Life Below Zero - General Discussion

[humbleopinion]

 A comment was made on another Alaskan show that only a desperate grizzly would risk coming that close to a homestead for a meal.

Thinking wolves may also see the low hanging meat as easy pickings.

[pasdetrois]

Related note: Some of us wondered whether the sled dogs get attacked by bears (Andy's dogs). On The Last Alaskans a woman commented that she watched a desperate bear come to her homestead and eat the family dog, which I think was chained to an outdoor dog house.

[OSM Mom]

In the season finale Glenn built a rack to dry his caribou. Just how did he plan to keep bears from pulling that meat off the poles? It wasn't very tall.

Maybe it's too early for the bears? We were thinking the same thing. Maybe by the time the bears wake up, the meat will be dry and stored in the cabin or wherever. I loved the way he made that rack. Very ingenious to use the ice like concrete to put up the poles.

Edited because autocorrect is a pain in the ass and makes words I don't mean.

Edited July 3, 2015 by OSM Mom

[walnutqueen]

I thought Glenn said he was building it close to his cabin so he could watch for bears out his window, too.

[KarmaG]

I'm glad we didn't have a repeat this season of him working on his meat storage room. That thing just looks awful from the outside and gives me a creepy vibe. By that thing I mean the moss covered "building/room" that we saw in previous seasons need repair from weather and bear attacks.

[KarmaG]

Martha is a full-time mother?  Must have come into the marriage with a child or more.

 

I must have missed something. Where did you hear/read/find out that she's a mother?

I just gathered information, thru Twitter, that Sue Aikens was injured (her arm) a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, it happened during filming so people were there to take care of her and to get her flown out for help. Today is her birthday and it seems she's doing ok.

Does anybody know when the new season begins?

Edited to add:

Wow! I'm waaaay behind. Somehow I screwed up and didn't dvr the last few episodes of the show....and completely forgot about it. Well, this proves I am involved in too much television!

I'll go directly to the site and catch the episodes I've missed.

 

It would seem you missed the entire season as we just had the season finale last week. Have fun catching up!

Edited July 5, 2015 by KarmaG

[OoogleEyes]

Holy crap I did NOT see *that* coming.

I know. I *literally* gasped. Edited July 4, 2015 by OoogleEyes

[Diane M]

I think it was on their business website.

[KarmaG]

I think it was on their business website.

 

Oooh good catch. It's in the last line on their page. I totally missed it, had to go back and read it.

[KarmaG]

Just making sure everyone knows the new season starts soon. I'm excited!

[rcc]

So am I. I want to find out what happened with Sue. Also I want to find out if Andy is off the show.

[KarmaG]

I think he is off the show. He wasn't in the promo that aired the other night.

Edited November 7, 2015 by KarmaG

[rcc]

Good I'm glad. I never liked him anyway and much less now since it's been reported that she left him because of abuse.

[BeatrixK]

Good I'm glad. I never liked him anyway and much less now since it's been reported that she left him because of abuse.

WHAT?

 

I noticed that he was decidedly absent from the episode - but what about the abuse?  I hadn't heard that. 

[rcc]

WHAT?

 

I noticed that he was decidedly absent from the episode - but what about the abuse?  I hadn't heard that. 

Did you ever notice how Andy would speak to Kate when something happened? He always took it out on her. She left him because apparently when the cameras were gone he would be very abusive verbally. She moved to Anchorage I believe. I saw a post on another site and they saw it on her Facebook account.

[CN42]

Won't miss Andy if he's gone, but Kate was pleasantly entertaining and the dogs were fun to watch. If Andy/Kate are gone, I wonder if they'll replace them or just expand everybody else's stories. I saw the promo for the new season - Sue's back to her ol' John Wayne self, so I guess everything worked out well. Looking forward to the new season!

[pasdetrois]

I wonder what happened to all of Andy's and Kate's dogs. Too many for one guy to take care of. I'm sure he kept some, for company and for chores, but what about the others? I worry.

[KarmaG]

I wonder what happened to all of Andy's and Kate's dogs. Too many for one guy to take care of. I'm sure he kept some, for company and for chores, but what about the others? I worry.

 

I'd suggest reading the Kate and Andy thread. I believe it was mentioned in there last season that Andy kept a few dogs, Kate took a couple and Andy gave the rest away. It was also mentioned kind of on the show.

[pasdetrois]

I knew that some had been given away, but I'm wondering about the details. Hopefully Andy and Kate worked hard to find the right owners. Some dog-sled owners regard them the way farmers regard farm animals.

