Winter closed in during the Gold Rush Season 16 finale as Tony Beets and Parker Schnabel entered the final week locked in one of their closest battles yet.
With both miners already past 10,000 ounces and only 120 ounces separating them, the race for the Klondike crown came down to the final cleanups. Parker was determined to beat Tony, especially with gold valued at around $4,000 an ounce. Running four wash plants, his crew faced mounting pressure as frost threatened to shut down the operation.
At the Golden Mile, Big Red ran into motor trouble when a replacement part could not be found locally. Parker’s team turned to pilot and excavator operator Jack Frischkorn, who flew to Whitehorse in Parker’s Cessna 172 to retrieve the part. The quick move helped get Big Red running again before the final weigh-in.
Mitch Blaschke also pushed through the final hours, working overnight despite equipment damage as he tried to finish his job in time for his daughter’s birthday. As the first snowfall arrived, Parker’s crew gathered for the final numbers.
Roxanne delivered 94.90 ounces, Bob produced 103.75 ounces, while Golden Goose and Big Red added 307.95 ounces. Parker’s final season total reached 10,596.45 ounces, worth about $42 million.
But Tony Beets still had more to give.
Tony ran four plants of his own, including Sluice-A-Lot, Find-A-Lot, Harold, and the Trommel. His operation was not without problems. A truck flipped at the Early Bird Cut, while Mike Beets dealt with tailings buildup, a clog, and motor trouble that left the Trommel down for eight hours.
Despite the setback, Tony’s final cleanup was huge. Find-A-Lot brought in 202.18 ounces, Sluice-A-Lot added 266.96 ounces, Harold produced 132.12 ounces, and the Trommel delivered a massive 417.36 ounces. Tony finished the season with 11,231 ounces, worth around $45 million, keeping his place as the King of the Klondike.
Rick Ness also faced a defining final week. He needed more than 400 ounces to hit his 1,800-ounce goal and secure bonuses for his crew. After problems at Lightning Creek left everything riding on the Last Chance Cut, Rick’s team pushed through one final run.
The result was enough. Rick weighed 431.91 ounces, bringing his season total to 1,811.56 ounces, worth more than $7.2 million. His crew received their bonuses, and Rick proved he still had a future in the Yukon.
Meanwhile, Kevin Beets came up short of his 2,000-ounce target at Scribner Creek. After equipment trouble and a final push through the Sphynx Cut pay pile, he finished with 1,591 ounces, worth around $6.3 million.
It was not the total he wanted, but it gave him enough confidence to return for another season.
