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John Schnabel, a Gold Rush icon, amassed a $7 million net worth through hard work and dedication to gold mining. Schnabel, a World War II veteran, lived a long life, passing away at 96, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and success. Standing at 5'10", Schnabel's towering presence and active lifestyle reflected his strength and endurance.

John Schnabel is a name that resonates with fans of the Discovery Channel's reality series Gold Rush, and considering his occupation of mining for gold, Scnabel's net worth is huge. Schnabel gained widespread recognition as the patriarch of the Schnabel family and the owner of the Big Nugget Mine in Alaska. His wisdom, resilience, and deep-rooted passion for gold mining made him a beloved figure on the show. Born on February 11, 1920 (via Obits), Schnabel's life was marked by perseverance and a relentless work ethic, traits that endeared him to audiences worldwide.

John Schnabel's journey into...

Prepare for an adrenaline-pumping episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” as Season 8 Episode 12, titled “Dancing With Death,” hits the screens on Discovery at 8:00 Pm on Friday, May 17, 2024. In this thrilling installment, the miners face their toughest challenge yet as Mother Nature unleashes her fury on Nugget Creek.

As Dustin Hurt and his team confront an imminent threat of eviction from their mining site, the pressure is on to extract every last ounce of gold from the creek’s depths before it’s too late. With time ticking away, the miners must summon all their skills and determination to meet their ambitious goal amidst treacherous conditions.

Against the backdrop of raging waters and unforgiving terrain, the miners embark on a perilous journey, risking life and limb in their quest for precious gold. As they dance with death in the pursuit of riches, viewers will be on the edge of their seats,...

Prepare for an adrenaline-packed episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” this Friday at 8:00 Pm on Discovery.

In Season 8, Episode 11, titled “Get Rich or Die Trying,” viewers will witness the miners facing the harsh reality of winter closing in. As the icy grip of the season tightens, desperation sets in, driving the miners to take risky moves in their quest for gold.

With millions in gold at stake, every decision becomes critical, and the pressure mounts as they push themselves to the limit. The episode promises high-stakes drama as the miners navigate treacherous waters and battle against time and nature.

As the tension rises and the clock ticks down, viewers can expect heart-pounding action and intense moments as the miners risk it all in their pursuit of riches.

Don’t miss out on the thrilling Season 8 Episode 11 of “Gold Rush: White Water,” airing this Friday at 8:00 Pm on Discovery.

Gear up for an action-packed episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” airing this Friday, May 3, 2024, at 8:00 Pm on Discovery. In Season 8 Episode 10 titled “Dustin’s White Whale,” the crew faces an intriguing challenge as they encounter a mysterious white boulder nicknamed Moby.

As Dustin and the team delve into the hunt for gold, they believe that Moby could be the key to uncovering a treasure trove of monster nuggets. However, their quest takes an unexpected turn when Mother Nature intervenes, presenting them with unforeseen obstacles.

With tensions running high and the stakes even higher, viewers can expect thrilling moments as the crew navigates the rugged terrain in pursuit of their elusive prize. Will they triumph over nature’s obstacles and strike gold, or will Moby prove to be a formidable adversary? Tune in to “Gold Rush: White Water” this Friday for all the excitement and adventure.

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Get ready for an action-packed episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” as Season 8 continues with Episode 9, titled “$70,000 Nugget”! Airing on Discovery this Friday, April 26, at 8:00 Pm, viewers are in for a thrilling ride as the miners face new challenges in their quest for gold.

As winter looms and bedrock remains elusive, the miners are feeling the pressure to make a breakthrough. In a desperate bid for success, they turn to the expertise of the late Fred Hurt for guidance. Will his wisdom and experience help them overcome the obstacles standing in their way?

However, just when they think they’ve found a solution, disaster strikes in the form of a major dredge malfunction. With their operation grinding to a halt, tensions run high as the miners scramble to salvage the situation and keep their dreams of striking it rich alive.