 

I also wondered what Kate is up to, including whether she had an income after 10 years in the bush. Here's part of an interview she gave to dailytwocents.com in August 2015:

 

"When asked how she is doing after leaving her home in Calico, Alaska on January 2, she states that her life has been in a type of limbo while waiting for court dates and settlement hearings that seem to go nowhere...

After discovering Kate had left, fans who watch the show expressed concern that she was a victim of domestic violence and she alleges that she suffered a lot of verbal and emotional abuse...

Since leaving she hasn’t stayed in any one place for very long and says that, 'Being displaced without having a home of your own is overwhelming and daunting for me but I am honored to have the love in the support of my loving and supportive friends, without them this would be unbearable. The hardest part is understanding why I stayed so long in an abusive relationship. I do know I love the land, I loved the lifestyle but I could not love the man he really is. I lived in a fairytale belief that someday he would become a kind, faithful, loving person. That fairytale was not to be mine.' Now she is busy reconnecting with family and friends as she regroups and decides on her next course of action.

So what would she eventually like to do? 'My plans for the future as of now is to move to a small town in British Columbia, Canada and to be near my youngest daughter. I want to start sculpting again and spend as much time alone as possible. I love life, I love people but I am not the person I was so I feel I need my own space and time to recover and find myself again. And I need to rebuild all that was broken over the past 12 years and stand strong once more. After that I hope to be able to help other women who have been in similar situations but I can’t help anybody until I have helped myself.'

By that Kate explains that she would like to write at least two books dealing with the issue of abusive relationships, and perhaps in the future do speaking engagements as well. She plans to write about her life and experiences at Calico, and would also like to do a book featuring other domestic abuse survivors, telling their stories from their perspective and discussing their own road to recovery. When asked if she had any final thoughts she said, 'During my time on Life Below Zero, through social media I have met some beautiful people so for that I am grateful. During my time since then I am overjoyed by every day that passes and nobody has screamed at me for being stupid.'

On a lighter note, Kate is spending some quality time with family and friends this summer, and doing some traveling. Fans may have noticed through the photos she posts that at times two little gnomes often accompany her and a friend, and want to know more about them. 'My travels have been limited to accompanying my dear friend to her appointments in Anchorage and trips back to Eagle. We have our gnomes to make us laugh and people really seem to enjoy them wherever we go. We call them our alter egos. In a dark time it’s nice to have a little levity it is good for the soul.' After what she’s been through, it is nice to see that Kate can still laugh and find joy in life.

In case fans were wondering if Kate would do another television show again, this is what she had to say. 'Who knows what the future will bring. I would be very reluctant to do it again unless it was about something extremely positive and true to reality.' National Geographic did contact her after she left, but at this time she would rather not comment about what was discussed, which makes sense after all she’s been through."

[KarmaG]

Thanks for digging up the interview. Glad she's planning on taking care of herself before doing anything else.

[rcc]

The new season starts tonight. I can't wait to see what they've been up to.

[CN42]

The new season starts tonight. I can't wait to see what they've been up to.

 

Spring thaw! Expect a lot of mud.

[rcc]

I like the new guy Jesse with his dogs. When we heard no more Andy I was missing the dogs but the show has fixed that. Sue throwing away all that meat was such a shame. And no more smoking for her! Good. I can only imagine the stench when she opened up the freezers. Her fox friend wouldn't have been welcome with the young couple from last season. He would have shot it for the fur straight away. We didn't see them last night and maybe they are gone like Andy. I didn't mind them but I'm glad no more Andy. Glenn and his duck hunting and the Hailstones with their caribou in the spring thaw of beautiful Alaska. Good to have this show back.

[walnutqueen]

Sue needs help.  A young strong buck like Glenn would go a long way towards securing her future at Kavik.  I hope she finds what she needs.  I was surprised she decided to quit smoking ...

 

Loved the scene with her little fox.

[Diane M]

So no more Eric and Martha Mae?  Maybe he's too busy with his guiding business.

[KarmaG]

So no more Eric and Martha Mae?  Maybe he's too busy with his guiding business.

 

I haven't watched the epi yet but have to pipe up and say we don't see all the cast in any episode usually, not even the first of a season. I was sure I saw them and hear Martha's voice in a promo.

[Ina123]

It was summer and school would be out. I would have thought Sue could have gotten her grandson up to help, at least. Yes, he's young but he could have helped moving those beds.

[rcc]

Sue is so stubborn yet she likes to complain as to how much work there is to be done. Oh well, it makes for interesting television. Good show last night. I like the new guy Jesse, always liked Glenn, and the Hailstones are as family oriented as ever.

