"I don’t like being a loser" — Parker Schnabel vows comeback after falling short on Gold Rush finale

Gold Rush season 15 finale aired as a two-hour special on Discovery Channel April 18, 2025. The episode followed Parker Schnabel, Rick Ness, Tony Beets, and Kevin Beets on their final pushes to hit their season goals before winter stopped.

After months of setbacks like machinery breakdowns, harsh weather conditions and pressure, the final weigh-ins revealed whether or not the their ill-fated decisions throughout the season had paid off. Parker Schnabel started the season with a goal of 10,000 ounces of gold, then dropped it to 8,000.

Despite investing in a new claim at Gold Run and enlisting old equipment like the Rock Gobbler, he finished the season with 6,837.04 ounces. While this amounted to over $18.3 million, it was still short of the goal. Reflecting on the result, Parker said:

“I don’t like this feeling. I don’t like being a loser. It will never happen again.”

Meanwhile, Rick Ness, Tony Beets, and Kevin Beets also faced high stakes and unpredictable outcomes. Each miner’s decision shaped their final total, with some exceeding expectations and others falling short. As the season wrapped, the cast looked ahead to what’s next—with Parker’s statement hinting at a return in season 16.

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Rick Ness and Tony Beets weigh risks and rewards in final stretch of Gold Rush

As the Gold Rush finale progressed, Rick Ness and his team braved freezing temperatures to keep sluicing without breaks. They aimed to finish strong despite mechanical setbacks, including a snapped belt on Monster Red and a leaking water line under the wash plant. Ryan Kent found a temporary fix for the shaker deck, and the crew worked through the challenges until they had to shut down early.

At the final weigh-in, Ness initially revealed 110.79 ounces, but then surprised the team with canisters totaling 411 ounces from Vegas Valley. The total haul across six months came to $4.5 million. Ness even added a $50,000 bonus to thank his crew and shared that they would return if the water license was renewed.

Tony Beets and his family were also in high gear. Running three wash plants—Harald, Sluice-A-Lot, and Trommel—the Beets crew handled bursts and repairs to deliver one of their best seasons yet. Monica oversaw Harald, which pulled in 46.56 ounces. Cousin Mike added 211.88 ounces, and son Mike at Paradise Hill brought in 228.07 ounces.

Tony’s total came to 5,777.12 ounces, which was over 777 ounces more than their original goal. Their success marked a major milestone for the family as they wrapped up the season together.

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Kevin Beets and Parker Schnabel push to finish as winter sets in

Kevin Beets started his first season as an independent mine boss at Scribner Creek alongside his partner, Faith Teng in Gold Rush. Though they faced crew shortages and a shredded feeder belt, they managed to install a replacement and continue sluicing. Over three weeks, they collected 375.80 ounces, bringing their total to 1,056.57 ounces.

Their portion added over $1 million to the broader Beets family total, which reached more than $18 million. Meanwhile, Parker Schnabel dealt with challenges across multiple wash plants, including Roxanne, Bob, and the Rock Gobbler. His initial 10,000-ounce goal was eventually adjusted to 8,000.

Near the end, Parker turned to Gold Run, a newly purchased site, where he hoped to find enough pay dirt to close the gap. Wash plant Bob at Bridge Cut produced 343.07 ounces, Roxanne from Elbow Cut brought in 306.03 ounces, and the Rock Gobbler at Gold Run finished with 99.20 ounces.

The combined output added 749.02 ounces, raising his season total to 6,837.04. Despite missing the mark, Parker’s earnings surpassed previous years of Gold Rush.

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Gold Rush episodes are available to stream on Discovery Channel.