Rick Ness, born Richard Ness, is an American gold miner, musician, and television personality best known for Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush. He joined the show in Season 3 as a rookie with no mining background. Before mining, he played upright bass for the .357 String Band. Parker Schnabel brought him onto his crew in the Yukon, where he learned the trade from the ground up. 

After years working under Schnabel, Ness broke away to run his own independent mining operation in the Klondike. His path from touring musician to mine boss makes him one of the most recognizable names in Gold Rush history.

Who Is Rick Ness? (Quick Bio Snapshot)

Rick Ness, whose full name is Richard Ness, is an American gold miner and TV personality. Fans know him from Gold Rush, the reality television series that airs on the Discovery Channel. The show follows family-run mining companies as they search for gold across different regions, with filming that has taken crews to Canada, South America, and parts of Western North America.

Ness stands out among the Gold Rush cast members because of his background. He started as a bassist in a touring band long before he touched a single piece of mining equipment. Once he joined the show, he built his reputation through excavation work and rock truck operations. Gold mining became more than a job. It turned him into a full-fledged television personality within the reality TV series world.

Early Life, Family & Background

Rick Ness was born on March 5, 1981, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He holds American nationality and spent most of his childhood in Escanaba, Michigan, growing up in a blue-collar household. He has a twin brother named Randy Ness, who works as a mechanic. The family later spent time in Rhinelander before Rick’s own path pulled him elsewhere.

His mother was Judy Marie Bedard, and his father was Richard Ness Sr., often called Big Rick. Both of Rick’s grandfathers were World War veterans, one living to age 94 and the other to age 89. Their sense of duty shaped how the family approached the construction trade.

Rick attended Escanaba Area High School and graduated in 1999. He played football through school and hoped to continue with college football, but a head injury cut that plan short. Around the same time, he was already learning heavy equipment and machinery through the family’s construction business.

Family Business & Construction Roots

The family construction business traces back to Roy Ness Contracting and Sales Inc, founded in Escanaba by his grandfather, Roy Ness. Randy Ness works there as a machinist, keeping heavy machinery running for local construction firms. That early exposure gave Rick a mechanical head start long before Gold Rush ever entered the picture.

Music Career: The .357 String Band Years

After his football injury, Rick picked up an upright bass and joined a band in 2003. That group became the .357 String Band, sometimes styled .357 Stringband, playing a mix of Americana music, bluegrass, and country punk. Founding members included Derrick Dune, Joseph Huber, Jayke Orvis, and Billy Cook alongside Rick on bass guitar.

The band released three albums, more like three EP albums in length, over the next several years. Ghost Town came out in 2006, followed by Fire & Hail in 2008 and Lightning From The North in 2010. They toured widely, building a following well beyond Wisconsin.

One stop on that tour changed everything. At the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines, Alaska, around 2009, Rick met a young gold miner named Parker Schnabel. Neither of them knew it yet, but that meeting at the Southeast Alaskan State Fair would eventually pull Rick away from music entirely.

What Happened to the .357 String Band After 2011?

The .357 String Band disbanded in 2011 as members went their separate ways. Rick shifted his full attention to gold mining soon after. No confirmed reunion of the Americana and bluegrass group has happened since it broke up.

How Rick Ness Met Parker Schnabel & Joined Gold Rush

Parker did not offer Rick a job on the spot. About nine months passed before Parker reached out with an actual job offer. Rick accepted and flew to Alaska on just 12 days notice.

He arrived with driving experience and a mechanical background built at the family’s construction business in Escanaba, not mining experience. That heavy machinery know-how mattered more than any resume. Parker brought him on as a rock truck operator and excavator operator.

Rick officially joined Gold Rush in Season 3, which premiered on Discovery Channel in 2012. A chance meeting at a music festival turned into a career neither of them expected.

Rick Ness’s Gold Rush Career Timeline

Rise Through Parker Schnabel’s Crew (Seasons 3-8)

Rick started as a rock truck driver before moving into excavators and loaders across the Alaskan wilderness. He spent six years, often described as six consecutive seasons, building his skills under Parker Schnabel. By his second season on the crew, he had already moved past basic truck duty.

John Schnabel, Parker’s grandfather, occasionally visited to offer guidance. Parker’s own net worth sat around $2 million at the time, while veteran miner Todd Hoffman was estimated closer to $5 million. Rick earned about $20,000 per episode during this stretch. John Harness, another figure tied to the crew, passed away in July 2014.

Why Rick Ness Left Parker’s Crew: The Panama Canal Incident

Rick’s decision to leave started taking shape in 2017. During a job at the Panama Canal site, he promised Parker he could finish on schedule, but the work fell behind and drove up costs. That setback pushed Rick toward wanting to become a boss in his own right rather than staying second in command.

