Discovery Reveals ‘Bering Sea Gold’ Return Date, New Season Details (Exclusive)

Discovery Channel has scheduled the new-season premiere for Bering Sea Gold: Under the Ice.

The series, which centers on gold miners looking to strike it rich in Alaska, will return at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Friday, Nov. 8.

The third season finds the miners dealing with winter in Nome, Alaska, but they aren’t letting anything stand in the way of their search for gold — even if it’s located at the bottom of the Bering Sea beneath four feet thick sheets of ice. 

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This year, the conditions are even more brutal and the challenges greater than ever before. With temperatures dropping below minus-30 degrees, crews face the real threat of hypothermia, frostbite and even death. But first they need to get the rigs up and running, which proves to be one of the biggest challenges of all. 

Per Discovery’s official description, this year’s crew includes:

— The Shamrock: Headed by co-owners Shawn and Steve Pomrenke, this father and son team is the most successful operation in Nome. In 2010, the crew carved $3 million in gold off the ocean floor. But can Shawn get his crew on the ice before his father drops the hammer?

— The Clark: Led by Zeke Tenhoff, a Nome native, who has been dredging gold for the last six years. Zeke is hoping to put the past year behind him, having endured a disappointing dredging season and the tragic loss of his best friend and partner, John Bunce. Zeke has once again sunk every dime he has into his ice dredging operation that now includes seasoned divers Ian Foster and Rob Hehnlin. He also must face his on-again, off-again love interest Emily Riedel who worked closely with him all last season.

— Wild Ranger: Owner Vernon Adkinson has leveraged his entire life’s savings on making his ever-expanding gold operation profitable. After a tumultuous first season and his fallout with fellow dredger Scott Meisterheim, Vernon has a lot on the line. But can he prove that he’s capable to make a dime in the gold mining business?

— Steve’s World on Ice: After being fired from the Wild Ranger for the third time this past summer – and ending his friendship with Vernon — Steve Riedel is looking to lead his own crew this winter as well as give Vernon some competition. However, Steve’s true nemesis in Nome is fellow dredger Scott Meisterheim. The two have clashed constantly, resulting in firings and restraining orders. Joining Steve this winter is his daughter, Emily, who is hoping that she will earn enough money one day to escape Nome and become a professional opera singer.

— Anchor Management: This past summer, owner Scott Meisterheim struggled with alcoholism that led to a disastrous season and a brief stint in rehab. Scott has debts to pay that are above $150,000. With his investors and debtors hounding him for money, Scott has got to get it together this winter. But will his drinking and tendency to blame others make Scott his own worst enemy?

Bering Sea Gold is one of cable’s highest-rated series; it finished its last run in first-quarter 2013 second only to Discovery’s Gold Rush in all of cable and was the top cable program in its time slot among men. Bering Sea Gold’s debut also became Discovery’s highest-rated series premiere ever.

The show is produced for Discovery by Original Productions (Deadliest Catch). Executive producers for Original are Thom Beers, Philip D. Segal, Jeff Conroy, John Gray, Sheila McCormack and series producer Cameron Glendenning; David Pritikin executive produces for the network.