Don’t miss out on all the excitement and...

Get ready for a heart-stopping episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” as Season 8 Episode 8, titled “Welcome to My Nightmare,” airs on Discovery at 8:00 Pm this Friday, April 19th. In this adrenaline-fueled installment, the gold miners face their worst nightmare when an airboat accident threatens to derail their record-breaking season.

As tensions run high and the team grapples with the aftermath of the accident, Mother Nature throws another curveball their way with severe weather conditions. With the clock ticking and the stakes higher than ever, the miners must band together to overcome the challenges that stand in their way.

From treacherous rapids to unpredictable weather patterns, every moment is filled with suspense and uncertainty as the miners fight to salvage their season and come out on top. Will they be able to weather the storm and emerge victorious, or will their dreams of striking gold be washed away?

Don’t...

Prepare for an adrenaline-fueled episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” airing this Friday at 8:00 Pm on Discovery. In Season 8, Episode 7, titled “Unfinished Business,” viewers will witness Dustin’s determination to capitalize on a record-breaking find of six-ounce nuggets.

Following this monumental discovery, Dustin is convinced that many more valuable nuggets await extraction. This belief leads him to embark on a rematch with a challenging site that thwarted his efforts in the previous season. The allure of life-changing riches propels Dustin and his team into action.

However, to access these sought-after nuggets, they must confront their most significant engineering challenge yet. As they push the limits of their abilities and equipment, tensions rise, and the stakes are higher than ever.

Join Dustin and his crew as they venture into uncharted territory, battling nature’s obstacles and their own limitations in their quest for gold. Don’t miss the heart-pounding excitement...

Get ready for an emotional and poignant episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” airing this Friday at 8:00 Pm on Discovery. In Season 8 Episode 5, titled “Fred Hurt Forever,” the miners face the heartbreaking loss of their mentor and mining legend, Fred Hurt.

As they grapple with grief and uncertainty, the team must summon the strength to carry on Fred’s legacy and persevere through the toughest challenges yet. Fred’s absence leaves a void that weighs heavily on everyone, but his spirit and teachings continue to guide them forward.

Join the miners as they navigate through turbulent waters, both figuratively and literally, honoring Fred’s memory and striving to achieve success in his honor. Don’t miss this touching and inspirational episode as the cast of “Gold Rush: White Water” pays tribute to a true legend of the mining world. Tune in this Friday at 8:00 Pm, only on Discovery.

Join the gold-hunting adventure with “Gold Rush: White Water” as Season 7 Episode 3, titled “A Dying Wish,” airs this Friday at 8:00 Pm on Discovery. In this gripping episode, tensions rise as Dustin faces a difficult decision: leaving Nugget Creek behind to attend Dakota Fred’s 80th birthday celebration. With Dustin’s absence, the miners are left scrambling to dig themselves out of a deep hole.

As the team grapples with Dustin’s departure, they resort to questionable tactics in a desperate attempt to overcome the challenges they face. With the pressure mounting and the stakes higher than ever, the miners must band together and push the limits of their abilities to succeed in their quest for gold.

Don’t miss out on the excitement and drama of “Gold Rush: White Water” as the miners embark on a daring mission to fulfill a dying wish and strike it rich. Tune in...

This Friday at 7:00 Pm on Discovery, the rugged quest for gold continues with Season 7 Episode 2 of “Gold Rush: White Water,” titled “Trench Warfare.” Viewers can expect an adrenaline-fueled adventure as Dustin Hurt, along with his fearless team, embarks on a daring pursuit of the elusive pay streak up Nugget Creek.

Desperation for more gold drives the miners to engage in trench warfare, navigating the challenging terrain in their relentless pursuit. The stakes are high, and every move is critical, with the promise of striking the motherlode hanging in the balance. However, the treacherous journey takes an unexpected turn, leading the miners to a strategic retreat.

