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(Silver Spring, Md.) - GOLD RUSH: ALASKA, premiering Friday, December 3 at 10PM ET/PT, follows six men who, in the face of an economic meltdown, risk everything - their families, their dignity, and in some cases, their lives - to strike it rich mining for gold in the wilds of Alaska.  Inspired by his father Jack, Todd Hoffman of Sandy, Oregon, leads a group of greenhorn miners to forge a new frontier and save their families from dire straits.  While leasing a gold claim in Alaska, Todd and his company of newbies face the grandeur of Alaska as well as its hardships, including an impending winter that will halt operations and the opportunity to strike gold.  In an effort to keep the operation running, the team takes fate into their own hands with a make or break venture that will change their lives forever.

After watching the steady decline of his aviation business in Oregon due to the stalled economy, Todd searched for new opportunities.  With the price of gold on the rise, he came up with a plan to mine for the mineral in southeast Alaska, where there's an estimated $250 billion worth of gold.¹  The mystique of Alaska draws Todd to Porcupine Creek, the setting for GOLD RUSH: ALASKA, where his father Jack mined for three seasons in the 1980s before he nearly went bankrupt.

Todd and Jack look to their community in Oregon for a team of men to work the mines alongside them, knowing dire economic straits have hit those around them hardest.  They have no financial means to pay them until - or unless - they find gold.  It's a risk, but with high unemployment in Oregon, there's no shortage of interest.  The assembled team includes: rookie Jimmy Dorsey, mechanical genius James Harness, foreman Greg Remsburg, and safety officer Jim Thurber. 

The mine at Porcupine Creek is located in the heart of one of the last great wildernesses, where weather conditions can change in an instant.  The claim is surrounded by the largest bald eagle population on earth, and a nearby river is the site of a year-round salmon run.  Grizzly bears and moose sightings happen daily, and the team must be prepared for some seriously close encounters.  Armed with the hope and ferocity to rekindle the original American Dream, GOLD RUSH: ALASKA shines a spotlight on this group of enthusiasts.  In essence, these are the new "'49ers," going back to the roots this country was founded on:  hard labor, blood, sweat and tears.  The men risk everything in the biggest gamble of their lives, and the hunt is on to strike it rich - or in some cases, go bust.

GOLD RUSH: ALASKA airs on Fridays at 10PM ET/PT beginning December 3.  The series is produced for Discovery Channel by Raw Television, where Dimitri Doganis is executive producer, and Sam Maynard is series producer.  For Discovery Channel, Tim Pastore and Christo Doyle are executive producers.

About Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement.  The network, which is distributed to 100.1 million U.S. homes, can be seen in over 180 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries.  Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com.  For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

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For more information on GOLD RUSH, including review screeners,

photos and miner bios:  http://press.discovery.com

Interviews are available

Sources:

^{•1.         David Szumigala, Senior Minerals Geologist, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical}