1 00:00:07,441 --> 00:00:10,476 JOHNNY: I am predator-proofing my camp right now. 2 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,682 More specifically, this meat cache. 3 00:00:17,718 --> 00:00:20,819 And I'm going to be putting these some extra stove pipe 4 00:00:20,855 --> 00:00:23,822 that I have, and I'm going to wrap them around the tree. 5 00:00:24,158 --> 00:00:25,524 Further up, of course. 6 00:00:25,559 --> 00:00:27,092 Once they hit this metal, their claws, 7 00:00:27,128 --> 00:00:30,796 they can't grip into the tree, so it brings them right back 8 00:00:30,831 --> 00:00:33,465 to square one. 9 00:00:33,901 --> 00:00:36,001 Everything out here has access to my fridge, 10 00:00:36,037 --> 00:00:38,837 whether I like it or not. 11 00:00:39,573 --> 00:00:41,940 The animals, they'll take advantage of anything they see. 12 00:00:41,976 --> 00:00:43,509 If there's food laying around... 13 00:00:43,544 --> 00:00:44,943 Oh, yeah. 14 00:00:44,979 --> 00:00:47,413 They'll help themselves to whatever they find. 15 00:00:48,015 --> 00:00:52,151 So, I had gotten a caribou, and it was late in the evening, 16 00:00:52,186 --> 00:00:54,920 so I hung it up here. 17 00:00:56,057 --> 00:00:59,425 And I woke up the next day, and it was gone. 18 00:01:01,062 --> 00:01:04,063 The bear grabbed the caribou, ripped it down, 19 00:01:04,098 --> 00:01:06,432 drug it through all the brush, 20 00:01:06,467 --> 00:01:08,300 and it was ripped open pretty good. 21 00:01:08,335 --> 00:01:11,470 It tore up the ribs and spread the hindquarters apart, 22 00:01:11,505 --> 00:01:14,173 and there were bear tracks around it, 23 00:01:14,208 --> 00:01:16,875 so it was pretty obvious that it was a grizzly bear. 24 00:01:18,079 --> 00:01:20,145 At that point, the bear has claimed that kill, 25 00:01:20,181 --> 00:01:22,381 so it's its property. 26 00:01:22,416 --> 00:01:24,783 And I felt like I was trespassing around the caribou 27 00:01:24,819 --> 00:01:26,452 that I had shot at that point. 28 00:01:26,487 --> 00:01:28,654 It was an eerie feeling, to know that, you know, 29 00:01:28,689 --> 00:01:31,824 that bear could be just right over in the brush, or in the bushes, 30 00:01:31,859 --> 00:01:35,661 and it would definitely defend that kill with its life, 31 00:01:35,696 --> 00:01:37,996 and I'm not ready to die. 32 00:01:48,409 --> 00:01:49,908 I just worry a lot. 33 00:01:49,944 --> 00:01:53,412 This is my food here, you know, 34 00:01:53,447 --> 00:01:57,282 if they get to the food, it's, it'll be a tough time, 35 00:01:57,318 --> 00:01:59,118 especially with these cold temperatures, 36 00:01:59,153 --> 00:02:01,753 to be well fed. 37 00:02:02,123 --> 00:02:04,590 I mean I eat, I eat quite a bit of fat out here. 38 00:02:04,625 --> 00:02:08,527 It's amazing how my body adapts to the environment, 39 00:02:08,562 --> 00:02:12,498 and since being out here, it just craves fat. 40 00:02:14,935 --> 00:02:18,237 I'm a pretty lean guy. 41 00:02:18,272 --> 00:02:22,407 So, it's important to safeguard the caribou meat that I do have. 42 00:02:31,318 --> 00:02:32,818 (howling). 43 00:02:32,853 --> 00:02:34,820 Do you hear that? 44 00:02:34,855 --> 00:02:37,022 Wolves. 45 00:02:37,458 --> 00:02:39,925 (howling). 46 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,861 It's probably about a dozen wolves, at least. 47 00:02:44,765 --> 00:02:46,832 The wolves concern me with Java. 48 00:02:46,867 --> 00:02:49,234 They come out here, and they come around the camp, 49 00:02:49,270 --> 00:02:53,238 they try to lure her away from me. 50 00:02:54,408 --> 00:02:56,708 And their goal is to take her out, 51 00:02:56,744 --> 00:02:58,443 because they look at her as competition. 52 00:02:58,479 --> 00:03:00,412 And they try to kind of flirt with her, 53 00:03:00,447 --> 00:03:02,881 and pull her away from me, in a way that makes them, 54 00:03:02,917 --> 00:03:05,083 like, not appear dangerous. 55 00:03:05,119 --> 00:03:07,553 And then, once she's away from me, 56 00:03:07,588 --> 00:03:10,722 that's when they kind of start to try to circle her. 57 00:03:10,758 --> 00:03:14,059 That's ultimately my biggest fear with the wolves. 58 00:03:14,094 --> 00:03:16,795 They're not going to access my meat up here or anything like that. 59 00:03:16,830 --> 00:03:18,797 I don't have to worry about that. 60 00:03:18,832 --> 00:03:21,366 I just worry about my dog. 61 00:03:22,069 --> 00:03:25,771 Java! Come here. Come on. You stay. 62 00:03:25,806 --> 00:03:27,739 Everything out here is trying to survive, 63 00:03:27,775 --> 00:03:29,508 including myself. 64 00:03:29,543 --> 00:03:32,244 Short term goals are to stay warm, stay fed. 65 00:03:32,279 --> 00:03:34,580 Don't get killed. 66 00:03:39,820 --> 00:03:43,088 ALEX: I kind of got impending doom over my shoulders for the winter. 67 00:03:43,824 --> 00:03:46,058 It's getting colder. 68 00:03:46,093 --> 00:03:47,693 Pretty much whenever there's a bad situation, 69 00:03:47,728 --> 00:03:50,195 it automatically goes to worse. 70 00:03:52,433 --> 00:03:54,967 Now that it's winter, and I just kind of had a big cold snap, 71 00:03:55,002 --> 00:03:57,302 it was like, 30 below for a couple days, uh, 72 00:03:57,338 --> 00:03:59,638 it means I spend more time on my cabin. 73 00:03:59,673 --> 00:04:03,609 And just recently, I noticed this should be cool to the touch. 74 00:04:03,644 --> 00:04:05,177 When I got a hot fire going on in here, 75 00:04:05,212 --> 00:04:06,778 this is getting just as hot almost. 76 00:04:06,814 --> 00:04:09,081 It's actually, I touched it, and it burnt me a little bit. 77 00:04:09,116 --> 00:04:11,583 It should not be that hot, because it's going against the 78 00:04:11,619 --> 00:04:14,186 insulation in there, and the wood. 79 00:04:14,221 --> 00:04:15,754 So, if this is getting that hot, 80 00:04:15,789 --> 00:04:17,489 that's a huge fire hazard. 81 00:04:17,524 --> 00:04:20,125 I need to replace this, basically this whole chimney system, 82 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,729 uh, which is gonna involve tearing apart this wall, 83 00:04:23,764 --> 00:04:25,197 and everything. 84 00:04:25,232 --> 00:04:27,599 So, it's gonna be kind of a big job. 85 00:04:31,171 --> 00:04:33,605 It's about to be the longest, darkest days of winter. 86 00:04:33,641 --> 00:04:39,244 This is the time of year when I'm making fires very often, 87 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:41,413 sometimes all day long, I have a fire going. 88 00:04:41,448 --> 00:04:44,149 I simply cannot survive without a wood stove. 89 00:04:44,718 --> 00:04:46,852 Which means the risk of setting my cabin on fire 90 00:04:46,887 --> 00:04:49,521 is extremely high. 91 00:04:51,125 --> 00:04:52,791 I made a small fire early this morning, 92 00:04:52,826 --> 00:04:55,394 just to get a little bit of heat in here. 93 00:04:55,429 --> 00:04:57,296 But the stove's totally cool now. 94 00:04:57,331 --> 00:05:00,866 And, uh, I won't be making another fire in here until 95 00:05:00,901 --> 00:05:03,568 I get my chimney replaced. 96 00:05:03,604 --> 00:05:06,038 My cabin is gonna cool down rapidly. 97 00:05:06,073 --> 00:05:07,673 If my cabin freezes up, 98 00:05:07,708 --> 00:05:10,175 especially if all of my water freezes, you know, 99 00:05:10,210 --> 00:05:11,443 then I'm left two options. 100 00:05:11,478 --> 00:05:13,779 Go haul more water, or melt snow, 101 00:05:13,814 --> 00:05:15,414 which takes forever. 102 00:05:15,449 --> 00:05:17,783 It's just a situation I wanna avoid. 103 00:05:17,818 --> 00:05:21,086 There's time pressure, but I need to make sure that I go slow, 104 00:05:21,121 --> 00:05:23,121 because if I try to go fast, 105 00:05:23,157 --> 00:05:25,891 I'll just make a mess of things. 106 00:05:30,597 --> 00:05:34,466 KALEB: It's important that children learn the things that 107 00:05:34,501 --> 00:05:37,669 are necessary to make a homestead like this function, 108 00:05:37,738 --> 00:05:41,606 so that they can succeed in the future as they turn into adults, 109 00:05:41,642 --> 00:05:45,844 and become the next generation of Alaskans. 