Life Below Zero

I'M LOOKING FOR A POLE BECAUSE I NEED TO MAKE

AN ICE CHISEL FOR CHOPPING ICE OUT ON FORD LAKE.

I'M GONNA GO MUSKRAT TRAPPING, SO I'VE GOT A LOT OF HOLES AND

A LOT OF ICE TO CHOP.

AND I'VE DECIDED I WANNA MAKE A NICE NEW, GOOD,

EFFICIENT ICE CHISEL.

I'M GOING BACK TO THE OLD FASHIONED WOOD,

TRIED AND TRUE.

MY NAME IS ANDY BASSICH.

I LIVE HERE AT CALICO BLUFF ALONG THE YUKON RIVER FOR

ABOUT 30 YEARS.

SOMETHING INSIDE OF ME TOLD ME I NEEDED TO GO TO ALASKA.

AND FORTUNATELY, I LISTENED TO IT AND I TOOK ACTION.

THAT'S THE BEST THING I EVER DID.

FOR SOME PEOPLE, LIVING THE LIFESTYLE I HAVE WOULD

BE SHEER HELL.

AND FOR ME, IT'S SHEER PARADISE.

WHAT I FIND REALLY ENTHRALLING ABOUT THIS LIFESTYLE IS

EVERY SINGLE THING THAT I HAVE AND I NEED OUT HERE,

I HAVE TO GO GET.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER THAN GETTING A

1,200-POUND MOOSE ON THE GROUND AND SEEING HIM IN MY

FREEZER OR ON MY BARBECUE GRILL.

I THINK IT'S A RARE THING IN THIS WORLD WHEN PEOPLE

CAN FIND A PLACE THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN,

BE COMFORTABLE THERE, AND BE SATISFIED THERE.

THAT PUTS ME IN THE TOP 1% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION.

ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT WHERE I LIVE RIGHT HERE

IS I HAVE THE YUKON ON ONE SIDE OF ME,

BUT I'VE ALSO GOT A REALLY NICE BIG LAKE.

I HAVE A REALLY GOOD POPULATION OF

MUSKRATS OUT THERE.

AND MY HOPE IS THAT I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO PUT A

TRAP THERE AND CAPTURE THEM.

I CAN TURN THOSE INTO MITTENS, OR A HAT,

OR WHATEVER I WANT FOR FUR.

AND ALSO, I REALLY LIKE THE FOOD.

THAT'S FEELING PRETTY GOOD.

I KIND OF HAD A MAJOR ACCIDENT THIS YEAR AND CUT OFF

THE END OF MY PINKY FINGER.

WORKING WITH MY SAWMILL, TURNING A HEAVY LOG,

I PINCHED A FINGER REALLY BAD.

I BASICALLY SEVERED THE TIP OF THE FINGER OFF.

IT WAS A REAL AWAKENING TO HOW QUICK THINGS CAN HAPPEN AND

WHAT AN IMPACT THEY HAVE.

ONE MOMENT OF AN ACCIDENT IMPACTS ME FOR THE REST

OF THE WINTER NOW.

WHEN I CUT MY FINGER OFF, I TRIED TO GET TO FAIRBANKS.

I HAD A BUDDY OF MINE FLY ME UP TO EAGLE,

COULDN'T GET INTO FAIRBANKS BECAUSE OF WEATHER,

SO I DECIDED TO COME BACK DOWN TO CALICO BLUFF AND

DEAL WITH IT MYSELF.

I'M BEGINNING TO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THE PINKY FINGER IS

TO THE TYPES OF THINGS I DO, WHICH IS HOLDING HAMMERS,

AND A LOT OF BUILDING PROJECTS.

THIS WAS A PRETTY GOOD EVENING PROJECT.

I GOT A GOOD HEAVY DUTY, HOPEFULLY,

ICE CHISEL THAT'S GONNA CUT THAT ICE PRETTY GOOD.

AND I'M READY TO GO MUSKRAT TRAPPING TOMORROW.

THESE DOGS HAVE GIVEN ME A LOT.

THEY'VE GIVEN ME A LIFE THAT I HAVE DIRECTION IN,

SOMETHING THAT I FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT

DOING EVERY DAY.