[pasdetrois]

I like that we saw something more than hunting and fishing. I like watching how they build stuff and adapt to their surroundings.

I'm beginning to wonder if Sue is exaggerating her situation. It doesn't make sense to me that she has no help at all - that's the way to ruin a business. But I do believe she's beginning to wonder if she can continue living the way she does. All that physical labor and her injuries - she's just working on borrowed time as she ages. (Speaking from personal experience) Why doesn't she hire help, especially since she apparently has loans to pay and has invested so much time and money into Kavik?

The new guy seems more like the Alaskans I know than Glen does. Glen looks like he's been dropped in by central casting. There's something so perfect and polished about his affect.

Edited December 4, 2015 by pasdetrois

[KarmaG]

The new guy seems more like the Alaskans I know than Glen does. Glen looks like he's been dropped in by central casting. There's something so perfect and polished about his affect.

 

In the show overview that they played before the season started, Glenn says he moved to Alaska 15yrs ago. He mentioned on the first season that he actually goes to and lives in town 70 miles away during Spring so he can spend time with his chid. 

 

I'm liking the new guy too. Never did care for Glenn. I just watch his segments to learn about the life.

Edited December 4, 2015 by KarmaG

[rcc]

I wonder how much they are paid per episode. Sue should benefit from that and hire someone to help her.

[nottopbravo]

I wonder how many times these residents are interrupted while doing a task so someone from production can attach a Go-Pro?

[KarmaG]

I wonder how much they are paid per episode. Sue should benefit from that and hire someone to help her.

 

I don't think it's very much and I don't think Sue would like having someone around very often. She's had family members come from time to time to help her but I truly think for her this is a "if I can't do it alone then I don't need to be doing it at all" type thing. 

 

I wonder how many times these residents are interrupted while doing a task so someone from production can attach a Go-Pro?

 

That and "hey, we know you're in the middle of chopping this wood, can you tell us WHY you're chopping this wood? Wait, that take was bad, can you tell us again?"

[Ina123]

Last night's epi was so great. Sue finally got some help.

Those scenes with Glen up in the mountains were outstanding. I'm saving it just to show to family when they come around. It could not have been shot more perfectly. Is it my imagination, or does it look like they are spending more money to get better quality shots?

Like someone above said, I'm not much into watching the hunting and fishing. I think that's why I just don't get into the Hailstone scenes as much. I prefer watching everyone at home and how they live, what they have to build and how they build it. Like Sue said, "problem-solving".

By the way. I seem to have missed something. I know Sue had the 4-wheeler accident where she messed her right shoulder up (at least, I thought). But in the episode she talked about her stitches and seemed to point to her right AND left sides. Just what all did she have done?

[walnutqueen]

Ina123, on 09 Dec 2015 - 04:46 AM, said:

Last night's epi was so great. Sue finally got some help.

Those scenes with Glen up in the mountains were outstanding. I'm saving it just to show to family when they come around. It could not have been shot more perfectly. Is it my imagination, or does it look like they are spending more money to get better quality shots?

Like someone above said, I'm not much into watching the hunting and fishing. I think that's why I just don't get into the Hailstone scenes as much. I prefer watching everyone at home and how they live, what they have to build and how they build it. Like Sue said, "problem-solving".

By the way. I seem to have missed something. I know Sue had the 4-wheeler accident where she messed her right shoulder up (at least, I thought). But in the episode she talked about her stitches and seemed to point to her right AND left sides. Just what all did she have done?

 

Yes, that scenery was just spectacular.

 

I ff through the killing bits.  :-)

 

I know Sue had to have shoulder surgery after her snowmobile accident - maybe that's what the stitches are from?  In any case, I'm glad her nephew is there to help her out.

[rcc]

I'm glad the nephew helped her out too. She did say he "accepted my offer". I wonder if she paid him. 

 

I agree Glenn's trek and the shots of the area is one of the main reasons I watch this show. Alaska is so vast and beautiful.

[KarmaG]

By the way. I seem to have missed something. I know Sue had the 4-wheeler accident where she messed her right shoulder up (at least, I thought). But in the episode she talked about her stitches and seemed to point to her right AND left sides. Just what all did she have done?

 

Was a snow machine accident, not a 4 wheeler. She broke her collar bone and tore up her shoulder so I believe it was some reconstructive operations.

Also, I am loving the new arial shots as well. Discovery is using them in a lot of their shows now, it's just the latest in technology.

 

Am watching the episode now. Happy to see Sue's nephew is going to come help.

