Inside Parker Schnabel’s True Relationship With Gene Cheeseman — It’s Not What You Think.
Over the years, Gold Rush star Parker Schnabel has become one of the Discovery Channel’s most recognizable faces — a driven young miner who turned raw ambition into gold. But long before he led massive mining crews and ran million-dollar operations, Schnabel relied heavily on the guidance of a few key mentors who shaped his path in the gold fields.
One of those mentors was his late grandfather, John Schnabel, a beloved figure to both Parker and Gold Rush fans alike. Yet another was Gene Cheeseman, a no-nonsense, seasoned foreman who worked alongside Schnabel during Seasons 4 and 5 of the hit reality series. Cheeseman not only brought technical expertise to Parker’s crew but also served as a steadying influence as the then-teenage miner navigated the pressures of running his own operation.
However, their relationship wasn’t always smooth sailing. By Season 6, tensions between the two began to rise. According to the show, disagreements flared over Schnabel’s youth and inexperience, and Cheeseman’s frustration with his boss’s decision-making came to a head. Ultimately, Cheeseman left Parker’s crew and joined Tony Beets’ Viking Fleet, where he has remained ever since — working the Eureka Creek Claim and helping Beets’ team push new limits in mining efficiency.
For years, fans have wondered whether the two men ever buried the hatchet. After all, Gold Rush devotees remember their on-screen clashes vividly and have long speculated about the state of their relationship today. Now, Parker Schnabel himself is setting the record straight.
In a recent interview with the official Gold Rush Facebook page, Schnabel revealed that there’s no bad blood between the former coworkers.
“My relationship with Gene is fine — at least from my point of view,” Schnabel shared. “I see Gene a couple of times a year normally. When I go to see Tony, I stop in and talk to Gene usually.”
Still, Parker acknowledged that reconciliation is a two-way street, adding with a grin,
“You’d have to ask [Cheeseman] on that. But as far as I’m concerned, we get along fine. We talk. You know, I think we’ve both moved on and we’re both doing fine from it.”
Schnabel also took a moment to reflect on just how much Cheeseman’s mentorship meant to him during his early mining years.
“I learned a hell of a lot from Gene, and I’ll always owe him for that,” Parker said. “Gene was a very good guy and a very good teacher.”
While Parker credits his grandfather John for introducing him to mining, he says Cheeseman taught him something even more practical — how to make big moves in the dirt.
“Gene taught me how to really move dirt,” Schnabel explained. “He planted the seed for a lot of what I still do today.”
As for Gene Cheeseman, he has yet to publicly comment on his current relationship with Schnabel, but Gold Rush fans have noted that he remains polite and professional whenever the Schnabel family is mentioned on the show.
It seems that time — and perhaps a few million ounces of dirt later — has healed old wounds. Both men have continued to thrive in their respective crews, with Parker leading his own ambitious mining empire and Gene helping Tony Beets’ legendary Viking Fleet uncover new riches in the Yukon.
And while they may be working on different sides of the gold fields these days, it’s clear that respect still runs deep between the two miners who once clashed beneath the Alaskan sun.