In the latest episode of Gold Rush, 29-year-old Parker Schnabel dives headfirst into a high-stakes venture at Dominion Creek.
He has an ambitious target of 10,000 ounces of gold worth a staggering $25 million.
However, the journey gets off to a rocky start, with only 5.6 ounces recorded so far and the team struggling to get any wash plants running.
The operation centers on a 20-acre site known as the Long Cut and is notorious for its unpredictability.
Despite initial challenges, Schnabel remains optimistic, envisioning a potentially record-breaking haul.
A glimmer of hope emerges when the wash plant, Roxanne, finally powers up, switching from a red warning light to green, signaling it’s ready for action.
Parker Schnabel’s Long Cut operation has issues
However, Roxanne’s operational debut is fraught with complications. The team notices that the tray meant to channel water isn’t functioning as expected, leading to water mismanagement and damage to the plant’s pan.
Acting quickly, the crew decides to move the 30-foot excess water tray, re-excavate the ditch it sits in, and reposition the tray to redirect water safely under the sluices. Their efforts temporarily restore Roxanne’s functionality, only for new obstacles to arise.
Sticks and debris clog the wash plant, and thick mud accumulates in the water section of the suction basket, further stalling progress.
As if that weren’t enough, a loader operator inadvertently hits the radio station feeding the plant, causing a tire to explode. These setbacks leave the crew scrambling to keep Roxanne operational, with every hour of downtime costing valuable opportunities to hit their massive gold target.
Despite the relentless challenges, mechanics Mitch Blaschke and Lee prove their worth, tackling each issue with skill and persistence. Their hard work pays off, as Roxanne finally resumes operation, albeit briefly. The day’s final gold count comes in at 30.80 ounces, valued at $77,000—a significant shortfall from Schnabel’s ambitious goals.
Parker may have made the wrong move with the Long Cut site
The disappointing yield raises questions for Schnabel about whether starting with the Long Cut site was the right move.
The site’s unpredictable nature and Roxanne’s operational struggles have added pressure to an already challenging season.
As the team looks to rebound from these early setbacks, Schnabel’s determination remains unshaken.
The episode highlights the relentless effort required in gold mining and the ever-present gamble of putting everything on the line in the hope of striking it rich.
With the stakes higher than ever, the question lingers: Can Schnabel and his team turn things around before time runs out?
Gold Rush airs Fridays at 8/7c on Discovery Channel and is available for streaming in its entirety on Max.
Impressive young man! When I was much younger I think I had the drive but I had never been around any type of operation like that!! Came from a broken home and had no guidance! Then in my 20’s I almost died from non Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer)! Year later I broke my back and in 97 broke my left knee and this past year I broke my left humerus bone in 3 places! I worked through the back with malfunctioning rods for close to 30 yrs! I wish I could start over and learn from one of the best in mining! Parker is unique to be his age and have the knowledge and drive he has! I’m 60 and like many folks, it got here too quickly for me! Now like most folks in our economy I’m struggling badly trying my best to live long enough to get my house paid off before the economy crashes or my health gets worse! I’ve got at least 14 more years of payments! Why couldn’t I have known what these gold miners know when I was able to work and could keep up with them! I love this show and I admire Parker the most but they are all impressive!! I really do hate to say it but unfortunately Todd Hoffman i don’t believe ever had what it takes to run a gold crew. Keep getting it Parker! Tony impresses me but unfortunately all that cussing really isn’t necessary. Other than that, he has a tremendous amount of knowledge that I also admire! And Rick Ness at first was hard to pull for but now he seems to have found his way and my prayers are with him! Fred Lewis really hasn’t gotten it yet but he doesn’t seem to know enough yet and I’m afraid he operates on too small of a budget which he cannot help that! I say to him to keep plugging on! Hopefully he will find his way! I really love this show!