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When Does ‘Gold Rush’ Return? John Schnabel, Parker Schnabel And The Rest Of The Gang Coming Back To Discovery Channel This Week

By Nathan Francis
Published on: 12:56 PST, Oct 11, 2015

Gold Rush fans wondering when the show will be returning for Season 6 won’t have much longer to wait, with Parker Schnabel, John Schnabel and the rest of the gold-digging gang coming back this week.

The season premiere of Gold Rush is set to air on Friday, October 16, on The Discovery Channel. This season will feature a new mining season filled with different challenges and some big changes. Last year saw the rise of Todd Hoffman, who helped his crew return from near-bankruptcy to become a force in the Alaska gold mining scene.

This year’s Gold Rush season will also have some new faces in the Hoffman crew, TV Ruckus points out:

For the first time, Todd will have three generations of Hoffman men working on the claim as Hunter, his 16-year old son, keeps the family tradition alive. The only thing standing in Todd’s way could be his ego. Can he keep it in check and finally give young Parker Schnabel a run for his money? Or will his lofty season goal backfire leaving the Hoffman crew disappointed yet again?

Parker Schnabel will also see if he can follow up his enormous year, in which his crew uncovered $3 million in gold. Though Parker is just 21, he has assumed control over his family’s mining operation thanks to the guidance of his grandfather, John Schnabel.

Fans will likely get some updates on John Schnabel’s health as well. In the past few seasons, viewers have watched as John battled cancer, with a cliffhanger end to the fourth season sending fans scrambling to see if John was still alive at all (he is, by the way).

In fact, John Schnabel is still quite active, as the Gold Rush star told Hollywood Soapbox.

“To reach 95 and still be able to drive myself in my car, walk without a cane, and be clear of mind, with my surroundings and others is an experience that is hard to believe. I am deeply pleased,” he said.

John has quite publicly turned over the operation to Parker, who has done well beyond his years.

“It never came to mind that Parker could have a future in mining until he was 16. I decided to give up mining after I was diagnosed with cancer, and he asked me if he could continue operating the mine,” John Schnabel said. “Although I had a few misgivings, I finally gave in and helped him with paperwork and financing to give him a start. He has measured up in all areas, and I am proud of him.”

With Gold Rush returning to the air this week, viewers will get to see a lot more than just the Schnabel family drama. Last season featured the resurgence of Tony Beets, who last year revived his 75-year-old gold mining dredge and now will have to see if it can actually produce for his operation and prove that it’s not all new technology driving the Alaska gold mining industry.

This season will likely contain quite a bit of other drama, as The Discovery Channel has come to count on. The show has become the network’s top-rated show, bringing not only millions of fans but also plenty of social media buzz.

Fans who tune in to watch the Gold Rush season premiere will get to see a night filled with specials. The Discovery Channel has a one-hour long pre-show called The Dirt, which gives updates on all of the gold mining operations and gives fans a bit of a lead-in to the actual season premiere.

[Image from The Discovery Channel via WSJ.com]

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