RIGHT NOW, I'M GETTING READY TO HEAD DOWN TO CANTWELL FOR

THE FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON.

THIS RACE IS A 65-MILE RACE.

IT'S A VERY MOUNTAINOUS RACE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR DOGS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE

TO BE ABLE TO RACE 65 MILES HARD.

THE DOGS HAVE BEEN TRAINING UP TO 300 MILES A WEEK.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE 30 BELOW ZERO,

GONNA BE SOME FRESH SNOW ON THE TRAIL.

VERY, VERY STEEP CLIMBS, VERY STEEP DESCENTS.

THEY NEED LOTS OF FAT AND PROTEIN.

PROTEIN HELPS THEM RECOVER, FAT,

THEY USE TO BURN ENERGY AND KEEP WARM.

HEY, BOYS.

THIS IS HOW EVERY MORNING STARTS.

I START EARLY.

I GET THEM NICE AND HYDRATED.

THEY GOT TO HAVE CONSISTENCY.

THEIR BODIES HAVE TO BE ADAPTED TO EXACTLY WHAT I'M

GONNA DO WHEN I'M RACING.

THIS IS GONNA BE MY RACING SLED.

I HAVEN'T EVEN USED IT YET THIS YEAR.

BRAKE BAR ON MY SLED IS BROKE.

I'M GONNA TRY TO TAKE IT OFF AND SEE IF I CAN BEND IT IN.

FOR JESSIE HOLMES, SLED DOG RACING IS A YEAR

ROUND JOB, REQUIRING BOTH RIGOROUS TRAINING FOR HIS

TEAM, AND CONSTANT MAINTENANCE OF HIS EQUIPMENT.

WITH ONLY TWO DAYS BEFORE HIS FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON,

IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT JESSIE MAKES HIS REPAIRS

NOW TO AVOID FALLING BEHIND THE COMPETITION.

A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT A LOT OF FANCY

EQUIPMENT IN THIS SPORT.

AND A LOT OF THEM ARE HOURS, AND HOURS,

AND EVEN DAYS BEHIND ME.

I PUT MY WORK INTO THE DOGS.

I GOT THIS BRAKE FIXED.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GONNA DO GOOD.

NOW, I'M GONNA COME OUT AND CHECK OUT THE DOGS I'M GONNA

TAKE TO THE RACE AND PUT SOME OIL ON THEIR FEET,

AND TRIM THEIR TOENAILS.

I SAY ONE THING, NO FOOT, NO DOG.

IF YOU GOT A DOG WITH A BUM FOOT, AND HIS FOOT'S HURTING,

THAT GOES TO ITS MIND, AND THE LAST THING I WANT MY DOG TO

THINK IS THAT RACING'S NOT THE FUNNEST THING EVER.

NOW THAT I'VE INSPECTED ALL THE DOGS' FEET AND GOT MY SLED

READY, I GOTTA GET MY OWN PERSONAL GEAR ALL READY,

AND THEN I GOT A LONG DAY TOMORROW.

SO, THIS IS WHAT WE LIVE FOR,

AND SO IT'S EXCITING THAT I ONLY GOT ONE MORE DAY TO WAIT.

HI, BOYS.

IT'S ABOUT BEING CONFIDENT.

IT'S ABOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE DOING,

LEARNING WHAT YOU GOT TO LEARN TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF,

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY.

TODAY, I'M HEADED TO A LAKE SIX OR SEVEN MILES

FROM MY CAMP.

WE'RE GETTING INTO THE DEEPEST PART OF THE WINTER.

THE COLDEST, DARKEST TIME OF THE YEAR.

VERY LITTLE SUNLIGHT.

JUST TWILIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.

I CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE IN THE MIDDLE OF

THE DAY, AND THEN IT DISAPPEARS.

IT'S DARK MOST OF THE TIME, BUT IT'S A GOOD TIME OF THE

YEAR TO GO TRAPPING.

THIS IS WHEN FUR IS AT ITS PRIME.

THIS IS WHEN I GO OUT AND TRY TO CATCH SOME FUR.

THE ICE IS THICK ENOUGH NOW.

I CAN WALK SAFELY ACROSS THE LAKES.