Tune in for an evening of high-stakes mining, unpredictable twists, and the unwavering determination of the Gold Rush team as they navigate the challenges of “Trench Warfare” this Friday on Discovery. It’s a wild ride through the untamed wilderness as these modern-day prospectors...

This Sunday on Discovery, the gold fever continues with Season 7 of “Gold Rush: White Water,” featuring an emotionally charged episode titled “A Tragic Beginning,” airing at 8:00 Am on March 10, 2024. The episode kicks off with a heart-wrenching revelation that sends shockwaves through the crew, setting the stage for a dive into their toughest site yet in pursuit of millions in gold.

The miners find themselves grappling not only with the challenges of their daring quest but also with the weight of a heartbreaking truth. As they navigate through the complexities of the dive site, the episode promises a rollercoaster of emotions, blending the excitement of the gold hunt with the somber reality they must confront.

Tune in at 8:00 Am for a gripping episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” on Discovery, where the pursuit of treasure takes an emotional turn. “A Tragic Beginning” hints at a tale of resilience, camaraderie,...

This Friday at 8:00 Pm on Discovery, viewers are in for an adrenaline-fueled ride as “Gold Rush: White Water” kicks off Season 7 with the episode titled “Tragedy and Triumph.” Dustin Hurt and his dedicated team of brothers embark on a season that promises to be a rollercoaster of emotions, featuring the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

In “Tragedy and Triumph,” the crew faces their toughest dive site yet, braving the challenges of the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness in a quest for millions in gold. The episode unfolds as a saga of perseverance, showcasing the resilience and determination required to navigate the treacherous waters in pursuit of the precious metal.

For fans of high-stakes gold mining and the rugged adventures of the “Gold Rush: White Water” team, this season opener guarantees an intense and captivating experience. Tune in at 8:00 Pm for an evening of triumphs and tribulations on Discovery.

This Friday at 7:00 Pm on Discovery, “Gold Rush: White Water” presents an intense episode titled “In Gold We Trust,” promising high-stakes drama and the pursuit of the ultimate treasure. In this installment, Dustin takes a daring gamble by investing his entire life savings to secure a remote Alaskan claim rumored to hold life-changing gold.

As the crew embarks on this risky venture, the unpredictability of Mother Nature adds a layer of complexity, pushing them to their limits. The pursuit of gold becomes a battle against the forces of nature, with challenges that test their resilience and determination.

“In Gold We Trust” guarantees an adrenaline-pumping experience for fans of the series, showcasing the harsh realities of gold mining in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. Tune in at 7:00 Pm for a gripping episode that explores the lengths one is willing to go in the quest for the ultimate treasure on Discovery.

Prepare for an emotional and revealing episode of “Gold Rush: White Water” airing on Discovery this Friday, March 1st, 2024, at 10:02 Pm. In “The Final Interview: The Legend of Dakota Fred,” viewers will witness an intimate and candid conversation with Fred Hurt as he reflects on his extraordinary life.

Fred, a legendary figure in the world of gold mining, shares his remarkable journey from seeking gold in the rugged wilderness of Alaska to facing his toughest battle yet—cancer. Through heartfelt anecdotes and personal revelations, Fred delves into the highs and lows of his adventures, victories, and the challenges he’s encountered along the way.

This episode offers viewers a rare glimpse into the real stories behind Fred’s quest for gold and the legacy he leaves behind. It’s a poignant tribute to a true pioneer and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Don’t miss...

Season 7 of Gold Rush: White Water is set to be the most emotionally charged yet, and could it see the biggest nugget find in franchise history? The spinoff within Discovery Channel’s popular long-standing franchise returns on March 8 with new episodes. This comes off the heels of last season when Dustin Hurt received a real passing of the torch when he bought his father Dakota’s mining equipment to run two crews. Hurt is in search of redemption after he and his crew barely made it out alive last season. It’s being described as “make or break” when he has to streamline his crew and come up with a whole new plan for Nugget Creek. Discovery Channel/Raw TV Limited If that weren’t enough, the North Dakota boy must come to grips with losing his father and bid farewell to his dying father Fred Hurt. “Dakota Fred” passed...

