Gold Rush's Chris Doumitt Explains Why He Tries To Get The Crew To Have A Little Fun
It takes hard work and determination to search for gold in the Klondike in Yukon territory. The crews on the hit Discovery series "Gold Rush" are up for the challenge, doing everything they can to get the gold they need by the end of the mining season. Parker Schnabel and Chris Doumitt are just some of the people who are working through tough weather conditions and handling unforeseen equipment issues, hoping that it doesn't cost them too much time.
According to Discovery, Doumitt was a plant carpenter before entering the gold mining business. He has been working with Schnabel since Season 4. During Season 12, Doumitt says, "Mining is more of a science than it is just digging." It's during this season that his keen eye and passion for the job stop gold from slipping through the crew's hands, saving $600,000 in gold from excess water that was washing it away.
While Doumitt works hard, he does make time for some fun. And he has shared why he tries to get the crew to enjoy some downtime.
Doumitt makes time each week to relax and chat with his crew members
Tensions rise from time to time on "Gold Rush," including in Season 13, Episode 13, "Big Gold Energy," when Fred Lewis and his stepson Christopher Parker have a disagreement over the breakdown of equipment. And it's the stressful nature of the job that encourages Chris Doumitt to have a little fun each week.
In a featurette for Season 10 of Discovery's "Gold Rush: The Dirt," Doumitt says that he invites Parker Schnabel and the rest of the crew to his cabin to help them relax at the end of the week. And he has plenty of fun activities on hand in his Gold Room. "Maybe a dart game will break out or somebody will hit some golf balls. That's why I have that stuff down there. It's stress relief," he says, adding that they also use the time to have a few drinks and catch up. Schnabel even tries operating a remote-controlled motorboat and finds out that the toy has some serious power as it zooms across the water.
During the featurette, Schnabel shares why Doumitt is the crew member with all of the toys. "It's a sore subject with some of the crew. Nobody else has any time to do that kind of stuff," he says, laughing, adding that he takes the time to throw a few darts during these visits.