He confirmed the split publicly in “Mining With Monsters,” an episode of the spinoff Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail that aired on March 23, 2018. Parker did not take the news personally, and the two parted on good terms.

Launching an Independent Mining Operation (Season 9)

In Season 9, which aired in 2018, Rick launched his own independent mining operation in the Yukon and became mine boss for the first time. He built a crew mostly from friends back home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

His early team included mechanic Zee Zaremba and Karla Ann Charlton, who worked as a survival expert. Later in the season, gold mining veteran Freddy Dodge joined to help improve recovery. Paul Christie served as narrator, while Terry Franklin and Brian Z rounded out the crew.

Rick leased ground at Duncan Creek, opening a new area he called Shamrock Cut with help from his father, Rick Ness Sr. He briefly weighed ground in Guyana before settling on the Yukon claim. His crew set a goal of 1,000 ounces and beat it, finishing with 1,105 ounces of gold worth about $1.3 million.

Setbacks at Keno Hill & the COVID-19 Season (Seasons 10-11)

Season 10 covered the 2019-2020 mining year, when Rick moved operations to Keno Hill. He invested in a new wash plant nicknamed Monster Red, but breakdowns and land disputes slowed things down. He still finished with 547 ounces of gold from Duncan Creek.

Season 11 covered 2020-2021, shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In “It’s Alive” (Episode 5), Rick gambled nearly all his gold on a new machine to boost recovery. A sluice box leak followed in “Lost Gold of Paradise Hill” (Episode 8), and by “Got Your Six” (Episode 13), he had to cash in a large haul to keep the season funded.

Mechanic Carl Rosk left mid-season for emergency surgery, a 12-hour surgical operation to remove tumors. By Episode 9, Rick had already banked 393 ounces of gold. The crew closed the season with roughly 1,080 ounces of gold, an improvement despite the setbacks.

Mental Health Struggles & the Season 13 Absence

By Season 12, attention on Rick had shifted beyond mining. Then came a bigger story. He missed the debut episode of Season 13 entirely, and fans noticed right away.

Cast member Brian “Zee” Zaremba did a welfare check and found Rick struggling. Rick opened up in the 2nd episode, explaining he had seasonal affective disorder, also called SAD, tied to changing seasons. He connected the struggle to unresolved grief and the pressure of late 2022. The episode “Searching for Rick Ness” documented that stretch before he stepped back into work in 2023.

Comeback in Season 14 & Where He Stands Today

Rick returned to lead his mining crew in Season 14, back in 2023, resuming his role as independent mine boss. He remains one of the longest-running cast members on the show.

His operation kept evolving through Season 15 and into Season 16, including work at Rally Valley and his ongoing Duncan Creek claims. Recent episodes show him testing drone tech to scout ground. Rick has also appeared in spinoff titles including Gold Rush: Winter’s Fortune and Gold Rush: South America.

Rick Ness Net Worth & Earnings

Rick earns from two main sources: his Gold Rush salary and his own gold mining operations. Recent figures place his net worth around $3 million to $3.4 million, with some 2025 and 2026 estimates as high as $3.5 million. Older estimates once listed it closer to $500,000, and a separate figure has been cited at $8 million.

His Gold Rush salary has grown from about $150,000 a year and $20,000 per episode in earlier seasons to a reported $25,000 per episode more recently. Beyond the show, he earns through merchandise sales, public appearances, and behind-the-scenes production work.

The bulk of his income still comes from gold hauls out of the ground. His crew has chased a 1,500-ounce goal in recent seasons, a target that would push earnings well past his television paycheck alone.

How Rick Ness Compares to Other Gold Rush Cast Members

Parker Schnabel, Rick’s old boss, remains the show’s top producer by gold totals most seasons. Tony Beets runs a much larger dredge-based production, giving him a bigger crew size than Rick’s leaner setup.

Fred Lewis joined the show’s roster starting with the 11th season, adding another mine boss to the mix. John Schnabel, Parker’s late grandfather, was part of the original generation that built the show’s foundation. Todd Hoffman ran his own crew during Rick’s first seasons before later stepping away from the show.

Compared to Beets and Schnabel’s large-scale operations, Rick runs a smaller, tighter crew. That gap in crew size has not stopped him from consistently hitting six-figure gold totals most years.

Rick Ness’s Personal Life & Relationship with Leese Marie

Rick has been in a long-term relationship with Leese Marie, sometimes credited online as LeeseM Arie. She worked as a nurse and originally lived in Wisconsin before relocating to Arizona. The two connected through social media in 2019 after Rick reached out on Instagram, and the relationship later played out on TikTok as well.