110 00:06:00,894 --> 00:06:03,228 BRITTANY: Whatcha think, Ellie? ELOVIE: Cool. 111 00:06:03,263 --> 00:06:06,231 KALEB: The smoker that I'm building today is just a bunch 112 00:06:06,266 --> 00:06:10,168 of cinderblocks stacked together in about a four-foot square shape. 113 00:06:10,204 --> 00:06:12,771 You know that when Grandpa built this smoker, 114 00:06:12,806 --> 00:06:16,641 his great idea was to use welding rod to hold the grates up. 115 00:06:17,144 --> 00:06:19,911 I'm hoping this smoker is an opportunity to teach my kids a 116 00:06:19,947 --> 00:06:23,115 little more about the fundamentals of building. 117 00:06:23,784 --> 00:06:25,484 BRITTANY: Keep going. Yeah! 118 00:06:25,519 --> 00:06:26,752 ELOVIE: Haha! 119 00:06:26,787 --> 00:06:28,320 KALEB: And it teaches them a little more about taking pride 120 00:06:28,355 --> 00:06:30,389 in your work, doing a good job. 121 00:06:30,424 --> 00:06:31,423 All right. 122 00:06:31,458 --> 00:06:33,091 Shall we try this screen out, Ellie? 123 00:06:33,127 --> 00:06:34,326 ELOVIE: Yeah. 124 00:06:34,361 --> 00:06:36,495 KALEB: See if Grandpa's ideas works. 125 00:06:36,530 --> 00:06:39,564 Look at that! It works. 126 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,834 And then, getting to teach them a little bit about food prep. 127 00:06:44,405 --> 00:06:45,971 Go get some firewood and torch this off, 128 00:06:46,006 --> 00:06:49,775 and then, we can maybe go hunt for some fresh game. 129 00:06:49,810 --> 00:06:51,143 You wanna go hunting? 130 00:06:53,747 --> 00:06:55,414 BRITTANY: Ellie, when Mama was pregnant with you, 131 00:06:55,449 --> 00:06:58,650 Daddy and Gilbert and I went ptarmigan hunting, 132 00:06:58,685 --> 00:07:01,086 and you were in my belly then! 133 00:07:02,489 --> 00:07:04,489 So, you have gone ptarmigan hunting. 134 00:07:04,525 --> 00:07:06,458 When you were in mommy's tummy! 135 00:07:06,493 --> 00:07:09,161 KALEB: Go head on out and get some fresh meat to put in here, 136 00:07:09,196 --> 00:07:11,863 and while I'm out there, the whole mountainside is 137 00:07:11,899 --> 00:07:15,467 covered in good alder that we'll smoke the meat with. 138 00:07:15,502 --> 00:07:17,335 So, I'll bring some of that back, too. 139 00:07:17,371 --> 00:07:20,038 BRITTANY: Cool. Come on, Ellie, let's go. 140 00:07:20,641 --> 00:07:24,443 Elovie is always gung-ho to try different things, 141 00:07:24,478 --> 00:07:26,945 including going hunting with Kaleb. 142 00:07:26,980 --> 00:07:28,580 I love that, as she's gotten older, 143 00:07:28,615 --> 00:07:30,782 she's actually able to go with him. 144 00:07:30,818 --> 00:07:33,452 It's wonderful to be able to see her grow into herself, 145 00:07:33,487 --> 00:07:36,121 and be able to do these things. 146 00:07:39,793 --> 00:07:42,561 KALEB: Piper, stay home. ELOVIE: Stay! 147 00:07:42,596 --> 00:07:45,397 KALEB: Elovie is gonna have a unique opportunity today. 148 00:07:45,432 --> 00:07:47,632 She gets one on one time with me, 149 00:07:47,668 --> 00:07:50,268 in the mountains, doing what I love most, 150 00:07:50,304 --> 00:07:53,171 hunting wild game. 151 00:07:53,207 --> 00:07:56,174 There's no guarantees, I have not been up to the bowl where 152 00:07:56,210 --> 00:07:57,776 we're going hunting. 153 00:07:57,811 --> 00:07:59,878 There should be a foot, foot and a half of snow. 154 00:07:59,913 --> 00:08:02,447 And so, we're taking the snow machine up there, 155 00:08:02,483 --> 00:08:03,782 and we'll just have to look around, 156 00:08:03,817 --> 00:08:05,951 and see what we can find. 157 00:08:09,490 --> 00:08:14,159 MICHAEL: I take a lot of pride training and running a subsistence team. 158 00:08:14,194 --> 00:08:17,028 And so, what you see here, is you see tradition. 159 00:08:17,064 --> 00:08:19,498 And the tradition is strong. 160 00:08:22,135 --> 00:08:27,138 (barking). 161 00:08:28,208 --> 00:08:30,909 Quiet down, you little knuckleheads. 162 00:08:30,944 --> 00:08:32,777 You guys are nuts. 163 00:08:36,683 --> 00:08:40,151 You wanna be a sled dog? Wanna go for a run? 164 00:08:42,289 --> 00:08:44,456 First run. 165 00:08:44,625 --> 00:08:47,125 Earlier today, the winds come through. 166 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:49,828 We had white out conditions. 167 00:08:49,863 --> 00:08:52,631 These trees were snapping and cracking. 168 00:08:52,666 --> 00:08:55,901 I had a great big branch fall off into the puppy lot. 169 00:08:55,936 --> 00:08:58,370 But things have settled down. 170 00:08:58,405 --> 00:09:00,872 The visibility has improved. 171 00:09:00,908 --> 00:09:02,340 I can actually see around me. 172 00:09:02,376 --> 00:09:04,609 The winds have dropped down, and so, 173 00:09:04,645 --> 00:09:07,112 this is a perfect time to get on the trail and start running 174 00:09:07,147 --> 00:09:10,048 these dogs on their first run. 175 00:09:10,450 --> 00:09:12,417 This is the dog mushing season. 176 00:09:12,452 --> 00:09:14,085 The way I start my training out, 177 00:09:14,121 --> 00:09:16,588 is I usually tie them up to a sled with no weight, 178 00:09:16,623 --> 00:09:19,958 get the muscles moving, get the tendons moving. 179 00:09:19,993 --> 00:09:21,626 Line up, come on. 180 00:09:21,662 --> 00:09:23,295 Line up. Stay. 181 00:09:23,330 --> 00:09:26,565 My goal on this first run is just getting them back in tune 182 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,300 with their commands. 183 00:09:28,335 --> 00:09:31,870 Getting them psychologically prepared to be back on the trail. 184 00:09:31,905 --> 00:09:34,439 Come on. 185 00:09:34,474 --> 00:09:36,575 So, I'm gonna hook up three dogs at a time, 186 00:09:36,610 --> 00:09:38,910 that's about a two-mile run total. 187 00:09:38,946 --> 00:09:41,079 Short trips... 188 00:09:41,114 --> 00:09:42,447 Stay! 189 00:09:42,482 --> 00:09:44,783 Actually help the dogs focus. 190 00:09:44,818 --> 00:09:47,619 Eventually, we do back to back five milers. 191 00:09:47,654 --> 00:09:49,220 Ten milers. 192 00:09:49,256 --> 00:09:51,590 You know, you gotta crawl, walk, and then, run. 193 00:09:51,625 --> 00:09:53,825 And so, this is the crawl phase. 194 00:09:53,860 --> 00:09:56,861 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 195 00:09:57,664 --> 00:10:01,032 Go get 'em! Hyah! Hyah! 196 00:10:02,703 --> 00:10:05,637 Go get 'em! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! 197 00:10:05,672 --> 00:10:08,440 Good boys. 198 00:10:10,711 --> 00:10:13,111 These dogs, they love to be out on the trail. 199 00:10:13,146 --> 00:10:15,947 Come on. Good boys. 200 00:10:15,983 --> 00:10:19,684 The genetics of the Malamute, they've been bred by indigenous people 201 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,888 of the Northwest Arctic for hundreds of generations 202 00:10:23,924 --> 00:10:27,192 to be kind, courteous... 203 00:10:27,227 --> 00:10:28,493 Gee over. 204 00:10:28,528 --> 00:10:30,328 Powerful, hearty animals. 205 00:10:30,364 --> 00:10:33,531 Awoo! 206 00:10:34,968 --> 00:10:38,637 I can cover 20 to 30 miles a day with these dogs, 207 00:10:38,672 --> 00:10:41,706 hauling 800 pounds of stuff. 208 00:10:41,742 --> 00:10:43,408 Straight ahead. 209 00:10:43,443 --> 00:10:45,677 For me, being an East Coast Indian, 210 00:10:45,712 --> 00:10:48,680 this is a very natural way of travel. 211 00:10:48,715 --> 00:10:52,951 It's in my blood, it's in my ancestors' blood. 212 00:10:52,986 --> 00:10:56,321 Mushing was the way that things were done. 213 00:10:56,356 --> 00:10:58,423 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 214 00:10:58,458 --> 00:11:01,860 Whoa! 215 00:11:05,165 --> 00:11:08,099 I'm sorry, guys, your trail. It's blocked up. 216 00:11:19,246 --> 00:11:20,879 MICHAEL: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 217 00:11:20,914 --> 00:11:23,982 Halt. Whoa! 218 00:11:25,318 --> 00:11:28,153 Oh, shoot. 