Dakota Fred Hurt, who was a key part of several Discovery reality shows about looking for gold in the wild, died Tuesday after a brief battle with brain cancer, according to his family.

Hurt lived only four months after he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. The family’s Facebook post saluted him as a man who “touched many lives and was loved and supported by many.”

He began his career as a gold prospector in North Dakota. The reality show “Gold Rush” was his introduction to a larger audience, as he looked for gold in Alaska. He appeared on the show’s first four seasons.

Hurt and his son, Dustin, had their own spinoff in “Gold Rush: White Water,” which began in 2018 and ran through this year. They were part of a team looking for gold in whitewater collection pools at the base of Alaskan waterfalls, battling the elements and nature.

The Dakota boys return to the richest ground of their lives as Gold Rush: White Water gears up for Season 5 in Alaska’s remote Chilkat Mountains. Set to return Friday, November 5 on Discovery and discovery+, Gold Rush: White Water‘s latest chapter makes way for an unexpected announcement, fresh blood, new gambles, and dangerous snowfalls. As conditions threaten to derail the team’s season, their journey will become a battle between miners and mother nature as teased in the exclusive sneak peek above. (Credit: Discovery) The season begins with plenty of challenges for veteran gold miner Dustin Hurt who returns to Alaska only to discover his McKinley Creek mine site buried under the heaviest snowfall in over a decade. The situation creates impassable roads and raging white water caused by snowmelt, but they’ll risk it all to try and uncover life-changing piles of gold. The team is rocked by the shocking revelation though,...

The price of gold is at an all-time high — $500 more per ounce than it was last year — and so is the risk on “Gold Rush” spinoff “White Water.”

Discovery Channel has renewed “Gold Rush: White Water” for a fourth season, TheWrap has learned, and is also bringing back after-show “The Dirt” hosted by Christo Doyle.

Both return on Friday, Nov. 13. Yes, Friday the 13th. Pretty ominous considering the crazy risks these crazy gold miners take.

TheWrap can also first reveal the trailer for “Gold Rush: White Water” Season 4. Get your first look at the insanity via the video above — possibly between your fingers.

Below is the Discovery Channel’s description for Season 4:

Fred Hurt has mined in Alaska for 17 seasons and even worked Porcupine Creek several years before the Hoffman crew and “Gold Rush” cameras ever turned up. He is a straight shooting, self-taught gold miner who has worked and fought with his son,...

Join our newsletter to get more stories like this Fred Hurt, aka Dakota Fred, could shame Chuck Norris in his heyday. This fit septuagenarian is going strong still with no signs of slowing down, and if you listen to what he says, constant activity and strength-related tasks on a daily basis are key to a youthful old age. Dakota’s a badass, pure and simple. His show, Gold Rush: White Water details the exploits of Fred, his son Dustin and a trusty crew of talented and fit alt-gold miners who do not use dozers or washplants. Instead, they rappel cliffs and […]

The post Gold Rush: White Water exclusive interview — Dakota Fred discusses ‘intense, cringe-worthy’ new season appeared first on Monsters and Critics.

On the next Gold Rush: White Water, Carlos Minor has to be pulled up in an emergency after being hit by a rogue boulder. Watch our exclusive clip as he is sent down in full scuba gear to help the dredge suck up paydirt under water, but comes across a problem. As he moves smaller rocks into a basket to free-up the suction tube, bigger, more dangerous boulders are loosened. The area of Alaska where “Dakota” Fred Hurt and son Dustin Hurt are hunting for gold cannot be accessed on foot or by boats, only by planes, helicopters and zip lines...read more...

