Table of Contents
Known from movies
Gold rush: Alaska (2011-2017)
as Himself
Gold Rush: The Dirt (2012-2016)
as Himself
Gold Rush: South America (2013)
as Himself
Gold Rush: Parker’s Take (2014)
as Himself
You would think that the lucrative nature of the gold mining industry would be reason enough to become famous. However, most prospectors and owners live their lives in relative obscurity. Sure, they achieve a certain amount of notoriety within the industry, but it is rare for them to catch the attention of the public. This is what makes prospector Parker Schnabel’s fame so unique. Parker was plucked from a life of anonymity when he made his debut on the Discovery Channel’s ‘Gold Rush’ series. A hard worker dedicated to his craft, Parker Schnabel quickly became a favorite among the show’s viewers.
Early life and family
Parker Russell Schnabel was born to Roger and Nancy Schnabel on July 22, 1994 in Haines, Alaska, USA, and has a brother named Payson Schnabel. In line with a long family tradition of gold mining, much of his childhood was dominated by this industry. Parker lived near the gold mine, The Big Nugget, that his grandfather, John Schnabel, founded, and remembers learning how to handle heavy machinery from an early age. He does not look back on these memories with regret, but appreciates them for helping him build the career he has today.
As a child he also loved to hunt and often boasted that for many years the family never had to buy meat, only from his catches.
Education
Schnabel only had a basic education, as he left school at the age of 16 to fully invest his time in mining. Although he was present secondary school, he used his entire college fund to set up his first mining expedition. All his knowledge of mining has been passed down to him from his father, grandfather and the other miners he had met first in his childhood and later in his career.
Career
Early mining
Parker didn’t mess around with odd jobs to find his calling; he took up the mantle of his grandfather’s mining company back in 2010, at the tender age of sixteen. Although he did experience some of it at first push back of the other miners—an experience he describes as “a bunch of old guys who wouldn’t be told what to do”—he quickly proved himself leading the mining crew to success after success. At the age of 19, he moved to Klondike to pursue projects of even greater magnitude.
“Gold Rush”
The Discovery Chanel had been scouting Parker since he was 15 and already realized he was someone to keep an eye on.
“Gold rushfollows the exploits of family gold mining companies and explores the ups and downs of the industry, and Parker Schnabel was a part of the show from season one, which premiered December 3, 2010 and is still running to this day. While Schnabel was largely outmatched by his competition in the early seasons, but made his first big break in Season 4, when Parker and his team won a stunning 1,029 ounces of gold, his success only grew and he continued to outshine his competition by making significant amounts. By the time season nine rolled around, he was mining millions of dollars worth of gold every season, shelling out 7,427.25 ounces that season.
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Posted by Parker Schnabel on Thursday, July 28, 2016
Parker’s success has led him to be recognized as one of the most successful miners in the Klondike area, not to mention a huge star due to the popularity of the show. Schnabel went on to star in multiple spin-offs of the show, including one titled “Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail,” which has been running steadily since 2017.
Private life
Relationships and social life
Parker Schnabel has a surprisingly quiet personal life. He has spent so much of his time in mining and the TV industry that he has little time left for anything else. For a while, Schnabel had the support of his long-term girlfriend, Ashley Young — at one point, the couple even announced they were having a baby.
However, audiences were devastated when he announced that they had broken up during the eighth season of the show. His current relationship with her and the child are unknown. However, on maturity, Parker took responsibility for the whole thing, realizing that he had let his work consume him to the point where he no longer prioritized it, and worked on their relationship.
Still wanting the best for him, rumors started circulating that he was dating Sheena Cowell, an assistant producer on the show, so it seemed logical that the two had spent a lot of time together and developed an affection for each other .
The public was grossly disillusioned with this fantasy when it was revealed via an Instagram post that Cowell had married an unknown man in Serbia.
Despite building a considerable fortune for himself, Parker does not lead a lavish lifestyle. He stated, “I don’t own a boat or nice cars or a nice house. I have a big expensive sandbox instead.” Much of his money goes straight back to mining in a kind of endless cycle where he dedicates his life to his craft. He also doesn’t socialize much. Having entered the mining industry so young, it was easy to lose contact with friends and classmates. He says it’s “a shame, but I do what I like, so that’s what you’re giving up, I guess.”
Appearance
Parker Schnabel has dark brown hair and brown eyes and a boyish attitude to match his youthful features. The nature of his work contributes to his muscular and healthy physique, yet he looks slimmer. He is 1.72 m tall and weighs 75 kg.
Net worth and salary
During his time on the show, Peter Schnabel has excavated more than $30 million worth of gold. He also receives a hefty salary from his performance on the show, reported up to $25,000 per episode. Parker Schnabel does not flaunt his wealth or spend his money on cars and property, preferring to keep a low profile. Having said this, Schnabel has an estimated net worth of $10 million as of 2020.
General information
| First and last name | Parker Schnabel |
| Profession | TV personality, coal miner |
| Nationality | American |
Family
| Parents | Nancy Schnabel, Roger Schnabel |
| Brothers or sisters | Payson Schnabel |
Performance
| TV shows | Gold rush, gold rush: the dirt |
Links to social profiles
Movies
Yourself
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Rush: Alaska | 2011-2017 | TV serials | Himself |
| Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail | 2017 | TV Miniseries | Himself – Klondike Miner / Himself |
| Gold Rush: The Dirt | 2012-2016 | TV serials | Himself |
| The Gavin McInnes Show | 2015 | TV serials | Himself |
| Gold Rush: Parker’s Take | 2014 | TV movie | Himself |
| Gold Rush: South America | 2013 | TV serials | Himself |
| Larry King Now | 2013 | TV serials | Himself – Guest |
| The long road | 2012 | Documentary about TV movies | Himself |