219 00:11:28,522 --> 00:11:30,755 The trail, it's blocked up. 220 00:11:30,791 --> 00:11:33,291 We got two trees down. 221 00:11:35,495 --> 00:11:37,062 This is a little bit of a problem. 222 00:11:37,097 --> 00:11:39,197 This is my loop that takes me down to the river, 223 00:11:39,232 --> 00:11:40,965 it gets them their first hill. 224 00:11:41,001 --> 00:11:42,967 Once you start miling them up, you gotta keep 'em going, 225 00:11:43,003 --> 00:11:45,403 keep 'em going, every single day. 226 00:11:45,439 --> 00:11:47,138 A couple of trees down over the trail, it happens. 227 00:11:47,174 --> 00:11:49,808 But unfortunately, it's the beginning of the training season. 228 00:11:49,843 --> 00:11:51,409 I can't be stopped up for this, 229 00:11:51,445 --> 00:11:54,746 so this has gotta be cleared out. 230 00:11:55,582 --> 00:11:58,149 That's a pretty violent snap on that tree. 231 00:11:58,185 --> 00:12:00,452 It's not rotten in the middle, it's a good piece. 232 00:12:00,487 --> 00:12:03,621 I'll buck that one up as firewood, 233 00:12:03,657 --> 00:12:05,657 and clear it off the trail. 234 00:12:05,692 --> 00:12:08,893 This next one here, significantly larger. 235 00:12:08,929 --> 00:12:10,995 It's gotta be about two foot at the base. 236 00:12:11,031 --> 00:12:12,530 I'm making a note. 237 00:12:12,566 --> 00:12:16,401 I need a chainsaw mill, a small firewood saw. 238 00:12:16,436 --> 00:12:18,069 (barking). 239 00:12:18,105 --> 00:12:20,205 These dogs are really anxious, they got a lot of energy. 240 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,674 All right, let's get you turned around. 241 00:12:22,709 --> 00:12:24,876 Go get 'em! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! 242 00:12:24,911 --> 00:12:27,178 Good boys. 243 00:12:31,451 --> 00:12:34,919 JOHNNY: I'm living in a place where humans don't really live. 244 00:12:36,022 --> 00:12:38,523 It's up to me to figure out how to live out here. 245 00:12:38,558 --> 00:12:40,525 There's not a lot of second chances that I get, 246 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:43,628 so I kind of gotta figure it out the first time around. 247 00:12:50,637 --> 00:12:53,037 Hey, Java, I thought you were getting the tool bag for me, huh? 248 00:12:53,073 --> 00:12:55,507 Carry your own weight, or do you just wanna sit around and eat all day? 249 00:12:57,144 --> 00:13:00,478 NARRATOR: Having lost valuable meat to a bear who came into his camp, 250 00:13:00,514 --> 00:13:04,349 Johnny must protect his property from anymore damage. 251 00:13:04,818 --> 00:13:07,252 In order to keep himself and his dog safe, 252 00:13:07,287 --> 00:13:11,289 he must secure any openings to his cabin. 253 00:13:11,958 --> 00:13:15,093 JOHNNY: You know, a bear will get into a cabin if it wants to get in. 254 00:13:15,128 --> 00:13:17,495 They're a lot smarter than we make them out to be. 255 00:13:17,531 --> 00:13:19,664 But the goal is to hide this window, 256 00:13:19,699 --> 00:13:21,966 and it doesn't know there's a window here. 257 00:13:22,002 --> 00:13:25,336 And that's, to me, outsmarting the bear. 258 00:13:30,644 --> 00:13:33,745 Go ahead, Java. Get it. There she goes. 259 00:13:35,482 --> 00:13:39,751 She kind of cleans up all of the construction scraps. 260 00:13:39,786 --> 00:13:42,187 I'm not complaining. 261 00:13:42,322 --> 00:13:46,291 These two pieces will go, one here and one here. 262 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,260 I'm gonna cut these shutters to size, 263 00:13:49,296 --> 00:13:53,298 and they'll essentially be fixed to these two vertical pieces. 264 00:13:53,333 --> 00:13:56,601 So then, it's just one solid piece that I just put right up 265 00:13:56,636 --> 00:13:59,070 into this space. 266 00:13:59,105 --> 00:14:00,572 The little projects that I do out here, 267 00:14:00,607 --> 00:14:01,739 they keep me going. 268 00:14:01,775 --> 00:14:03,541 They keep me positive. 269 00:14:03,577 --> 00:14:06,211 They keep me getting out of bed every day. 270 00:14:06,246 --> 00:14:09,881 And if I didn't have little projects to do, 271 00:14:09,916 --> 00:14:12,884 then, you know, it'd be boring out here. 272 00:14:12,919 --> 00:14:15,653 And I'm not looking for a boring life. 273 00:14:15,689 --> 00:14:19,457 This is the last nail for this one. 274 00:14:24,030 --> 00:14:25,196 Nice. 275 00:14:25,232 --> 00:14:27,298 That's a nice, snug fit. 276 00:14:27,334 --> 00:14:30,902 Yeah, I feel a little safer leaving camp for longer durations. 277 00:14:32,405 --> 00:14:34,239 The wildlife out here is abound. 278 00:14:34,274 --> 00:14:36,875 There are critters everywhere. 279 00:14:36,910 --> 00:14:38,910 But, you know, it's like, be careful what you wish for, 280 00:14:38,945 --> 00:14:41,512 because I've always wanted to see a lot of these animals, 281 00:14:41,548 --> 00:14:43,248 but I'm seeing a lot of them. 282 00:14:43,283 --> 00:14:45,850 And, you know, every day, it's like a different animal is 283 00:14:45,886 --> 00:14:47,719 trying to present a challenge for me. 284 00:14:47,754 --> 00:14:50,088 Java. You wanna go eat? 285 00:14:50,123 --> 00:14:51,556 Come on, let's call it a day. 286 00:14:51,591 --> 00:14:53,858 Come on! 287 00:15:00,066 --> 00:15:01,633 ALEX: When it's cold, it's cold. 288 00:15:01,668 --> 00:15:04,569 And it stays cold for a long time. 289 00:15:04,604 --> 00:15:06,738 When it's 40 below or 50 below outside, 290 00:15:06,773 --> 00:15:09,207 you gotta do a lot of work to stay warm. 291 00:15:23,790 --> 00:15:25,256 It's pretty dangerous. 292 00:15:25,292 --> 00:15:27,625 I mean, the falling ice tells you it's way above freezing, 293 00:15:27,661 --> 00:15:29,494 is what it tells you. 294 00:15:29,529 --> 00:15:31,963 Redoing my chimney is essential. 295 00:15:31,998 --> 00:15:35,033 But it's also gonna be inherently risky. 296 00:15:35,068 --> 00:15:38,569 My roof is extremely steep, and it's definitely not safe 297 00:15:38,605 --> 00:15:40,605 for me to just be standing on a ladder, 298 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,207 doing this kind of work, unprotected. 299 00:15:43,242 --> 00:15:45,243 If I start to fall, there's nothing, you know, 300 00:15:45,278 --> 00:15:47,111 there's no, nothing to catch me on. 301 00:15:47,147 --> 00:15:49,113 So I'll fall all the way down. 302 00:15:49,149 --> 00:15:51,716 So, I need a rope to hold the, you know, 303 00:15:51,751 --> 00:15:53,918 going over to hold the ladder from the other side, 304 00:15:53,954 --> 00:15:56,421 so that it can't swing. 305 00:15:56,456 --> 00:15:58,389 And then, also a rope to hold myself, 306 00:15:58,425 --> 00:16:01,059 uh, on the other side. 307 00:16:01,094 --> 00:16:02,727 Let me grab that. 308 00:16:02,762 --> 00:16:04,329 Basically, I'll have a rope going across the roof of the 309 00:16:04,364 --> 00:16:06,864 cabin to a tree on the other side. 310 00:16:06,900 --> 00:16:08,866 The rope will allow me to work safely, 311 00:16:08,902 --> 00:16:12,503 work confidently, without having to worry about falling off. 312 00:16:12,539 --> 00:16:14,872 I'll have a harness that I can clip into it. 313 00:16:14,908 --> 00:16:18,609 That way, there's a nice tight rope holding me. 314 00:16:18,645 --> 00:16:21,312 So this way, if I slip or fall, 315 00:16:21,348 --> 00:16:24,415 I'll just lean on the rope. 316 00:16:25,585 --> 00:16:27,585 In order to set up my kind of rope safety system, 317 00:16:27,620 --> 00:16:29,921 I do have to go up the ladder unprotected, 318 00:16:29,956 --> 00:16:32,657 and throw a rope over. 319 00:16:32,692 --> 00:16:37,028 I got a heavy iron shackle on one end to give it some weight. 320 00:16:51,311 --> 00:16:52,810 I need to kind of wind up a little more, 321 00:16:52,846 --> 00:16:53,978 which makes me nervous. 