Post Description

In the frozen wilderness that borders Alaska and the Yukon, a group of brave souls pursue an ancient and dangerous way of life. For these men, women and their families, winter trapping is not only a deep passion–it’s their job. And they risk their lives to do it. In temperatures that reach 40 below where skin freezes, snowmobiles break down, daylight fades fast, thin ice looms and predators are a constant threat one wrong move can cost you everything.

Centuries ago, trapping and fur trading played a vital role in the expansion of North America’s western frontier. Today, these fearless men and women are trying to uphold that legacy, living on the land and off the grid. At peace in the great outdoors, they trap during the legally sanctioned season which, in Alaska and the Yukon, runs just four months in the dead of winter. Deep in the bush, the pressure is on to get iron in the ground and catch fur. They must also navigate the inhospitable terrain on the trap line, which features deadly half-frozen rivers, brutal wind storms, and wolf packs. Miles from the nearest town, help is never close by.

But these diehards are undeterred. They’ve spent their life mastering the skills needed to survive and carve out a living in one of the most hostile places on earth. And they will protect their way of life at any cost. Welcome to the Great Wild North.

Life on the Line: 

As a brutally cold winter and trapping season begins, a handful of tough, modern day Northerners head out to their traplines in remote parts of Yukon and Alaska, battling sub-zero temperatures and hazardous terrain. Outside of Dawson City, Guy Couture attempts a dangerous snowmobile crossing over a jagged mountain ridge. Megan Melanson and her 2-year-old daughter Tasin fly in a white out with hopes of landing at their family cabin in Bear Lake. In Alaska’s Mount DuRelle region, Mike Willard and Dave Bruss are trying to wind their way across the deadly Tazlina glacier. And on the Sixty Mile River, Cor Guimond gets his season off to a strong start with a stunning catch.