As the gold mining season in the Klondike hits its midpoint, 27-year-old Parker Schnabel faces a major challenge—he’s running out of ground to mine. With competition for land in the Klondike intensifying, Parker makes a bold move, setting his sights on Alaska. His goal: to secure a new claim that could solidify his mining future.
Parker returns to his roots in Alaska, where his mining journey began, hoping to strike a deal with John Reeves, a legendary landowner who controls a vast 20,000-acre gold-rich region near Fairbanks. Knowing that securing this land could be key to expanding his operation, Parker approaches the meeting with determination, aware that John is the type of businessman who lets “money talk.”
Last season, Parker had made a handshake agreement to mine 3,000 acres of John’s land. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his plans, preventing him from establishing a mining operation in Alaska. Now, Parker must convince John to give him another shot, and this time, a handshake won’t be enough.
During the meeting, John’s son-in-law Drew Langley joins Parker, and after some discussion, John arrives to hear Parker’s proposal. Acknowledging the difficulties of the past year, Parker explains his desire to finish proving up the land and set up a mining pit for the upcoming spring season. John, however, is clear—if Parker wants to keep the claim, he needs to make a solid offer.
In a calculated move, Parker offers 100 ounces of gold as an advance payment, worth approximately $180,000. This deposit serves as a sign of good faith and secures the mining rights, but with a stipulation: if Parker fails to mine next year, the land will revert to John, and the deposit will not go towards future royalties.
With the deal sealed, Parker expresses confidence but knows it’s a significant gamble. The historical claims may hold valuable gold, but there’s no certainty that previous miners left behind enough to make the operation profitable. Despite this uncertainty, Parker is determined to take the risk, driven by his belief in the land’s potential.