322 00:16:54,014 --> 00:16:56,581 I'm working on a ladder on the side of an icy roof. 323 00:16:58,551 --> 00:17:00,385 You know, I don't wanna fall. 324 00:17:00,420 --> 00:17:02,220 This might be the most dangerous kind of part, 325 00:17:02,255 --> 00:17:04,889 is just setting up my anchor. 326 00:17:06,493 --> 00:17:08,559 This is one of the situations where it's not enough that 327 00:17:08,595 --> 00:17:10,094 I just try hard. 328 00:17:10,130 --> 00:17:14,065 I have to do it right, because if I get injured out here, uh, 329 00:17:14,100 --> 00:17:16,501 even, you know, a relatively minor injury that 330 00:17:16,536 --> 00:17:19,404 might not be a big deal if I got hurt in the city, 331 00:17:19,439 --> 00:17:22,073 out here, it can be a death sentence. 332 00:17:22,108 --> 00:17:25,043 This (bleep) heavy. 333 00:17:25,078 --> 00:17:27,278 (bleep). (bleep). 334 00:17:37,624 --> 00:17:41,059 It's definitely not safe for me to just be standing on a ladder, 335 00:17:41,094 --> 00:17:42,994 doing this kind of work, unprotected. 336 00:17:43,029 --> 00:17:44,562 Second time. 337 00:17:44,597 --> 00:17:46,464 But, you know, any time I'm working alone, 338 00:17:46,499 --> 00:17:48,766 a lot of my time is spent figuring out all these 339 00:17:48,802 --> 00:17:50,735 different safety systems. 340 00:17:50,770 --> 00:17:53,204 Get the hell off this death trap. 341 00:17:53,239 --> 00:17:54,972 Now I just gotta find a good tree, 342 00:17:55,008 --> 00:17:57,108 something nice and solid to tie my anchor off of. 343 00:17:57,143 --> 00:17:59,377 Something that will hold my weight if I fall. 344 00:17:59,412 --> 00:18:02,447 There's my rope. 345 00:18:02,482 --> 00:18:04,549 And now I can go set up the end of the rope that 346 00:18:04,584 --> 00:18:06,918 I will be connected to. 347 00:18:06,953 --> 00:18:11,055 Of course, which I always wanna do is test it. 348 00:18:11,091 --> 00:18:16,894 So, it should be able to adjust it as I climb up, 349 00:18:16,930 --> 00:18:20,031 and it will hold my weight if I fall. 350 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,667 I'm focused on doing this as safe as I can, 351 00:18:22,702 --> 00:18:25,670 but I got a lot of things kind of fighting against me. 352 00:18:25,705 --> 00:18:27,672 I got this cold snow blowing in my face. 353 00:18:27,707 --> 00:18:31,242 Just have the steepness and the slickness of this metal roof. 354 00:18:31,277 --> 00:18:32,610 Here it comes. 355 00:18:32,645 --> 00:18:36,781 At this point, my body is pretty exhausted, but, you know, 356 00:18:36,816 --> 00:18:39,951 I'm still a long ways from finished with this job. 357 00:18:39,986 --> 00:18:41,552 So, there's no turning back now, 358 00:18:41,588 --> 00:18:43,855 because now, I don't have a stove anymore. 359 00:18:50,063 --> 00:18:53,464 MICHAEL: You can't just stop because something is strenuous. 360 00:18:56,269 --> 00:18:58,002 You gotta keep going. 361 00:18:58,037 --> 00:19:00,371 And so, that's part of life up here. 362 00:19:01,207 --> 00:19:06,277 Get 'em! Get 'em! Go get 'em! Good girl! 363 00:19:06,312 --> 00:19:08,646 Look at you go! 364 00:19:08,681 --> 00:19:11,015 All right. 365 00:19:14,154 --> 00:19:17,255 Right out that way is my five-mile loop. 366 00:19:17,290 --> 00:19:18,656 I gotta get on that. 367 00:19:18,691 --> 00:19:20,558 These dogs have to keep miling up. 368 00:19:20,593 --> 00:19:23,027 It's time for that first winter caribou hunt, 369 00:19:23,062 --> 00:19:26,097 and these dogs are my transportation. 370 00:19:26,132 --> 00:19:28,733 It's very important, they gotta keep running. 371 00:19:28,768 --> 00:19:32,637 And that will prevent injuries on the trails during expedition. 372 00:19:33,006 --> 00:19:35,540 I'm gonna go ahead, fire up my little chainsaw. 373 00:19:35,575 --> 00:19:37,742 Then I'm gonna try to clear out all this old, 374 00:19:37,777 --> 00:19:40,978 rotten willow. 375 00:19:48,955 --> 00:19:52,990 It seems like I am attached by a dummy cord to this darn chainsaw. 376 00:19:53,393 --> 00:19:55,226 What a mess! 377 00:19:55,261 --> 00:19:57,361 I bought it used for next to nothing, 378 00:19:57,397 --> 00:20:00,631 and it has handled year after year after year of cutting. 379 00:20:03,703 --> 00:20:07,104 The winds are picking up. 380 00:20:07,140 --> 00:20:12,176 I actually don't like working around these treetops. 381 00:20:12,478 --> 00:20:15,313 A 60, 70, 80 mile an hour gust will come through, 382 00:20:15,348 --> 00:20:17,915 and just snap these trees like they're toothpicks. 383 00:20:18,618 --> 00:20:21,352 Gonna have to hurry up and clear this out. 384 00:20:25,592 --> 00:20:26,824 Look at that. 385 00:20:26,859 --> 00:20:28,993 My five-mile loop is clear again. 386 00:20:29,028 --> 00:20:32,663 I just bucked up that small tree as firewood. 387 00:20:32,699 --> 00:20:36,667 That big tree, I'm just gonna mill it up real quick with my saw mill. 388 00:20:36,703 --> 00:20:39,737 It's gonna make some nice lumber. 389 00:20:40,273 --> 00:20:41,906 And so, I got this ladder brought out here, 390 00:20:41,941 --> 00:20:43,274 and this is just to act as a guide, 391 00:20:43,309 --> 00:20:45,643 so my first cut will be somewhat straight, 392 00:20:45,678 --> 00:20:48,279 and I can continue to cut this two and a half inches thick 393 00:20:48,314 --> 00:20:51,382 the whole way down. 394 00:20:55,421 --> 00:20:57,922 This thing is an absolute beast. 395 00:20:57,957 --> 00:21:00,625 Lot of work involved, but if you do the work, 396 00:21:00,660 --> 00:21:03,461 you don't have to buy store-bought lumber. 397 00:21:04,297 --> 00:21:06,464 I spent my whole life working, working, working, 398 00:21:06,499 --> 00:21:09,100 and we're just programmed to desire 399 00:21:09,135 --> 00:21:12,370 all these things that we know we can't afford. 400 00:21:12,405 --> 00:21:15,106 That's unsustainable for the human spirit. 401 00:21:15,141 --> 00:21:17,808 So, if I have to do a little physical labor, big deal. 402 00:21:17,844 --> 00:21:22,179 It is liberating, not feeding all these greedy systems. 403 00:21:23,650 --> 00:21:25,950 All right. First cut. 404 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:30,388 Beautiful piece right there. 405 00:21:30,423 --> 00:21:32,490 I'll make a nice bench out of that. 406 00:21:32,525 --> 00:21:35,993 All that brush seemed like an impenetrable barrier in the moment, 407 00:21:36,029 --> 00:21:37,728 but after doing a little bit of work, 408 00:21:37,764 --> 00:21:39,563 I've got a nice load of firewood, 409 00:21:39,599 --> 00:21:41,632 and I'll have slabs. 410 00:21:41,668 --> 00:21:44,335 It ended up turning into an amazing situation, 411 00:21:44,370 --> 00:21:46,704 where a barrier became an asset. 412 00:21:47,407 --> 00:21:50,875 But right now, the winds are picking up something fierce. 413 00:21:50,910 --> 00:21:53,244 I wanna get this done and get outta here. 414 00:22:03,389 --> 00:22:06,490 KALEB: Living out here, I have to go out in the woods and 415 00:22:06,526 --> 00:22:08,559 harvest the meat, process the meat, 416 00:22:08,594 --> 00:22:10,861 and then, I have to preserve it. 417 00:22:10,897 --> 00:22:14,231 Whatever method is used, I personally have to do. 418 00:22:20,073 --> 00:22:22,273 These tracks are all old, Ellie. 419 00:22:22,308 --> 00:22:24,308 Check out all those tracks over there, okay? 420 00:22:25,912 --> 00:22:28,479 I'm heading out into the mountains to hunt ptarmigan, 421 00:22:28,514 --> 00:22:30,548 and I get to go teach my daughter a little bit about 422 00:22:30,583 --> 00:22:33,317 hunting wild game. 423 00:22:33,353 --> 00:22:36,020 Stand up. 424 00:22:36,055 --> 00:22:37,922 You're doing great, Ellie. 425 00:22:37,957 --> 00:22:41,025 Ptarmigan are a small grouse species. 426 00:22:41,060 --> 00:22:43,127 They usually live up in the high country. 427 00:22:43,162 --> 00:22:44,595 They turn white in the wintertime, 428 00:22:44,630 --> 00:22:46,630 so they're extremely hard to see. 429 00:22:46,666 --> 00:22:50,301 Usually the only reason you see them is by looking for shapes. 