Oh and I am liking the new guy, Jesse. His voice, though, reminds me of the hippy dude on a team last year on Ultimate Survival Alaska so if I am looking away when he starts talking my ears think it's the other guy and my head whips to the tv screen in confusion. :)

[captain1]

The Hailstones continue to be my favorites - love the way they work together.

[KarmaG]

The Hailstones continue to be my favorites - love the way they work together.

 

I love them too and love that they are making sure the girls know the native way of doing things. I love how they value life and knowledge above material things.

[Curious5]

The one I really don't like is Sue.  She never laughs and always seems to be complaining.  She has said she doesn't get along with people and likes being alone.  So be it.  That site obviously needs two people to run it OR be better organized.  The result of Sue's injury in losing all her frozen foods was inexcusable.  Someone should have been sent up (easily done) to start the generators at least and that would have saved the food stores.

 

I guess I should admit that my view of her has never been high.  Yes, she can figure out some of  the machine breakdowns, likes to work hard but the complaining is not worth watching.

 

Glenn did say in the first or second season that he goes to Fairbanks for the summers to visit his child(ren).  One reason he gave at that time was it was too difficult to survive  off the land because  he could not store foods with the warm weather.  Huh?  When he "explained" that he prefers dried wood because green wood doesn't throw as much heat due to it uses  a lot of the heat to dry it out was laughable.  We go with our wood stove all winter in Wisconsin and everything is cut the year before  (all dead trees) and set aside to dry out.  Glenn should have had huge cords of wood set up for the coming year.  He should have also had small stashes of firewood set up along the trail of where he travels.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Curious5

[rcc]

I think too much complaining by Sue is taking down her segment. She is stubborn and not as tough as before and that is understandable but it doesn't make for good television if she is always negative.

[Beden]

I agree that the complaining can get a bit old but I think that's her basic personality--to put out there exactly what she has to do, what the potential problems may be and how and what she may have to do to solve a situation. I see it as her making a list for herself; she has to solve problem A and to do so she'll have to do this and that--if that doesn't work she'll have to do something else and if nothing works that something else will happen

 

. She's also fully aware that she's getting older, has suffered injury which inhibits her abilities and may well end her lifestyle--something she clearly dreads.

 

She impresses me as someone who's smart, tough as nails and is scared to death that the life she's built for herself may be lost though the simple realities of human frailty, injury and aging. That's a hard pill to swallow for any of us and I wish her luck.

[Curious5]

I agree, Beden with your comment of age catching up to Sue.  It sure has caught me  - just sneaks up.  Watching people running up three flights of stairs with a bag of groceries -  no away anymore.  But that is why God gave us a brain.  Know your limits and plan accordingly.  Sue should have had a "helper" in training all along.

 

The fact that she doesn't have a small plane herself and fly in and out is another mystery.  Even the fact that she has flooding problems each spring would have been easy to correct with banking the ground.  We couldn't believe the wiring setup shown in the show.  That place should have been shut down as a fire hazard.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Curious5

[Beden]

Thank you, Curious5. I, like you, am not as I was 30 or 40 years ago and, while it frustrates me on a day to day level, I understand how Sue may feel. Things which you didn't think twice about are now beyond you. I don't dwell on it but my life isn't as physically (and perhaps as mentally) taxing as Sue's, I have good friends and neighbors who will lend a hand with this or that, be it trimming the hedges or dropping off some food if I'm (rarely) under the weather.

 

Sue is, through choice, isolated. Yes, she has communication with help and clearly stays in touch with friends and family but it's a long walk to borrow a cup of milk or get pain killers as was shown in a previous season. The emotional toll of understanding that you're aging, that you simply can't do everything yourself and that an injury or illness may signal a major change in your life are intimidating and can be seriously depressing. No one wants to get old and be dependent, no matter how willing and caring the helpers may be. Sue is someone who clearly values independence and her abilities to deal, cope and take care of herself.

 

To potentially be facing either the end of or a major change to that are a hard pill to swallow. Like I said, I genuinely wish her the best.

 

I truly don't want to sound ageist, especially as I don't know anyone on this site, but reactions to Sue may to some degree be age related. Older (I don't mean old) watchers may have more empathy with Sue and other older folks just because we can relate to the aches, pains, frustrations and limits we have to address. I'm at a stage of my life when I have to think about major changes--moving, maybe move closer to a child who's several thousand miles away, the deaths of old and close friends, knowing that I'm simply not able to do things I used to do with my eyes closed...it happens, like it or not.

