John Schnabel Net Worth - Pulptastic
Scarlett Howard 
What was John Schnabel’s net worth and salary?
John Schnabel, an American gold miner and a cast member of “Gold Rush Alaska”, had a net worth of $7 million at the time of his death in 2016. The show follows a group of gold miners as they attempt to earn a living mining for gold in Alaska and the Klondike. Schnabel appeared on the first six seasons of the show but stepped back due to declining health.
Early Life and Career
John Schnabel was born in Kansas on February 11, 1920. His family worked as bootleggers and fled to Alaska when he was young. At 19, he joined his father in running a sawmill in Alaska. During WWII, he served in the US Army Air Corps from 1941 to 1946.
John Schnabel and the Big Nugget Mine
John Schnabel owned the Big Nugget mine in Alaska, as well as the Gold Nugget Mine in Porcupine Creek. He bought the latter at age 68 to stay active and keep his family business going. His son Roger Schnabel is a part owner, while his grandson, Parker Schnabel, currently runs the family mine at the age of 28.
In 2009, the Discovery Channel approached John Schnabel with a proposal to feature him and his family on a reality show called “Gold Rush Alaska.” The show debuted in 2010 and started its eighth season in 2017. Mr. Schnabel’s mine has been successful for quite some time, and other mining groups often turn to Big Nugget for advice or instruction.
John Schnabel suffered a heart attack that was a featured storyline during the second season of the reality series. He retired from daily mining work in 2014 but still offered his decades of experience to help guide his son and grandson as they navigated the competitive and brutal gold mining industry. He gave the Big Nugget Mine over to his grandsons, and the show is currently airing its twelfth season.
John Schnabel’s Personal Life and Death
John Schnabel married Erma Dire in 1950 and they had two daughters, a son Roger Schnabel, and sons Parker and Payson Schnabel.
At the age of 67, John underwent a successful triple bypass open heart surgery. However, he passed away on March 18, 2016 at the age of 96 in his sleep at his home in Oakland, California.
