Jeff Webster is a tough and uncompromising cattleman who wants nothing more than to make his fortune and be left alone. When he hears about the gold rush in the Yukon, he sees it as a way to make some quick money, so he sets out with his cattle herd from Wyoming to Seattle.
Along the way, Jeff meets a charming but untrustworthy gambler named Ronda Castle, who tries to swindle him out of his cattle. However, Jeff proves to be an astute businessman and manages to outsmart her.
After a harrowing journey by ship to Skagway and over the treacherous mountains to Dawson, Jeff and his partner Ben Tatum arrive in the booming town of the gold rush. They soon realize that there is a fortune to be made in selling beef to the miners and prospectors, so they set up their own operation.
As Jeff becomes more successful, he attracts the attention of two very different women. The first is Ronda Castle, who has followed him to the Yukon and wants to get in on his business. The second is a sweet and innocent young woman named Rube who works in the local saloon.
Despite his gruff exterior, Jeff is attracted to Rube and starts to soften up. However, his stubbornness and his belief in every-man-for-himself put him at odds with the growing lawlessness in town. When a corrupt judge tries to steal his cattle and the local sheriff refuses to help, Jeff takes matters into his own hands and becomes embroiled in a deadly showdown.