Surging gold prices and a president who’s given gold its biggest hype man since King Tut has sparked what some are calling “Gold Rush 2.0.” Everyday Americans, inspired by reality TV shows like “Gold Rush” on the Discovery Channel and influencers with names like “Pioneer Pauly” who fend off bears and go spelunking down old gold mines, are picking up metal detectors and heading to them thar hills. Are they nostalgic for a bygone era of rugged masculinity or a time when the American Dream still felt in reach?
Jennifer Wilson takes Route 49 out to El Dorado, the county, and finds a California still grappling with gold fever and its consequences. Read Wilson’s full story: www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/11/how-...