430 00:22:50,770 --> 00:22:52,436 You have to learn the shape of a ptarmigan, 431 00:22:52,472 --> 00:22:54,905 and if you can learn that, you can find them. 432 00:22:54,941 --> 00:22:56,540 Look at these ptarmigan tracks! 433 00:22:56,576 --> 00:22:58,876 These are kind of old, though. 434 00:22:58,911 --> 00:23:00,244 ELOVIE: How? 435 00:23:00,279 --> 00:23:01,879 KALEB: See how they look like there's a little bit of snow 436 00:23:01,914 --> 00:23:03,414 in the bottom of them? 437 00:23:03,449 --> 00:23:05,149 It snowed two days ago. 438 00:23:05,184 --> 00:23:07,318 So these ptarmigan were up here when it was snowing. 439 00:23:07,353 --> 00:23:10,721 And they've flown off somewhere else. 440 00:23:12,091 --> 00:23:14,525 We need to go find some more tracks somewhere else. 441 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,894 Where maybe they've been a little bit sooner. 442 00:23:16,929 --> 00:23:19,430 All right, let's go. 443 00:23:30,209 --> 00:23:33,277 Wow, Ellie. 444 00:23:34,313 --> 00:23:35,946 ELOVIE: Dad, what are you doing? 445 00:23:35,982 --> 00:23:38,048 KALEB: Need to get my binoculars out. 446 00:23:38,084 --> 00:23:40,618 ELOVIE: Can I help you also? 447 00:23:44,524 --> 00:23:47,391 KALEB: Look at that! ELOVIE: Whoa. 448 00:23:58,738 --> 00:24:00,204 ELOVIE: Yeah. KALEB: Through the binoculars? 449 00:24:00,239 --> 00:24:01,472 ELOVIE: Yup. 450 00:24:02,809 --> 00:24:03,808 KALEB: Yup. 451 00:24:05,478 --> 00:24:07,678 KALEB: Elovie just loved seeing the moose today. 452 00:24:07,713 --> 00:24:09,146 They're just wintering up there. 453 00:24:09,182 --> 00:24:10,881 They're way up in the high country. 454 00:24:10,917 --> 00:24:14,018 And they'll stay up there until the snow starts to get deep, 455 00:24:14,053 --> 00:24:16,353 and it pushes them down the mountain. 456 00:24:16,389 --> 00:24:19,056 Ellie, it's pretty cool seeing stuff move around up here. 457 00:24:19,091 --> 00:24:20,858 We've seen old ptarmigan tracks. 458 00:24:20,893 --> 00:24:23,894 But so far, we're not really seeing any, 459 00:24:23,930 --> 00:24:26,430 anything fresh for ptarmigan, so. 460 00:24:30,803 --> 00:24:32,870 KALEB: Yeah, we can't do that right now. 461 00:24:32,905 --> 00:24:34,405 ELOVIE: When? 462 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:36,040 KALEB: I know, it's pretty exciting seeing the moose, though, isn't it? 463 00:24:38,611 --> 00:24:40,277 KALEB: We can shoot the moose in September. 464 00:24:42,482 --> 00:24:43,647 KALEB: Oh, it's not sad. 465 00:24:43,683 --> 00:24:46,083 There's a reason for hunting seasons. 466 00:24:46,118 --> 00:24:48,486 If you just went and killed all the animals because you 467 00:24:48,521 --> 00:24:51,355 could hunt year-round then there'd be nothing left, 468 00:24:51,390 --> 00:24:55,493 and we wouldn't be able to use that resource in the future. 469 00:24:55,528 --> 00:24:58,028 Today was a good opportunity to teach my daughter a little bit 470 00:24:58,064 --> 00:25:01,732 about conservation, and we have to be responsible stewards. 471 00:25:02,768 --> 00:25:05,703 And always remember that if we want this to be here tomorrow, 472 00:25:05,738 --> 00:25:08,672 we need to be very careful about our actions today. 473 00:25:08,708 --> 00:25:10,508 Check out the moose scat. 474 00:25:10,543 --> 00:25:12,543 ELOVIE: That is poop. 475 00:25:12,578 --> 00:25:14,011 KALEB: It's been here a couple days. 476 00:25:14,046 --> 00:25:15,379 You think it's the same moose we just saw? 477 00:25:15,414 --> 00:25:16,447 ELOVIE: Uh-huh. 478 00:25:16,482 --> 00:25:17,781 KALEB: Yeah, I bet so, too. 479 00:25:17,817 --> 00:25:19,884 It looks like he's been living on the hillside here for a few days. 480 00:25:19,919 --> 00:25:21,285 ELOVIE: Maybe. 481 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:23,320 KALEB: I saw all sorts of beds on the road. 482 00:25:23,356 --> 00:25:26,056 I think he's just hangin' out up here, 483 00:25:26,092 --> 00:25:27,191 enjoying the view. 484 00:25:27,226 --> 00:25:28,292 What do you think? 485 00:25:28,327 --> 00:25:30,094 ELOVIE: Yeah. KALEB: It's pretty gorgeous. 486 00:25:30,129 --> 00:25:33,731 ELOVIE: Uh-huh. KALEB: Well. 487 00:25:33,766 --> 00:25:37,067 So, it might be time to head down the mountain and get our alder firewood. 488 00:25:37,103 --> 00:25:39,236 Ready to go do that? 489 00:25:39,272 --> 00:25:40,538 ELOVIE: Yeah. 490 00:25:40,573 --> 00:25:42,740 KALEB: All right. Let's go. 491 00:25:43,342 --> 00:25:45,643 We might not have been successful with our little ptarmigan hunt, 492 00:25:45,678 --> 00:25:50,214 which really depends on your definition of success. 493 00:25:50,249 --> 00:25:51,815 I would consider it success because I had a 494 00:25:51,851 --> 00:25:55,252 great afternoon with my daughter in the mountains. 495 00:26:03,362 --> 00:26:05,863 Just sit there and watch while I get some alders, 496 00:26:05,898 --> 00:26:06,997 and you will cool off. 497 00:26:07,033 --> 00:26:08,132 'Kay? 498 00:26:08,167 --> 00:26:11,402 Fortunately, we plan ahead, and we have meat in the 499 00:26:11,437 --> 00:26:14,138 freezer from our last hunting season, 500 00:26:14,173 --> 00:26:16,006 that we can call upon to put in the smoker, 501 00:26:16,042 --> 00:26:18,809 instead of what we attempted to harvest today. 502 00:26:18,844 --> 00:26:22,079 All right, Ellie, think that's enough to smoke some meat? 503 00:26:22,114 --> 00:26:23,280 ELOVIE: Let's, let's boogie! 504 00:26:23,316 --> 00:26:26,116 KALEB: Let's boogie! 505 00:26:27,486 --> 00:26:29,119 Apparently, you're ready to go. 506 00:26:29,155 --> 00:26:31,922 ELOVIE: Let's go! KALEB: Let's go. 507 00:26:44,203 --> 00:26:45,603 MICHAEL: This is a hard environment. 508 00:26:45,638 --> 00:26:47,438 The darkness, the cold. 509 00:26:47,473 --> 00:26:49,974 I don't try to play tough guy in Alaska. 510 00:26:55,314 --> 00:26:56,580 All right. 511 00:26:56,616 --> 00:26:58,916 The winds have died down. The sun's peeking out. 512 00:26:58,951 --> 00:27:00,284 It's nice and cold. 513 00:27:00,319 --> 00:27:03,120 It's a good time to move some heavy stuff. 514 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,095 This was originally a big tangled mess over my five-mile loop. 515 00:27:11,130 --> 00:27:13,063 But in the end, after all that hard work, 516 00:27:13,099 --> 00:27:16,367 I'm gonna come out of here with a bunch of lumber, 517 00:27:16,402 --> 00:27:18,469 and some firewood. 518 00:27:18,504 --> 00:27:22,706 And so now, I'm gonna take my time and haul one piece at a time. 519 00:27:23,943 --> 00:27:25,242 (barking). 520 00:27:25,277 --> 00:27:26,543 Whoa, whoa, whoa! 521 00:27:26,579 --> 00:27:28,812 These dogs don't give me much time to do anything, really. 522 00:27:28,848 --> 00:27:31,315 They're just knuckleheads this time of the year. 523 00:27:31,350 --> 00:27:34,051 Hey! Line up! Come on! Line up! 524 00:27:34,086 --> 00:27:35,786 Super hardheaded breed. 525 00:27:35,821 --> 00:27:38,188 Hard workers and hardheaded as well. 526 00:27:38,224 --> 00:27:40,691 You stay lined up. 527 00:27:40,726 --> 00:27:44,028 You ready? Go get 'em! Go! 528 00:27:44,063 --> 00:27:47,564 Whoa! Whoa, whoa! Slow down. 529 00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:50,601 This is actually the first time that I've hauled a 530 00:27:50,636 --> 00:27:54,304 16-foot slab with this sled, and it works perfectly. 531 00:27:54,340 --> 00:27:56,473 If I get about three more dogs, 532 00:27:56,509 --> 00:27:58,909 I could probably just load the entire sled up. 533 00:27:58,944 --> 00:28:01,111 But for right now, we need these dogs to get in shape 534 00:28:01,147 --> 00:28:03,847 before I really start puttin' the miles and weight on 'em. 535 00:28:03,883 --> 00:28:06,450 But this is just early season training, 536 00:28:06,485 --> 00:28:09,586 and they're already getting work done. 537 00:28:12,224 --> 00:28:14,024 Whoa! 538 00:28:14,060 --> 00:28:16,260 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! 