I COULD TRAVEL THE COUNTRY RELATIVELY EASILY.

THIS IS THE TIME TO GET TRAPS AND SNARES SET.

SO, TODAY, I'M GONNA GO OUT AND I'M GONNA SET

SOME SNARES FOR BEAVER.

LAST SPRING, I WAS EXPLORING AND I FOUND A LAKE WHERE THERE

WERE SOME BEAVERS LIVING.

THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO ME BECAUSE THERE ARE VERY FEW

BEAVER IN THIS COUNTRY.

BEAVER ARE A VALUABLE ANIMAL BECAUSE THEY HAVE

A VERY USEFUL FUR.

IT'S A GOOD UTILITARIAN FUR.

YOU CAN USE IT TO KEEP WARM.

I WEAR BEAVER EVERY DAY.

I'VE GOT BEAVER FUR RIGHT UP NEXT TO MY FACE, NICE,

AND SOFT, AND WARM.

AND BEAVER'S REALLY GOOD FOOD TO EAT.

THEY'VE GOT A REALLY TASTY MEAT AND THEY OFTEN HAVE

A LOT OF FAT ON THEM.

THE SOONER I GET MY SNARES OUT,

THE LONGER THEY'RE GONNA WORK FOR ME.

NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR NOW IS A REALLY GOOD BAIT TO

CATCH A BEAVER WITH.

RIGHT UP HERE, THERE'S ONE LITTLE STAND OF ASPEN.

THIS IS THE ONLY ASPEN AROUND HERE FOR MILES AND MILES.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE COUNTRY OUT HERE WELL,

BECAUSE THERE ARE ONLY CERTAIN PLACES WHERE YOU

CAN FIND CERTAIN RESOURCES.

THIS ASPEN IS AN EXCELLENT BAIT FOR BEAVER.

AND AROUND THIS COUNTRY, ASPEN'S HARD TO FIND.

THE BEAVER DON'T GET A CHANCE TO EAT IT NORMALLY.

WHEN THEY SMELL THIS ASPEN,

IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

IT'S GONNA BE A DELICACY.

AND THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THE BEAVER WILL GO TO IT.

TO A BEAVER, THAT'S GONNA BE IRRESISTIBLE.

NOW I JUST GOT TO GO TO WHERE THE BEAVERS ARE,

AND THAT'S SEVERAL MORE MILES FROM HERE.

OUT HERE, BEAVERS ARE NOT PLENTIFUL.

IF YOU WANNA CATCH ONE, YOU HAVE TO WALK A LONG WAYS.

OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF OUT HERE AT

A MOMENT'S NOTICE, AND IF YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR GEARS

ON THE FLY, YOU'RE GONNA MISS OUT.

I AM INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT'S OVER HERE.

SHEEP.

THERE IS JUST A BUNCH.

THERE'S A WAD OF 'EM, A WHOLE BIG LINE.

YOU CAN SEE THE TRAILS GOING ACROSS.

ALL THOSE TRACKS ARE WHERE THOSE SHEEP HAVE

GONE FOR CENTURIES.

I SEE 26 PLUS.

SOME OF 'EM ARE GOING BACK OVER THE RIDGE TO THE OTHER SIDE.

SUE AIKENS HAS TRAVELED 70 MILES FROM HER

HOME TO THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE TO EXPLORE

NEW TERRITORY AND SCOUT FOR RESOURCES.

TODAY, SHE WILL HUNT FOR SHEEP IN THE

SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS,

BUT PURSUING THE ANIMALS WILL FORCE HER

TO NAVIGATE STEEP, TREACHEROUS TERRAIN.

TO HUNT SHEEP, THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE BOTTOM

OF THE LAND, THEY LIVE UP IN THE TOP.

THAT'S A GOOD SIX, SEVEN HOUR HIKE.

THIS IS NOT EASY HIKING.

IT IS FROZEN.

AS LONG AS I DON'T GET A HEAVY SNOW,

THERE'S NO REASON FOR THEM TO WANNA COME DOWN LOWER YET.

I'VE GOT TO COME UP TO THEM,

AND THEN YOU'RE SHOOTING UPHILL.

SO, YOU'VE GOT GRAVITY, WIND PROBABLY.