Tonight on Gold Rush: White Water, tensions are insanely high as “Dakota” Fred Hurt and son Dustin are at loggerheads over the maneuvering of a dredge over a swath of icy rapids. A snag on Fred’s safety rope is tipping the dredge, and if the ferocious current catches it, their mining season will be over. In our exclusive clip, Dustin is barking orders. Fred has asked Carlos to get another blue rope line to secure the dredge being pushed over the raging creek, but as Dustin watches their efforts, and especially that of Fred’s technique, he becomes more and more...read more...

Gold Rush fans have got a treat in store on Discovery’s latest spin-off show, Gold Rush: White Water. Stars of the series “Dakota” Fred Hurt and his son Dustin Hurt are headed deep beneath the surface of Alaska’s McKinley Creek — but getting there and how they fare doing it will be the ultimate reality TV ride. In the new series, this father and son duo work together but do not always see eye-to-eye. They return to the creek with divers, mountaineers, and mechanics in a bid to get gold from plunge-pools beneath the raging torrents. The lengths and heights...read more...

On tonight’s premiere of Gold Rush: White Water, we see a whole new way to extract gold out of mother Earth — as mining legends “Dakota” Fred Hurt and his son Dustin take massive risks in a bid to land a potential fortune. The series sees the Gold Rush veterans put their lives on the line as they dive deep beneath the raging waters of McKinley Creek, Alaska, where they believe plunge-pools amongst the fierce rapids are laden with gold. Once they locate the right pools — with the help of a team of intrepid divers, mountaineers and bush mechanics —...read more...

Exclusive: Fred Hurt (aka Dakota Fred) and his son Dustin Hurt from Discovery’s reality series Gold Rush will be the subject of All That Glitters, a new documentary currently filming in Haines, Alaska and directed by Kirk Roos, producer of The Brass Teapot and Matt Walsh’s comedy directorial canon High Road and the upcoming A Better You. Doc focuses on some plot elements that were left unresolved on Gold Rush pertaining to the Hurts’ obsession with diverting a waterfall in their quest for the legendary Porcupine Creek mines on the Dalton/Klondike trail. All That Glitters is an opportunity for Dakota Fred and his crew to take their search for gold under a new light. Doc […]...

Last summer and during this past year on Discovery's Friday-night reality hit "Gold Rush," miner Todd Hoffman and his crew have pitted themselves against jungles in South America, from Peru to Guyana, and he's had his head handed to him all along the way.

In Guyana, he switched focus from gold to diamonds, working against a deadline before the claim owner pulled the plug. But there's a moment in Friday's (Feb. 21) episode where Hoffman -- a risk-taker and optimist -- feels utterly defeated.

Once again, the jungle has the last word.

"You always think the other guys are idiots," Hoffman tells Zap2it, "and you're always smarter than they are. Can't tell us what to do, we know that. I've learned that sometimes you think that you've covered all your bases, but when you go into a country that doesn't play by the same rules, there's just no way to see what's coming at you.

On Friday, Aug. 2, Discovery continues to mine its gold-mining franchises with the premiere of "Gold Rush: South America," in which the miners that America has come to know and love in Alaska and northern Canada seek new ventures to pursue their goals.

The limited summer series follows all three familiar crew leaders -- Todd Hoffman, Dakota Fred Hurt and young Parker Schnabel -- as they go to extremes to continue their dreams.

Preceding it is an episode of the behind-the-scenes series "Gold Rush: The Dirt," with "Gold Rush" executive producer Christo Doyle, which picks up where the last season of "Gold Rush" left off. Doyle talks to the miners and production crew, to preview "Gold Rush: South America."

Another installment of "The Dirt," airing on Aug. 30, looks back at "Gr: Sa" and previews the next season of "Gold Rush."

Off all the miners in "Gd: Sa," Hoffman goes the farthest,...