539 00:28:16,295 --> 00:28:18,062 Whoa! 540 00:28:18,097 --> 00:28:19,997 Good dogs. 541 00:28:20,032 --> 00:28:22,266 I wouldn't have been able to move that by myself without 542 00:28:22,301 --> 00:28:24,501 straining my back. 543 00:28:24,537 --> 00:28:27,604 And so, what you're seeing here is a traditional way to 544 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:29,039 move stuff around. 545 00:28:29,075 --> 00:28:31,542 Goods and supplies, freight, lumber, firewood. 546 00:28:31,577 --> 00:28:33,010 You name it. 547 00:28:33,045 --> 00:28:36,480 All you gotta do is just fire up a few malamutes. 548 00:28:38,317 --> 00:28:40,851 All right. Time to go with another team. 549 00:28:42,321 --> 00:28:43,754 Straight ahead! Straight ahead! 550 00:28:43,789 --> 00:28:45,355 Straight ahead! 551 00:28:45,391 --> 00:28:46,924 The training regimen in the winter time, 552 00:28:46,959 --> 00:28:49,760 it starts the second that snow hits the ground. 553 00:28:49,795 --> 00:28:54,264 Haw! Haw! Good boys. 554 00:28:54,300 --> 00:28:56,834 This is the best time of the year in Alaska. 555 00:28:58,537 --> 00:29:02,973 It's cold, it's brutal, and these dogs motivate you to 556 00:29:03,008 --> 00:29:05,209 get out here, get the blood pumpin'. 557 00:29:05,244 --> 00:29:09,113 They really do help me cope with the dark and the cold. 558 00:29:09,148 --> 00:29:11,115 I can't sit around idle. 559 00:29:11,150 --> 00:29:14,051 They have to work. It's their season. 560 00:29:20,392 --> 00:29:22,793 Whoa, whoa, whoa! 561 00:29:22,828 --> 00:29:26,663 (barking). 562 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:29,333 All right. 563 00:29:29,368 --> 00:29:31,335 Look at those slabs of wood. 564 00:29:31,370 --> 00:29:34,571 This color right here, it's such a comforting color. 565 00:29:34,607 --> 00:29:37,741 It's this warm, setting of the sun color, 566 00:29:37,777 --> 00:29:40,144 mixed in with wispy clouds. 567 00:29:40,179 --> 00:29:43,614 And so, with that setting sun, I gotta keep movin', 568 00:29:43,649 --> 00:29:47,451 keep runnin', keep puttin' them miles on them dogs. 569 00:29:47,486 --> 00:29:50,954 I got two in one shot, bunch of wood and some miles on my dogs. 570 00:29:50,990 --> 00:29:53,290 I'm gonna get one more run in. 571 00:29:58,798 --> 00:30:01,632 JOHNNY: Complacency is what's gonna kill you. 572 00:30:01,667 --> 00:30:04,401 So out here, I like to stay moving. 573 00:30:04,436 --> 00:30:06,303 I don't like to stop, you know. 574 00:30:06,338 --> 00:30:07,638 There's so much to do. 575 00:30:07,673 --> 00:30:10,941 Just surviving alone will take up most of your time. 576 00:30:18,317 --> 00:30:19,983 What you smell, Java? Huh? 577 00:30:20,019 --> 00:30:22,686 Oh, yeah. These are all broken branches. 578 00:30:25,491 --> 00:30:28,325 This one's living too, so. 579 00:30:30,029 --> 00:30:32,896 There's, yeah, you can see the bear's hair right here. 580 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,200 Yeah. 581 00:30:36,235 --> 00:30:37,768 What he does is he just comes over here, 582 00:30:37,803 --> 00:30:39,937 and he puts his back against the tree, 583 00:30:39,972 --> 00:30:41,972 and just kind of marks his territory, 584 00:30:42,007 --> 00:30:46,176 and any branches that are in the way just break or fall on the ground. 585 00:30:46,879 --> 00:30:48,979 It's a good day to be doing a, a little bit of bear defense 586 00:30:49,014 --> 00:30:51,315 on the cabin, that's for sure. 587 00:30:52,284 --> 00:30:54,484 Come here, Java. Hey! Come here. 588 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:58,255 My goal today is to make a latch for the door for the cabin. 589 00:31:00,326 --> 00:31:03,427 The purpose of the latch is to keep Java in the cabin 590 00:31:03,462 --> 00:31:05,329 when it's necessary. 591 00:31:05,364 --> 00:31:08,265 I rarely leave her in there without myself being in there. 592 00:31:08,300 --> 00:31:12,369 But there are times usually when there are bears or wolves 593 00:31:12,404 --> 00:31:14,905 roaming that, uh, it's, it's kind of important to keep her 594 00:31:14,940 --> 00:31:18,208 in there for her own safety. 595 00:31:18,244 --> 00:31:23,981 So I got to find a, a little spruce tree to cut down. 596 00:31:24,016 --> 00:31:27,684 And that's gonna be, uh, what goes through the door. 597 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:30,721 And, um, I'll have a handle on each end of that. 598 00:31:33,158 --> 00:31:35,759 Let's see, let's see. 599 00:31:37,096 --> 00:31:40,731 God, that's such a, that's a big (bleep) grizzly bear! 600 00:31:40,766 --> 00:31:42,366 Look at that. 601 00:31:50,242 --> 00:31:52,542 ♪ ♪ 602 00:31:52,578 --> 00:31:56,213 JOHNNY: God, that's such a, that's a big (bleep) grizzly bear! 603 00:31:57,016 --> 00:31:58,448 Look at that. 604 00:31:58,484 --> 00:32:00,284 You could see where its nails, that's a big, 605 00:32:00,319 --> 00:32:02,352 that's a big paw. 606 00:32:02,388 --> 00:32:04,154 And that's the right, right foot, 607 00:32:04,189 --> 00:32:06,490 and that's the left foot there. 608 00:32:06,525 --> 00:32:09,326 And he's moving, he's moving toward my camp. 609 00:32:09,828 --> 00:32:12,162 Makes you think. 610 00:32:12,765 --> 00:32:14,698 You know, I've been, I've been waitin' so long for it to 611 00:32:14,733 --> 00:32:17,301 start snowing so I could see all of the tracks and know 612 00:32:17,336 --> 00:32:19,236 what's hanging around my camp. 613 00:32:19,271 --> 00:32:20,704 It's a little bit more than I thought it was, 614 00:32:20,739 --> 00:32:24,975 to be honest, so, um, yeah, time to get to this latch 615 00:32:25,010 --> 00:32:27,844 before, before that sun goes down. 616 00:32:30,482 --> 00:32:32,115 Just gotta find about a one, one-and-a-half-inch diameter, 617 00:32:32,184 --> 00:32:35,986 uh, little spruce tree. 618 00:32:36,021 --> 00:32:39,589 It'll act as the, the piece that goes in the door. 619 00:32:39,625 --> 00:32:42,292 This one here might work. 620 00:32:44,730 --> 00:32:47,364 I really enjoy working with my hands. 621 00:32:47,399 --> 00:32:49,933 To, to have a thought, and to put it down on paper, 622 00:32:49,969 --> 00:32:52,536 and then, take it from paper, and to apply it, 623 00:32:52,571 --> 00:32:55,172 and actually build it, is very, very satisfying. 624 00:32:55,207 --> 00:32:57,140 So the plan for the latch is to take, 625 00:32:57,176 --> 00:33:01,912 uh, two pieces, put 'em up. 626 00:33:04,984 --> 00:33:08,385 Spruce, I'm gonna have to whittle down. 627 00:33:08,787 --> 00:33:10,554 Probably about 50%. 628 00:33:10,589 --> 00:33:13,890 And that's gonna slide in and out of that little box that I make. 629 00:33:13,926 --> 00:33:16,760 And I'll have a hole in the side of this doorjamb that 630 00:33:16,795 --> 00:33:19,363 this will go into. 631 00:33:19,431 --> 00:33:22,733 Little handle, and it'll slide in and out. 632 00:33:25,104 --> 00:33:29,673 You know, I think people tend to go toward other humans when 633 00:33:29,708 --> 00:33:31,942 they wanna feel like they belong. 634 00:33:31,977 --> 00:33:35,679 But I don't need people out here to feel like I belong to something. 635 00:33:35,714 --> 00:33:37,381 I feel like I belong to this, uh, 636 00:33:37,416 --> 00:33:39,750 this ecosystem, this environment, 637 00:33:39,785 --> 00:33:41,018 and all the animals. 638 00:33:41,053 --> 00:33:42,285 Nature. 639 00:33:42,321 --> 00:33:44,621 You know, having the bear that comes around here at night, 640 00:33:44,656 --> 00:33:46,957 I'm a part of that bear's life now, 641 00:33:46,992 --> 00:33:49,259 and it's kind of become a part of me. 642 00:33:49,294 --> 00:33:50,861 We have this weird relationship. 643 00:33:50,896 --> 00:33:54,097 You know, whose, whose turf is it at what time? 644 00:33:54,132 --> 00:33:57,567 It's like a, a weird respect. 