Nine years after leaving, the 30 years old gold miner has returned to Alaska, ready to fire up a new operation that has been two years in the making. With boots on the ground and mining equipment in place, Schnabel is determined to uncover the next big pay streak.
“The big driver of this is really trying to find the next spot to bring a big operation,” said Schnabel. “It’s about showing that there’s another 10, 20, or even 30,000 ounces to be found here.”
Schnabel has secured a deal to mine 3,000 acres of historically gold-rich ground, 20 miles north of Fairbanks. His goal: extract 1,000 ounces in his first season. However, with half the mining season already gone, he’s focusing on the easy pickings first.
A Strong Team in the Making
To kickstart the operation, Schnabel has enlisted the help of seasoned miners, including Australian miner Tyler Mahoney and Alaskan local Mark Fors. Upon arriving, the team surveyed the terrain, scattered with old dredge tailings left behind by miners from the past century.
“This did get underground mined pretty hard,” Schnabel noted. “So it’s going to be a mess down at the bottom.”
Fors, an experienced operator, began clearing trees to expose the tailings, noting that the work should be relatively inexpensive since the material is already on the surface.
“I grew up on a homestead out in McGrath, so I’m used to remote living,” said Fors. “Gold mining is out in the woods, kind of off the grid, which I like.”
Recruiting a Workforce
With time running short, skilled labor has become a major hurdle. Tyler Mahoney has turned to social media to recruit additional help. Among the new recruits are 36-year-old Phil Wicker and 24-year-old Jared Chase, both eager to prove themselves.
“You guys have run hoes before?” Schnabel asked.
“I’ve never operated one,” admitted Chase. “Always wanted to, willing to learn.”
Schnabel wasted no time in getting them behind the controls, offering a hands-on crash course in excavation. As Wicker climbed into the excavator, the team watched to see if he could handle the heavy machinery.
“Phil has no excavator experience, which is not great,” said Schnabel. “We’ll see how it goes.”
Despite his nerves, Wicker was determined to rise to the challenge. “Day one, everybody’s a little jittery,” he said. “I just have to prove myself.”
The Road Ahead
With operations underway, the crew faces numerous obstacles, from unstable ground to unpredictable weather. However, Schnabel remains optimistic.
“This is just the beginning,” he said. “We’re here to see if there’s real potential, and I think we’re on to something.”
As the team works through the tailings, the real test will be whether Alaska’s gold-rich past can still yield a fortune.
Stay tuned as Parker Schnabel and his crew dig deep in search of gold in the last frontier.