This makes us miss Bear Grylls… Among the new shows Discovery will announce later today at its Upfront presentation to advertisers in New York are two survival series in which clothing is not included. Each episode of Naked and Afraid will strand a new pair of strangers in one of the world’s harshest environments with no food, no water, no tools, and no clothes. “As their extreme survival skills are put to the test for 21 days, each couple must battle the elements, each other, and their own inner weakness to triumph over the terrain and their predicament,” the press release promises.

Last Friday’s airing of Gold Rush Live on Discovery Channel was the No. 1 series in all of television among Men 25-54/18-49 that night, with over 10 million people watching, according to Nielsen. So it’s no surprise that Discovery would try to pan for more ratings gold even though Gold Rush Season 3 is now over. Tonight, March 1, at 8pm Et/Pt, the network will debut Making the Motherlode, an hourlong, behind-the-scenes look at Gold Rush Season 3. Gold Rush Season 3 saw the miners — Todd Hoffman, Jack Hoffman, Dave Turin, Parker Schnabel and Fred Hurt and the Dakota [...]...

The Mother Lode has evaded the Gold Rush gold miners for three seasons. Todd Hoffman, Jack Hoffman, Dave Turin, Parker Schnabel and Fred Hurt and the Dakota boys have battled against equipment breakdowns, infighting and rough weather for three seasons. From Discovery On the two hour live Gold Rush season three finale, the "Do or Die" season of Discovery's #1 series, it was revealed the gold miners brought in a grand total of 1,158 ounces of gold between the three crews. Todd Hoffman set an ambitious 1,000 ounce goal for the season. He aimed high and fell short, but still pulled off a million dollar payday after he doubled down and secured two claims and twice the men...

Tonight (Friday, Feb. 22), Discovery's hit reality series "Gold Rush" ends its third season with a live, two-hour finale coming from a set built in a warehouse in Portland, Ore.

Series executive producer Christo Doyle took some time out from planning for the big finish to answer some questions about the men populating the gold-mining show -- especially Todd Hoffman, leader of the show's first mining crew -- and his relationship with them.

On why there's a live finale:

Doyle: "I opened my dumb mouth at the beginning of the season. I pitched that we do 'Gold Rush' live to kick off the season. But it would have been October in the Klondike, and it's roughly negative 20 degrees there. It just didn't make all that much sense. So I said, 'You know what, we'll just do it at the end of the season.' And they held me to it.

With running costs of $1,000 per day, Fred Hurt and his crew at Porcupine Creek will only start turning a profit once they extract at least 50 ounces of gold from the mine.

That may not sound like a lot, but it's worth a whopping $80,000 and, as "Gold Rush: Alaska" (Fri., 9 p.m. Est on Discovery) showed, to mine even that much takes months of hard work.

At reckoning time, a tense Fred sat contemplating his pot of gold and admitted that he didn't know if he'd hit the 50-ounce mark or not. "I've not weighed all this gold ever. I've weighed it separately occasionally, but ... I don't know if this is gonna work or not."

As Fred poured the gold onto the weighing scales the other miners fidgeted nervously. They hit 49 ounces, but the pot was looking empty. Would they make it to 50 ounces?

Finally, a whoop of delight from Fred...

With running costs of $1,000 per day, Fred Hurt and his crew at Porcupine Creek will only start turning a profit once they extract at least 50 ounces of gold from the mine.

That may not sound like a lot, but it's worth a whopping $80,000 and, as "Gold Rush: Alaska" (Fri., 9 p.m. Est on Discovery) showed, to mine even that much takes months of hard work.

At reckoning time, a tense Fred sat contemplating his pot of gold and admitted that he didn't know if he'd hit the 50-ounce mark or not. "I've not weighed all this gold ever. I've weighed it separately occasionally, but ... I don't know if this is gonna work or not."

As Fred poured the gold onto the weighing scales the other miners fidgeted nervously. They hit 49 ounces, but the pot was looking empty. Would they make it to 50 ounces?

Finally, a whoop of delight from Fred...