Life Below Zero

As winter closes in, the quest for sustenance becomes essential as four Alaskans fight to stay ahead of the season. In Noorvik, Chip and Agnes Hailstone race against Mother Nature in a dangerous quest to set whitefish nets on thin ice and haul in the last catch of the season. North of Eagle, Kate and Andy break trail through towers of ice to gain access to their lifeline--the Yukon River. Across the state in the desolate wilderness, Erik is on a vital hunt for red meat. Meanwhile Sue Aikens is living out of her element in Fairbanks, fervently awaiting the green light from her doctor to escape city life and return home to the North Slope--and the threat of a bear that could be denned up in her camp.

As deep winter sets in, four Alaskans living in the remote bush must gather and manage scarce resources to ensure their survival. In isolated Kavik, Sue Aikens faces a life-and-death challenge when she returns to camp to find that thieves have pilfered her winter fuel supply. Meanwhile in Noorvik, Chip and Agnes Hailstone are unable to access their hunting grounds and must hope for local trapping and trading to survive. In Eagle, Andy Bassich and his wife Kate face a crisis with their team of malamutes, who they depend upon completely in order to survive the wilderness. And in Wiseman, Erik Salitan sets out to catch dinner but returns home with more than he bargained for.

In the depth of winter, four Alaskans living in the remote bush fight to ready themselves for their darkest days. In Kavik, Sue struggles through a blizzard that threatens her life and the camp she’s responsible for. In Weisman, Erik tends to the arduous task of getting wood and water as well as readying his cabin for the Alaskan winter. In Eagle, Andy makes a final push to forge a trail to Eagle for much needed supplies. In Noorvik, Chip and Agnes take a window of opportunity to replenish their food supply with valuable caribou.

Mechanical breakdowns and invading predators threaten survival as four end-of-roaders battle the dark Alaskan winter. In Kavik, Sue’s become the prey when a predator invades her camp. In Noorvik, a broken snow machine causes Chip’s life to grind to a halt; without it there is no hunting, no fishing, and most importantly, no trade. In Wiseman, Erik hunts for fur to supplement the income he needs in order to buy fuel. Near Eagle, a simple task of getting wood on his snow machine leaves Andy stranded miles from home.

A fierce winter storm threatens Sue's all important fuel supply, and Erik struggles to capture a thieving wolf. In Kavik, sue is forced to shut down her generator and go into conservation mode after a series of delays prevent a plane transporting precious fuel. In Wiseman, Erik goes head-to-head with his ultimate adversary - a wolf stealing bait from his traps. In Noorvik, Chip and his family resort to “rabbit driving” to get meat after a largely unsuccessful winter hunting season. In eagle, puppy jack is tested to see if he has what it takes to make the sled team.

This week's episode of Life Below Zero puts the spotlight on couples. Kate joins Andy out in the wilderness for a challenging day of collecting lumber for their homestead. After a day filled with frustrations, Andy surprises Kate with a quick getaway to celebrate her birthday. In Noorvik, Chip and Agnes are working together on a major hunt that could determine their livelihood for the coming year. They'll use the tactics of Agnes' Inupiat ancestors in hopes of getting a leg up.