Two weeks into the mining season, Parker Schnabel is already looking beyond early setbacks and focusing squarely on an ambitious target: 10,000 ounces of gold.
With only 400 ounces on the board so far, the 30-year-old mine boss knows the margin for delay is slim. This year’s operation at Dominion is larger than ever, supported by a 40-person crew and multiple wash plants running simultaneously. But scaling up production has introduced fresh challenges — from training inexperienced hires to battling spring meltwater.
“We have a big crew this year,” Schnabel said while reviewing resumes for additional hires. “You need good people you can count on. The truth is, somebody can write a really good resume and be terrible.”
Leadership Under Review
For the first time in years, Schnabel is stepping back from personally running every cut and testing the leadership capacity of his trusted lieutenants. Mitch Blaschke and Brennan Ruault are preparing Sulphur Creek for production, while Tyson Lee oversees operations at Dominion, managing both wash plants — Bob and Sluicifer.
The strategy reflects Schnabel’s long-term ambition: build a team capable of executing without constant oversight. But early season hiccups have revealed how fragile momentum can be.
Meltwater Threatens the Bridge Cut
As the massive 114-acre Bridge Cut began thawing, meltwater overwhelmed an undersized eight-inch culvert beneath the site’s only access road. Drainage ditches overflowed, flooding pay ground that had taken weeks to prepare.
The solution required urgent intervention. Operator Mike was tasked with excavating the road, removing the small culvert and installing a significantly larger 36-inch replacement to handle the surge.
The repair was completed successfully, restoring drainage and allowing haul traffic to resume toward wash plant Bob.
“I can safely say that culvert’s in place,” Mike reported. “I feel pretty good about this.”
The swift response prevented prolonged downtime at a critical moment in the season.
Mechanical Setbacks at Wash Plant Bob
At Dominion, another obstacle emerged when wash plant Bob clogged after rocks jammed the hopper feeder’s internal conveyor chain. Dirt began piling up as the mechanism stalled.
Tyson and the crew manually cleared lodged rocks, cleaned belts and rollers, and restarted the plant. Even Schnabel joined the effort — a signal to the crew that early-season inefficiencies will not be tolerated.
“It’s serious when Parker shows up and jumps in,” one team member noted.
New Faces, New Expectations
Among the season’s fresh recruits is Amy, a former schoolteacher transitioning into heavy equipment operation. Tyson reports she is adapting well — an encouraging sign as Dominion integrates new personnel into high-pressure roles.
But Schnabel remains clear: training has limits.
“People need to understand expectations,” he said. “If they can’t correct mistakes, we need to move on.”
With such an aggressive production goal, underperformance carries financial consequences.
Strong Weekly Results
Despite early disruptions, Dominion delivered a substantial rebound this week.
Wash plant Sluicifer produced 152 ounces, valued at more than $530,000 — a 35 percent increase from the previous week. Meanwhile, Bob at the Bridge Cut added 156.2 ounces, worth nearly $550,000.
Combined, the two plants generated 308.2 ounces, bringing the season total to 707.9 ounces — nearly doubling output in just one week.
The near-identical performance of both plants surprised even the crew.
“Those two plants are four ounces off each other,” one operator observed.
The balanced production suggests operational stability is beginning to take hold.
A Long Road to 10,000
Even with improved numbers, Schnabel remains cautious.
“You’re too early to ask that question,” he joked when asked whether 10,000 ounces remains realistic.
At this stage, Dominion’s success depends on maintaining uptime across both plants, continuing leadership development among supervisors, and avoiding major mechanical or environmental disruptions.
Schnabel’s ambition has not softened. The target stands.
But with fluctuating ground conditions, evolving crew dynamics and the sheer scale of the cut, achieving 10,000 ounces will demand consistency at a level Dominion has yet to sustain over an entire season.
For now, the numbers are trending upward. And in the Yukon, momentum — once established — can turn a bold goal into a reachable one.