645 00:33:57,603 --> 00:33:59,903 But also, you can't let your guard down either because 646 00:33:59,938 --> 00:34:02,105 that bear will capitalize on, you know, 647 00:34:02,141 --> 00:34:04,141 taking my food. 648 00:34:04,176 --> 00:34:07,110 Possibly even turning me into a meal or definitely Java. 649 00:34:11,650 --> 00:34:12,682 Let's give it the test. 650 00:34:12,718 --> 00:34:13,683 Java, come here! 651 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:16,620 Java, come on! Java, come on! 652 00:34:16,655 --> 00:34:18,922 You hear her scratching. 653 00:34:18,957 --> 00:34:21,992 Looks like the, looks like the latch is doing its job. 654 00:34:22,027 --> 00:34:23,727 I hold myself accountable out here. 655 00:34:23,762 --> 00:34:25,262 It's up to me to get things done. 656 00:34:25,297 --> 00:34:26,863 Yeah, I'm pretty happy with it. 657 00:34:26,898 --> 00:34:29,533 Works pretty good. 658 00:34:29,568 --> 00:34:31,768 You have to know how to apply yourself. 659 00:34:31,804 --> 00:34:35,472 You gotta be confident, but you can't be arrogant or cocky either. 660 00:34:35,507 --> 00:34:37,674 And kind of have the wisdom to know the difference, 661 00:34:37,709 --> 00:34:40,143 or you won't make it. 662 00:34:40,179 --> 00:34:42,279 What do you say, Java? 663 00:34:42,314 --> 00:34:46,483 You wanna go walk out on the lake or something? 664 00:34:46,518 --> 00:34:47,584 Come on! 665 00:34:47,619 --> 00:34:48,919 Let's go walk out on the ice. 666 00:34:48,954 --> 00:34:51,421 Hmm? Come on! 667 00:34:59,531 --> 00:35:01,798 ALEX: A challenge comes, I just face it. 668 00:35:01,834 --> 00:35:03,667 I just do my best. 669 00:35:03,735 --> 00:35:05,802 You know, I'm still here. I'm still alive. 670 00:35:05,838 --> 00:35:08,805 Nobody can say I'm a failure until I'm dead. 671 00:35:20,319 --> 00:35:21,585 It's a really good thing I, uh, 672 00:35:21,620 --> 00:35:24,488 took my chimney down now because all this creosote 673 00:35:24,523 --> 00:35:27,124 inside, if that gets hot enough, 674 00:35:27,159 --> 00:35:28,625 it'll set on fire. 675 00:35:28,660 --> 00:35:30,861 I can see that there is, uh, a bit of heat damage in here. 676 00:35:30,896 --> 00:35:33,296 So that's, uh, a major warning sign. 677 00:35:33,332 --> 00:35:35,098 If it kept going on like that, there would definitely have 678 00:35:35,134 --> 00:35:36,733 been a fire at some point. 679 00:35:36,768 --> 00:35:39,302 So, it's a good thing I'm replacing this. 680 00:35:39,338 --> 00:35:41,972 You little son of a bitch. 681 00:35:42,574 --> 00:35:44,307 All this work I have to do, everything's kind of 682 00:35:44,343 --> 00:35:46,877 conspiring against me to, to make this job more dangerous 683 00:35:46,912 --> 00:35:48,712 than it has to be. 684 00:35:48,780 --> 00:35:51,515 You know, trying to lift and haul heavy awkward things 685 00:35:51,550 --> 00:35:53,750 on a steep roof. 686 00:35:53,785 --> 00:35:55,685 I'm using sharp power tools. 687 00:35:55,721 --> 00:35:59,089 And I'm also working in the dark. 688 00:36:01,093 --> 00:36:03,360 Okay. There you go. 689 00:36:03,395 --> 00:36:04,995 I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 690 00:36:05,030 --> 00:36:08,231 The final step is to get this eight-foot length stove pipe. 691 00:36:08,267 --> 00:36:10,800 Lift this heavy thing up, and then, 692 00:36:10,836 --> 00:36:13,336 carefully guide it into the flashing, 693 00:36:13,372 --> 00:36:16,106 so that it rests on the stovepipe underneath. 694 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:23,947 Come on. 695 00:36:24,950 --> 00:36:26,983 It wants to tip either way. 696 00:36:27,019 --> 00:36:30,620 How do I prevent it from doing that? 697 00:36:30,656 --> 00:36:33,590 Uh, once I get, I can get it to here, that's fine. 698 00:36:33,625 --> 00:36:36,793 It starts to want sliding, to slide either way. 699 00:36:36,828 --> 00:36:38,228 I just don't want it to do that, 700 00:36:38,263 --> 00:36:39,596 because I don't, I, it's too heavy, 701 00:36:39,631 --> 00:36:43,867 I won't be able to just easily get the control of it. 702 00:36:47,706 --> 00:36:49,406 It's just I don't have any control over the upper end, 703 00:36:49,441 --> 00:36:52,342 even, even up like this. 704 00:36:52,377 --> 00:36:54,311 If I drop this thing, if it falls, 705 00:36:54,346 --> 00:36:55,879 it may be ruined. 706 00:36:55,914 --> 00:36:59,883 Adjust my body, see if I can find the right spot. 707 00:37:07,159 --> 00:37:08,391 I'm not sure if it's on it. 708 00:37:08,427 --> 00:37:12,729 That's got so much (bleep) sway to it. 709 00:37:12,764 --> 00:37:14,798 And it doesn't hold itself. 710 00:37:14,833 --> 00:37:16,900 (bleep). 711 00:37:16,935 --> 00:37:19,135 And I can't get it off. 712 00:37:19,171 --> 00:37:23,240 (groaning). 713 00:37:23,275 --> 00:37:24,574 I can't get it off. 714 00:37:24,610 --> 00:37:26,176 But now the issue is, well, the stovepipe's stuck. 715 00:37:26,211 --> 00:37:27,944 It's stuck in the flashing. 716 00:37:27,980 --> 00:37:29,212 I can't leave it here because if I do, 717 00:37:29,248 --> 00:37:30,513 it's gonna fall over. 718 00:37:30,549 --> 00:37:31,715 It's gonna bend all the metal, 719 00:37:31,750 --> 00:37:33,016 it's gonna tear my whole chimney up. 720 00:37:33,051 --> 00:37:34,684 It's pretty heavy. 721 00:37:34,720 --> 00:37:36,419 Uh, it's also slick. 722 00:37:36,455 --> 00:37:38,755 Maintaining my balance for myself and of this pipe is 723 00:37:38,790 --> 00:37:39,923 really difficult. 724 00:37:39,958 --> 00:37:41,124 I'm extremely angry. 725 00:37:41,159 --> 00:37:42,826 Just, uh, you know, a lot of, it's a lot of stress 726 00:37:42,861 --> 00:37:44,828 compounding, so, uh, I'm just gonna, 727 00:37:44,863 --> 00:37:48,131 I'm just gonna let some of it out. 728 00:37:48,166 --> 00:37:49,633 I don't care if I'll die. 729 00:37:49,668 --> 00:37:51,701 If I fall, I fall. That's it. 730 00:37:51,703 --> 00:37:56,373 (groaning). 731 00:37:56,408 --> 00:37:58,475 You (bleep) big heavy (bleep). 732 00:38:07,319 --> 00:38:08,952 (bleep). 733 00:38:08,987 --> 00:38:11,421 You (bleep) big heavy (bleep). 734 00:38:13,292 --> 00:38:15,458 When I hit a road block, I get angry. 735 00:38:15,494 --> 00:38:16,626 I get mad. 736 00:38:16,662 --> 00:38:18,662 Uh, and I just let it all out right on the spot. 737 00:38:18,697 --> 00:38:20,563 It helps me kind of get through it quicker. 738 00:38:20,599 --> 00:38:23,633 (bleep). 739 00:38:23,669 --> 00:38:25,669 Once I kind of get that bad energy out, 740 00:38:25,704 --> 00:38:27,937 then it helps me have a level head, 741 00:38:27,973 --> 00:38:29,205 so I can think. 742 00:38:29,241 --> 00:38:30,640 Okay, yeah, I'm stuck. 743 00:38:30,676 --> 00:38:31,908 What do I need to do? 744 00:38:31,943 --> 00:38:34,311 I think I can go inside, and I can actually feed the chimney 745 00:38:34,346 --> 00:38:36,546 from below, up, up. 746 00:38:36,581 --> 00:38:38,815 Rather than trying to do it this way because this thing's 747 00:38:38,850 --> 00:38:40,216 just too heavy. 748 00:38:40,252 --> 00:38:41,384 I got no way to handle it. 749 00:38:41,420 --> 00:38:43,320 I can't get it to sit on there correctly. 750 00:38:43,355 --> 00:38:46,089 So it's, um, I just can't do it like this. 751 00:38:46,124 --> 00:38:48,858 Time for Plan B. 752 00:38:49,661 --> 00:38:52,295 It's never (bleep) over 'til it's over. 753 00:38:54,766 --> 00:38:58,835 Okay. All right. 754 00:38:58,870 --> 00:39:01,504 Okay, now get the box off. 755 00:39:02,708 --> 00:39:04,808 Oh, yeah. 756 00:39:04,843 --> 00:39:08,211 Uh, I don't know what the temperature is right now, 757 00:39:08,246 --> 00:39:11,915 just my, uh, anger and frustration that's keeping me warm. 758 00:39:12,684 --> 00:39:14,751 I was just trying to work fast. 759 00:39:14,786 --> 00:39:16,353 It's getting a lot colder. 760 00:39:16,388 --> 00:39:18,788 That's just gonna make all this work that much more difficult. 