Out of anyone else featured throughout “Gold Rush,” Chris Doumitt has arguably had the most arduous journey. For starters, when he was initially introduced in Season 1, he wasn’t even supposed to be part of the mining crews. He was sent out to Alaska to assist in building a cabin, but he quickly caught the mining itch and stayed out there for several months. Since that time, he’s appeared on every season of “Gold Rush” as a fan favorite.
He got his start on Todd Hoffman’s team, but as was the case with many people who worked for him, he quickly left. Since Season 4, he’s worked on Parker Schnabel’s crew to stellar results. Schnabel has the magic touch on “Gold Rush,” where he seems always to be able to find hundreds upon thousands of dollars worth of gold no matter where he sets up shop. No doubt Chris Doumitt has played a significant role in that as a self-described “pumpologist.”
Doumitt has more than earned his keep over the years, and he has ample standout moments throughout the reality series. However, there’s one that just might make you pause upon rewatches, so you can appreciate just what a genius Doumitt is.
Chris Doumitt’s quick thinking led to a $600,000 find
“Gold Rush” is a series of epic highs and epic lows. A gambit may pull off major rewards, or it could leave the team down in the dust. It’s all a matter of intuition and the people on the site knowing what they’re doing to get their gear into optimal condition, so when something precarious results in a triumphant moment, there’s cause for celebration.
That was the case for a Season 12 episode of “Gold Rush” when Chris Doumitt noticed some issues with a pump. Things looked a little sketchy initially, but with some help from some of the other crew members, Doumitt gets the pump working ideally once again. Of course, they only know how good it’s working upon the gold weigh, which may have had some fans pausing their TV sets to take in the mind-blowing number the gang pulled in.
The haul for the day was 337.45 ounces of gold, which translates to roughly $600,000. Not a bad haul for a day’s work, and Parker Schnabel is understandably pleased with the results. It’s all thanks to Doumitt’s know-how, which undoubtedly came from working on mining sites for over a decade at this point. It just shows how Schnabel knows how to scope out talent and bring people on his team who continue to impress years after they’re brought on.