Edited December 23, 2015 by Beden

[pasdetrois]

I admire Sue but agree her dramatic claims are a bit much to watch all the time. Although it's her nature to run around and complain, I continue to wonder if she amps it up for the cameras. I think production encourages it to emphasize her unique story (aging woman alone facing extreme challenges).

 

 

The result of Sue's injury in losing all her frozen foods was inexcusable.  Someone should have been sent up (easily done) to start the generators at least and that would have saved the food stores.

 

This bugged me too. Did she really leave that camp unattended and uncared for all that time? If so, she put a huge investment at very high risk, which makes no sense to me.

 

And...how come we never see pilots and hunters staying over in the camp? That's its purpose, but there's never anyone there. Maybe it's too much trouble to get the video waivers. Also, does Sue rustle up their meals and act as cabin housekeeper?

[rcc]

Thinking that Sue complains too much has nothing to do with a poster's age. I'm no spring chicken either! LOL I will say that maybe Sue on this show "thinks out loud" for the cameras and it's her way of explaining her life for the show. She hates that she can't be as self sufficient as before and that's understandable. 

 

Sue is lucky that electrical problem didn't start a huge fire. Closing down those buildings was the right thing to do.

 

Too bad the nephew or someone else couldn't have gone and taken care of the food. Thousands of dollars of food having to be thrown out is a shame. Sue was happy that she got that caribou though. A happy Sue is a good thing.

[Curious5]

 

And...how come we never see pilots and hunters staying over in the camp? That's its purpose, but there's never anyone there. Maybe it's too much trouble to get the video waivers. Also, does Sue rustle up their meals and act as cabin housekeeper?

I was thinking about that in the last segment.  Does she have a dining hall?  We hear of no cooks, etc to run these hunters through. Cleaning, laundry of sheets, etc.  Sue did say once that none of the food she hunts can be used for the people coming through.  And how do people find out about the lodging there?  Hunting guides advertising it?  Sue seems to be hunting bear and more but no hunters around.  I would think she has to abide by hunting regs and seasons.  I think there would be hunters all around coming in the the day's hunt, getting ready to go out.  Hunting is just not in the summer, yes?

[OSM Mom]

She has said on her Facebook page that she does all the cooking and baking for the guests there. And I believe the laundry too. Last year she posted pics of lots of her guests in camp during the summer.

[Beden]

 

Thinking that Sue complains too much has nothing to do with a poster's age. I'm no spring chicken either! LOL I will say that maybe Sue on this show "thinks out loud" for the cameras and it's her way of explaining her life for the show. She hates that she can't be as self sufficient as before and that's understandable.

 

Sue is lucky that electrical problem didn't start a huge fire. Closing down those buildings was the right thing to do.

 

Too bad the nephew or someone else couldn't have gone and taken care of the food. Thousands of dollars of food having to be thrown out is a shame. Sue was happy that she got that caribou though. A happy Sue is a good thing.

  

Well yes, you're right and I may have been wrong to imply that all (or many) of Sue's reactions and limitations are age related, nor are the reactions of the posters here necessarily age related.. Clearly it's possible to lose you're independence at any age, under any number of circumstances. I was speaking/writing from my own perspective and that of family and friends I've seen lose their own independence/stop driving/rely of friends and family as they slow down for any number or reasons, be it mental or physical health.

 

I was also amazed at that state of the wiring at her camp. I have no pretensions to being an electrician but did spend a few decades as a lighting designer and that jury rigged set up is a fire waiting to happen. At the least she's lucky that it seems to be as reliable as it is. I realize that she has her hands full but it might be a good idea to have that wiring updated...I also agree with her not making arrangements to have someone at least check the camp periodically while she was recovering from her injuries. I would think that the costs of having a caretaker check in would be offset by the peace of mind and savings in time and money of not having to toss and replace all that food.

[Pam LeBlanc]

I love the show I watch it every week since it started. I'm going to make a comment but before I get slammed with negative BS let me explain. I love wild game, I get deer & ducks every year from friends. But I think the Hailstone's are a little excessive when it comes to getting their share. I've seen them kill 6 caribou at a time. In that River, so the animals don't even have a fair chance at getting away. Can't swim as fast as they can run. Plus, all those eggs the collect ( no sure of what kind of fowl). But I've seen them come back with 2-5 gallon buckets filled with eggs. Save some for the next guy or leave some for some new baby chicks to hatch.

I just recently read a forum about them & not many people like Chip. He never shoots because of his felony arrest.

So am I. I want to find out what happened with Sue. Also I want to find out if Andy is off the show.