761 00:39:18,824 --> 00:39:20,957 Yeah, and on top of that, is I don't want my water to freeze, 762 00:39:20,992 --> 00:39:22,459 I don't want my food to freeze. 763 00:39:22,494 --> 00:39:25,528 So I need to get this done fast and efficient. 764 00:39:25,564 --> 00:39:27,163 But this is also my chimney. 765 00:39:27,199 --> 00:39:30,233 And this time, I wanna make it safe and make one that will 766 00:39:30,268 --> 00:39:32,769 last for a lifetime. 767 00:39:32,804 --> 00:39:34,838 All right. 768 00:39:34,873 --> 00:39:37,874 Um, now I can make a fire. 769 00:39:37,909 --> 00:39:39,743 So, that's done. 770 00:39:39,778 --> 00:39:42,312 Well, that was a really long day. 771 00:39:42,347 --> 00:39:46,649 It's over now, now, now, now I got my stove. 772 00:39:50,756 --> 00:39:52,722 MICHAEL: When I look at these dogs, 773 00:39:52,758 --> 00:39:55,091 they help me get through the winter of Alaska. 774 00:39:55,127 --> 00:39:57,360 They reinvigorate my spirit. 775 00:39:57,396 --> 00:40:00,296 I find running and working with these animals just as 776 00:40:00,332 --> 00:40:03,833 therapeutic as it is for the animals running the miles. 777 00:40:09,207 --> 00:40:10,206 Come here, Mow-Mow. 778 00:40:10,242 --> 00:40:13,143 Right here, we got a little bit of strong brew. 779 00:40:14,312 --> 00:40:18,715 So every day, there is moose stew sittin' on the dutch oven. 780 00:40:18,750 --> 00:40:22,352 I dump that juice into the dogs' water. 781 00:40:22,387 --> 00:40:23,853 So I bait their water. 782 00:40:23,889 --> 00:40:26,990 Trying to get dogs to hydrate, you gotta trick 'em sometimes. 783 00:40:27,025 --> 00:40:29,626 Oh, you want some boost juice? 784 00:40:29,661 --> 00:40:32,028 Oh, you've been working hard, buddy. 785 00:40:32,063 --> 00:40:34,330 For working animals that endure the cold, 786 00:40:34,366 --> 00:40:36,466 it's a lot of upkeep. 787 00:40:36,501 --> 00:40:38,168 You know, I'm the coach, I'm the mentor, 788 00:40:38,203 --> 00:40:39,769 I'm the leader. 789 00:40:39,805 --> 00:40:42,172 I'm everything to these dogs, and they've known me since 790 00:40:42,207 --> 00:40:44,407 their eyes first opened. 791 00:40:44,443 --> 00:40:46,409 You give one of these malamutes a job, 792 00:40:46,445 --> 00:40:47,811 it perks 'em up. 793 00:40:47,846 --> 00:40:49,646 It's what they thrive and live for. 794 00:40:49,681 --> 00:40:51,848 They wanna work hard. They're really smart. 795 00:40:51,883 --> 00:40:56,352 And so, it is an honor to work with this indigenous breed for 796 00:40:56,388 --> 00:40:59,189 which the people of the northwest Arctic of Alaska 797 00:40:59,224 --> 00:41:02,592 sculpted for hundreds of generations. 798 00:41:03,762 --> 00:41:05,595 Everybody like that strong brew? 799 00:41:05,630 --> 00:41:08,298 You better drink it up because we're gonna keep runnin'. 800 00:41:08,333 --> 00:41:11,034 Can I get an, "Oh, howl, yeah"? 801 00:41:11,069 --> 00:41:12,635 Awoo! 802 00:41:12,671 --> 00:41:18,675 (howling). 803 00:41:22,981 --> 00:41:25,582 BRITTANY: To raise a family here in rural Alaska, 804 00:41:25,617 --> 00:41:28,651 it takes a lot of planning, it takes a lot of willingness, 805 00:41:28,687 --> 00:41:31,688 and you can't half-heart do anything out here. 806 00:41:34,626 --> 00:41:36,292 KALEB: This thing is working great. 807 00:41:36,328 --> 00:41:37,827 BRITTANY: Your little smokehouse? 808 00:41:37,863 --> 00:41:39,229 Moment of truth. 809 00:41:39,264 --> 00:41:40,430 GILBERT: Yummy. 810 00:41:40,465 --> 00:41:43,366 BRITTANY: Kaleb and I have never been what someone might 811 00:41:43,401 --> 00:41:47,537 call traditional, including the way we have outdoor meals. 812 00:41:47,572 --> 00:41:51,140 We use an ATV for our dining room table. 813 00:41:51,176 --> 00:41:54,444 It's a lot of fun in the non-traditional way. 814 00:41:54,479 --> 00:41:56,312 KALEB: Who wants the other wing? 815 00:41:56,348 --> 00:41:58,448 ELOVIE: Me! GILBERT: I do. 816 00:41:58,850 --> 00:42:01,317 BRITTANY: I think there's nothing better than being by a 817 00:42:01,353 --> 00:42:03,520 bonfire, and having the stars overhead, 818 00:42:03,555 --> 00:42:05,321 and being with my family. 819 00:42:05,357 --> 00:42:06,656 KALEB: Did you work up an appetite, Ellie, 820 00:42:06,691 --> 00:42:08,324 going out on the ptarmigan hunt? 821 00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:10,393 ELOVIE: I did. 822 00:42:10,428 --> 00:42:11,895 KALEB: We might not have gotten a ptarmigan, 823 00:42:11,930 --> 00:42:14,130 but this is a good alternative. 824 00:42:14,165 --> 00:42:16,432 Getting to spend the evening with my family around the 825 00:42:16,468 --> 00:42:18,568 fire is awesome. 826 00:42:18,603 --> 00:42:21,304 And I think that the smoker is a huge success, 827 00:42:21,339 --> 00:42:23,206 and I'm looking forward to smoking many, 828 00:42:23,241 --> 00:42:25,008 many other meats in the future. 829 00:42:25,043 --> 00:42:26,843 BRITTANY: Isn't this skin so good? 830 00:42:26,878 --> 00:42:27,911 GILBERT: Uh-hmm. 831 00:42:27,946 --> 00:42:29,312 KALEB: Oh, man, it worked great. 832 00:42:29,347 --> 00:42:31,814 BRITTANY: I'd say that sometimes the simplest things are the best. 833 00:42:31,850 --> 00:42:33,416 KALEB: Uh-hmm. 834 00:42:33,451 --> 00:42:35,118 BRITTANY: Are we gonna eat this whole chicken? 835 00:42:35,153 --> 00:42:38,021 KALEB: Probably. ELOVIE: Probably. 836 00:42:43,094 --> 00:42:44,294 ALEX: Ooh, look at that. 837 00:42:44,329 --> 00:42:46,763 Yeah, that sap in there, that'll burn nice and hot. 838 00:42:47,332 --> 00:42:48,798 Puttin' my stove back together, 839 00:42:48,833 --> 00:42:51,868 making a fire and warming up, is a moment to savor. 840 00:42:51,903 --> 00:42:53,536 There we go. 841 00:42:53,572 --> 00:42:55,738 Now we're home free. 842 00:42:55,774 --> 00:42:58,141 For me, my woodstove is like my, my shrine. 843 00:42:58,176 --> 00:43:00,810 When it's cold outside, I go before my woodstove, 844 00:43:00,845 --> 00:43:04,047 and that's where I, I have my prayers, right? 845 00:43:04,082 --> 00:43:06,482 Maybe humans have just been like kind of living with fire 846 00:43:06,518 --> 00:43:09,285 for so many millions of years, that it's just kind of in our 847 00:43:09,321 --> 00:43:12,322 DNA to, uh, to kind of revere it or something. 848 00:43:12,357 --> 00:43:14,591 So that's one of the reasons I came out here. 849 00:43:14,626 --> 00:43:16,793 I wanted to just live by instincts, you know? 850 00:43:16,828 --> 00:43:19,128 I like kind of rejecting society, 851 00:43:19,164 --> 00:43:21,864 and, and just going back to kind of being an animal. 852 00:43:21,900 --> 00:43:23,800 You know, maybe at some point in the future, 853 00:43:23,835 --> 00:43:25,935 I'll return to society. 854 00:43:25,971 --> 00:43:27,337 I don't really see that happening, 855 00:43:27,372 --> 00:43:30,139 but at least now I know kind of a little bit of the 856 00:43:30,175 --> 00:43:32,976 other way to live. 857 00:43:44,756 --> 00:43:46,923 JOHNNY: You want some of the tea? 858 00:43:46,958 --> 00:43:48,291 The only thing I answer out here, 859 00:43:48,326 --> 00:43:50,627 Mother Nature and Java. 860 00:43:50,662 --> 00:43:54,364 One of the toughest things at being isolated is battling the 861 00:43:54,399 --> 00:43:56,699 "What ifs" in my mind. 862 00:43:56,735 --> 00:43:58,267 I'm facing negative temperatures. 863 00:43:58,303 --> 00:44:00,169 I'm facing animals that, you know, 864 00:44:00,205 --> 00:44:02,372 wanna maybe take me or my dog out. 865 00:44:02,407 --> 00:44:04,140 And suddenly, you see a bear out your window. 866 00:44:04,175 --> 00:44:07,310 That'll stir you up real good. 867 00:44:07,345 --> 00:44:11,280 I have no idea what's gonna happen every day. 868 00:44:11,316 --> 00:44:13,716 It's very unpredictable. 869 00:44:13,752 --> 00:44:15,952 I wouldn't change it for the world. 870 00:44:21,159 --> 00:44:22,325 Captioned by Cotter Media Group.