Scrooge McDuck returns to Klondike where he has made his fortune, bringing Donald and the three nephews along, to find back the gold he has left there.

This story is a turning point in Barks' depiction of Scrooge: the first to show that the character has a softer side, and his miserly gruffness is partly a mask that he uses to guard against loneliness and loss.

He later wrote, "Reading this is how I got off on this wild beat of having Scrooge have the big fight in the saloon, kidnap this gal, and take her out to the hills and make her work out her debt.

"[5] In its first printing, the story was cut from 32 to 27 pages, since the editors did not believe the bar fight and abduction scenes were appropriate for a Disney comic.

Another of Western's concerns was that Scrooge kidnapped Goldie and made her work on his claim for a month, and that sequence was also cut from the published story.

Her love/hate relationship with Scrooge is considered by some people, mainly Don Rosa fans, a great part of the two characters' appeal.

Another theme introduced in this story is that Scrooge makes conscious effort to hide or deny his own feelings and emotions because he doesn't want to appear vulnerable.

Often mentioned as one of Barks' strongest stories, it largely defines Scrooge's character, and the themes introduced here are now considered part of a tradition.

The episode also introduces the Red Agony Creek which was never mentioned in Barks story (or by any other author - such as Rosa), making this land unique to the television series.