of $6 million. While that may be a decent nest egg for some, the Hurts are always looking for more and always on the hunt for the next big dig site.
Fred Hurt's son, Dustin, actually sat down for an exclusive interview with Looper, where he chatted about the mindset most miners have where they always want more. As he explained, "Every gold miner wants more gold no matter how much gold you get. It's gonna be a truckload, you want two truckloads, right? Just how gold works. There is never going to be a moment where a gold miner is satisfied with the amount of gold that they have. So I always want more."
The Hurts were featured on the documentary Gold Blooded
Between the first few seasons of "Gold Rush" and the continuing adventures of the family on "Gold Rush: White Water," you may think you've seen it all when it comes to the Hurts. However, the family actually was featured in another documentary titled "Gold Blooded," which you can rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
The 83-minute special follows the Hurts between their time leaving "Gold Rush" and getting another start on "White Water." They battle against the elements of nature to attempt to strike it rich under a tremendous waterfall. You can watch the trailer for the documentary, which sees the crew head out to McKinley Falls, Alaska to see what's waiting for them. There's a lot on the line, and Fred and Dustin Hurt both had to put a lot of their own money on the line for the chance of striking it rich. As you wait for more new episodes of "Gold Rush: White Water," you can see how this epic adventure played out.