‘Gold Rush’ Finale: Parker Schnabel Hitting His Stride Since Taking Over Family Business


The Gold Rush finale showed just how far Parker Schnabel has come.

The popular Discovery Channel reality show waved goodbye to its fifth season with a three-hour event on Friday, one that showed the young Schnabel hitting his stride in the difficult and often ruthless gold mining business.

At 8 p.m., there was 95-year-old grandfather John Schnabel sitting down with the other mining bosses for the special The Dirt. John had actually planned on giving up the family gold mining business after he was diagnosed with cancer a few years back, but his teenage grandson Parker Schnabel instead did something few 16-year-olds would — he volunteered to run the operation himself.

Though there have been some ups and downs along the way, the Gold Rush finale showed that Parker seems to have taken quite well to the gold mining business. The episode showed Parker as he was nearing a seemingly impossible goal — a final push for 400 ounces.

As the Gold Rush finale showed, Parker Schnabel has come a long way very quickly in the gold mining industry. After pulling in $1 million last season, the 20-year-old set a goal to hit $2.5 million this year.

Parker explained that he’s not exactly keeping all that money himself.

“That’s just because we’ve found a million dollars’ worth of gold doesn’t mean I’m a millionaire, we have a lot of costs … I have probably a lot more debt than the normal 20-year-old,” he told Fox411.

Parker said he owes much of his success to grandfather, John Schnabel, and in Friday’s Gold Rush season finale viewers got to see just how close they still are. Though John is 95 and has just won a battle with cancer, he still has the energy to join Parker and check out the mining operation.

Viewers loved grandpa John’s visit and the connection that he and Parker share.

Parker said he’s still focusing on staying financially stable in a field where the costs — and the risks — can be huge.

“I’m having fun with what I’m doing and I’m making money so I’m not thinking about [the future],” he told Millenial Magazine.

But as those watching the Gold Rush season finale saw, Parker Schanbel is doing a pretty great job of making money.

[Image via WSJ.com]

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