Parker Schnabel in front of a construction vehicle in GOLD RUSH. ©Discovery Channel.

By ANGELA DAWSON

Front Row Features

HOLLYWOOD—What’s a little berm when what stands between you and a potential gold strike worth potentially millions is at stake? Plenty, as it turns out on this Friday’s episode of Discovery Channel’s No. 1 rated “Gold Rush.” The exciting episode airs Feb. 6 at 9 p.m./8c.  Here’s a sneak peek:

Twenty-year-old Parker Schnabel, who joined by foreman Gene Cheeseman, as they head out to look for thawed ground on the far edge of the claim.

Fans of the reality series will recall that Schnabel proved himself in his rookie season mining the Klondike, where he managed to rake in more than 1,000 ounces of gold worth $1.4 million.

In this fifth season, Schnabel has taken off his “training wheels,” setting an unprecedented goal of 2,000 ounces worth more than $2.5 million—double his take from last season. But things have changed—new miners, new claims, new machines and new ways to pull gold out of the ground.  Will big risks lead to an even bigger payout?

The berm he plans to mine is off a small island located between two creeks. Will his 85-ton dozer be powerful enough to cross the creek, where he suspects the water will have drawn the cold out of the overburden, with the hope of reaching pay dirt?

Tenacious Schnabel, who has re-invested every last cent in a mad scramble to get to good gold, also has asked more of his crew than ever before. He also managed to steal one of rival gold miner Todd Hoffman’s top mechanics.  If the ambitious miner can hit his goal, he could be on his way to becoming a Klondike legend. If not, it will become clear that his first season was simply a stroke of good luck.

Raw Television produces “Gold Rush” for Discovery Channel, where Dimitri Doganis and James Bates are executive producers and Marc Heffernan is series producer. For Discovery Channel, Christo Doyle is executive producer and Meagan Davis is producer.