Plot Synopsis

GOLD RUSH: PARKER'S TRAIL is a reality series that follows GOLD RUSH's Parker Schnabel as he attempts to make the same journey that more than 100,000 brave souls set out on a perilous journey into the frozen North on the legendary Klondike Gold Rush trail between 1896 and 1899. Killed or scared off by bears, treacherous terrain, raging torrents and temperatures below -40 degrees, only one in three completed the journey. Parker spent his childhood in Haines, Alaska, near the starting point of the Klondike Gold Trail, and grew up hearing stories about those taking on the journey against incredible odds in pursuit of extraordinary wealth. Parker comes from a family of gold miners, including his beloved grandpa, who inspired him to push himself beyond his limits. In honor of his grandpa's memory, he will now attempt one of the most dangerous challenges he's ever done by trekking across the Coastal Range -- as winter closes in -- from his home in Alaska to the fabled goldfields of the Klondike. This journey is in his blood and will follow in the footsteps of his forebears. But he won't do this alone. Joining Parker on his journey will be his foreman Rick Ness, wilderness guide Karla Ann, who once worked with Parker as a rock truck driver; and cameramen James Levelle, who has known Parker for years. In the first episode, Parker and his team will set out on the first leg of the journey, considered one of the most physically challenging parts. The 45-degree ascent would be tough for any seasoned athlete, but is especially difficult for Rick, who's out of shape, drinks too much and is a smoker. But together, they must work as a team, staggering through snow and rain, with 60 pounds of gear to haul. Will this unlikely team of climbers make it to the top, and prove they could be among the few to complete the journey? Only time will tell, but their friendship and teamwork will be tested as they face incredible odds and deadly obstacles.

GOLD RUSH: PARKER'S TRAIL returned for a fourth season on Friday, March 13, 2020 at 8pm ET/PT on Discovery. As another Klondike winter shuts down the Yukon, 25-year-old gold mining prodigy Parker Schnabel is determined to expand his operation and dig year-round. Following his gut instinct and a few solid leads, Parker and his friends will make the 8,000-mile journey to the vast terrains of Australia. The land is home to record-sized nuggets and the largest untapped gold reserves in the world. If Parker can find gold and stake a claim in Australia, it could revolutionize his business, turning a self-made Yukon miner into a global mining operation. Australia is one of the largest gold-producing nations in the world, but nothing can be taken for granted. Australia's landscape is brutal and home to some of the deadliest snakes, saltwater crocodiles and spiders on the planet. To dig deeper into Australia's gold mining industry, Parker will get his hands dirty prospecting mines. The team will travel vast terrain -- over 6,000 total miles across Australia -- following the historic gold rush trail that began in 1851. This year, Parker is joined by 24-year-old gold miner and prospecting expert Tyler Mahoney, a fourth-generation Australian gold miner. Her ability to navigate the country's vast goldfields and read the ground will be instrumental. Rounding out the team will be Danny Etheridge, cameraman and close friend of Parker; and Fred Lewis, a former US military medic and communications specialist. Parker isn't afraid of a challenge. Over the past three years Parker's mining adventures have taken him all over the world; from the historic Chilkoot Trail of the Klondike Gold Rush to Guyana and Papua New Guinea. Now the team has their eyes set on the vast Australian continent in a quest for gold and adventure that could forever change their lives.

Season 5 of GOLD RUSH: PARKER'S TRAIL premiered on Friday, June 17, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT on Discovery. On an adventure of a lifetime, 27-year-old Parker Schnabel is traveling further than ever before in search of gold. Parker and his friends head to New Zealand - land of sharks, hobbits, big gold and revolutionary mining gear. To gain an edge back home, the crew head deep into the wilderness to explore all that this unique land has to offer and take Parker's mining to the next level. After closing out an epic $15 million Yukon season, Parker has rolled the dice yet again, putting down nearly $200,000 of his own gold on a Fairbanks property in his home state of Alaska. There's a huge profit to be made on the ground, but he'll need to find specialty equipment to process the clay-rich ground before he can obtain any of it. It's a state-of-the-art wash plant that he's in need of... and he's going to travel around the globe to find it. Parker believes New Zealand is the only other place in the world with the engineering prowess to give him any real chance of a massive Alaskan payday. Home to some of the most forward-thinking miners, Parker and his crew quickly learn this remote island is chalk full of high-risks, tough environments, and secretive Kiwi mining communities who aren't so quick to lend a helping hand to a fellow competitor. A journey that's as epic as it is high-risk, Parker and his crew find adventure at every turn as they explore all that this land has to offer. Whether scaling the Franz Josef Glacier to find the source of New Zealand's famous West Coast Gold or undertaking a hair-raising jet boat trip down the Kokatahi River, Parker's biggest test of all will be facing his fears with a gold prospecting dive through shark infested waters.

GOLD RUSH: PARKER'S TRAIL returned for its sixth season on Friday, April 7, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. 28-year-old Parker Schnabel opened a new mine in Alaska during the current season of Gold Rush and it was a complete washout. And with his land lease running out in the Yukon, Parker is desperate to find a new path - and redemption - as he travels thousands of miles to South America and the most extreme jungle and mountain goldmines on the planet to try to recover 100 million dollars in gold hidden in the ground. Can Parker finally turn the tide and expand his golden empire? In the season premiere, "Mucho Oro," Parker, and his crew -- Tyler Mahoney, Danny Etheridge and Dr. Diego Lazarzaburu -- arrive in Peru to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Incas as they chase down historical leads and battle the jungle in their hunt to mine virgin ground. As Parker looks to partner up or mine alongside the world's toughest gold miners, he and his crew must first traverse inhospitable terrain and cross raging rivers. En route, the crew works with a gold miner who shares mining strategies passed down by the Incas, in addition to a mining family who share key insight on how they've mined their land across multiple generations. While they have a promising start, a flood of biblical proportions threatens to leave Parker and the crew stranded. Season 6 also includes a prospect in Madre Di Dios, one of the richest gold districts in the amazon jungle; mining with the indigenous Harakmbut tribe; a trek to Peru's La Rinconada, the highest town and gold mine on earth at 17,000 feet above sea level; blasting out gold in unventilated tunnels with hand lit explosives; and in a mid-season twist, Parker discovers a modern day gold rush in Bolivia, before he prospects in the footsteps of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in the high deserts. But as Parker gets the chance to make a deal on a piece of ground to mine, will a medical emergency signal an early end to his South American hunt for gold and redemption?
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The seventh season of GOLD RUSH: PARKER'S TRAIL debuted on Friday, May 31, 2024 from 8-10pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. After becoming the biggest landowner in the Yukon, Parker no longer needs to focus on finding ground urgently, but his pioneering spirit remains and he has set his eyes on Brazil: the biggest gold frontier on earth and the center of a raging modern battle between government forces and miners. Parker wants to see this dangerous landscape for himself and look out for potential investment opportunities. In the season opener, "River of Never-Ending Gold," Parker Schnabel travels the gold-filled Madeira River deep into the Brazilian wilderness as he hunts for a fleet of dredges bringing in billions.