They made things Facebook official on November 16, 2020. In October 2022, the couple visited a jeweler to look at engagement rings, and Rick called Leese his “favorite girl” in a birthday post. Around the same time, he wrote a Facebook post opening up about his own mental health.

The relationship hit a rough patch in December 2022 after Rick admitted to cheating and other missteps. He took responsibility publicly, and the two appeared to reconcile by January 2023. In late 2023, rumors linked Rick to a crew hire named Morgan, which he addressed directly on November 2, 2023, denying any romantic connection.

By early 2024, Rick called Leese his “future Mrs. Ness” while moving his belongings back to Arizona from Brookfield. Some accounts describe her as his fiancée, though no wedding date has been set. Leese has a son named Jaxson from a previous relationship, and Rick has taken an active role in his life. The two remain a dating couple.

Family Tragedy: The Death of Judy Marie Bedard

Rick’s mother, Judy Marie Bedard, battled brain cancer for years before her health worsened during Season 8 of Gold Rush. She had reportedly responded well to treatment as recently as February 2018. She died at home on March 20, 2018, at age 55, with Rick by her side.

Two days later, Gold Rush producers asked fans to donate to CancerCare in her memory. Rick has spoken openly about how his mother’s death affected him, describing grief that resurfaced years later during his own mental health struggles.

Rick Ness’s Tattoos & Personal Style

Rick is known for an extensive tattoo collection covering his arms, neck, and torso. In 2014, he added a neck tattoo depicting Mary holding a piston, which he named “The Holy Mother of Horsepower.” His knuckles carry a simpler message, spelling out “STAY.”

Outside of mining and music, Rick’s hobbies lean rugged. He enjoys hunting and fishing, along with a strong interest in motorcycles and muscle cars.

Rick Ness Physical Stats: Height, Weight & Appearance

Height estimates for Rick have ranged from 5 ft 9 in (1.79m) up to 6 feet 2 inches, with figures like 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 1 inch also common in recent profiles. His weight is usually listed between 78 kilograms and 85 kg, close to 180 pounds.

He has light brown hair, blue eyes, and a buff build shaped by years of physical mining work, with a fair complexion.

Rick Ness on Social Media

Rick stays active across platforms under the handle thebigrickness. His Facebook page has grown to roughly 100,000 followers, with some counts as high as 150K followers. His Twitter account has drawn between 70,000 and 80K followers depending on when it was checked, while Instagram numbers sit closer to 63K followers.

He often posted about his late mother’s dog, Ruby, whom he called his “Big tough mine dog.” Ruby passed away years later, and Rick shared the news with fans who had followed her story for years.

Rick Ness Quick Facts

Conclusion

Rick Ness built an unlikely path from touring bassist to independent mine boss on Gold Rush. His run through Parker Schnabel’s crew, his own claims in the Yukon, and his openness about personal struggles have made his story stand out. As a gold miner still active on the show, his legacy keeps growing season by season, carried by the same resilience that got him through every setback along the way.

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FAQs

Is Rick Ness married?

Rick Ness is unmarried. He has never been wedded but has dated his girlfriend, sometimes called his fiancée, Leese Marie, since 2019, with engagement rumors still unconfirmed.

What is Rick Ness’s net worth?

Rick Ness has an estimated net worth of $3 million to $3.5 million, with some reports citing $3.4 million. His income comes from gold mining and his Gold Rush salary.

Why did Rick Ness leave Parker Schnabel’s crew?

Rick Ness left Parker Schnabel’s crew after Season 8, when a delayed job at the Panama Canal site pushed him to become his own mine boss. He launched an independent mining operation in Season 9.

What happened to Rick Ness’s mother?

Rick Ness’s mother, Judy Marie Bedard, died from brain cancer on March 20, 2018, at age 55, with Rick by her side at the time.

Does Rick Ness have a twin brother?

Yes, Rick Ness has a twin brother named Randy Ness, who works as a mechanic at the family business, Roy Ness Contracting and Sales Inc.

What band was Rick Ness in before Gold Rush?

Before Gold Rush, Rick Ness played upright bass in the .357 String Band, releasing Ghost Town, Fire & Hail, and Lightning From The North before the band disbanded in 2011.

How much does Rick Ness make per episode of Gold Rush?

Rick Ness’s Gold Rush salary has grown from about $20,000 per episode in earlier seasons to a reported $25,000 per episode in more recent ones.

Is Rick Ness still on Gold Rush?

Yes, Rick Ness returned to Gold Rush in Season 14 after addressing his mental health, and he has continued through Season 15 and into the current Season 16.