Mountain Men Season 14 Episode 5

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Mountain Men Season 14 Episode 5 #Cineva USA https://www.dailymotion.com/Cineva

Transcript

00:00:00It's safe.

00:00:03I see one.

00:00:11Found these big rivers, you gotta be cautious.

00:00:14Hey, hey, hey, you can see open leads.

00:00:19When I fall in the ice, that's it.

00:00:21You know, you're not getting out.

00:00:30Before Montana's hunting season begins,

00:00:34the deadliest predators on the mountain stalk their prey in darkness,

00:00:39free to rule the peaks of the tobacco roots

00:00:41and terrorize the town below.

00:00:45But once mountain lion season opens,

00:00:50the Ruby Valley's busiest big cat chaser stands ready to fight back.

00:00:55All right, got the dogs loaded.

00:00:57Time to hit the road.

00:01:02I got a short window to push these cats back.

00:01:05I've got fresh snow on the ground, so right now it's go time.

00:01:10It's 4.30 a.m. on day one.

00:01:13And Jake Herrick's got a plan to seize the advantage back

00:01:15from the big cats that have been left undisturbed for months.

00:01:19Coming out here at night and running these roads

00:01:22definitely makes it visually, for a human eye,

00:01:25a lot easier to find the track.

00:01:27That's why I do my patrols in the nighttime.

00:01:29I've got big, bright lights that shine out in front of me,

00:01:34and it actually casts shadows,

00:01:36and it makes the fresh tracks actually stick out really, really well.

00:01:41I've done this long enough that I know exactly

00:01:43what a mountain lion track looks like,

00:01:44so I don't have to stop for deer, elk, and animal tracks like that.

00:01:48I just keep going, and the second my lights hit them tracks,

00:01:52they really pop.

00:01:54So even though I'm out here looking for tracks all night long,

00:01:59mountain lion is considered a big game species,

00:02:02so we're not allowed to turn loose on them

00:02:05until a half hour before sunrise.

00:02:07So when I'm out here finding these tracks,

00:02:10if I'm able to turn one up,

00:02:12I'll just mark it on my GPS,

00:02:15and I'll just keep patrolling the roads.

00:02:17Come on, dogos.

00:02:18When Jake does turn loose on a track,

00:02:20Here it is.

00:02:20I'm on.

00:02:21I'm on.

00:02:21the hounds lock onto the scent

00:02:23and chase it until they find the cat,

00:02:25pushing it high into the hills,

00:02:27far away from people and livestock.

00:02:29When it comes to my job,

00:02:33it definitely is important for me

00:02:36to push these cats back onto the mountain.

00:02:38These ranchers rely on this livestock

00:02:40to keep their families fed

00:02:41and keep their business flowing.

00:02:48I've got a lion track right here.

00:02:56Oh yeah, that's exactly what we've got here.

00:02:59We've got a cat that came from the uphill side of the road here

00:03:02and it's dumping down into the creek.

00:03:05This snow's so deep,

00:03:06it's kind of just dragging its tail

00:03:08and ruffling up snow,

00:03:10but it's definitely heading down into the creek

00:03:12and heading down country towards the valley,

00:03:15so this is definitely a cat that I need to turn loose on

00:03:18and get pushed back today.

00:03:19I'm going to mark this on my GPS

00:03:21and I'll be back here at daylight.

00:03:29Across the Great Alaska Range,

00:03:40the signs of winter setting in are impossible to miss.

00:03:44From the first dusting of snow on the ground

00:03:47to the sharpening bite of cold in the air.

00:03:50Oh yeah, nice and boiling.

00:03:53For homesteaders in this territory,

00:03:55it means the work is just beginning.

00:03:57As the lake's freezing up,

00:03:59this is the time of the year

00:04:00that we start prepping for our long trapping season.

00:04:04We'll let this wax melt in here.

00:04:06There's a lot of preparation that goes into trapping

00:04:08before the season starts,

00:04:10especially this year.

00:04:11These are a big drag hook on 10-foot chain.

00:04:15This will be the first time we're trapping at the outpost.

00:04:19Two years ago,

00:04:20in a major expansion of their operation...

00:04:23Keep going!

00:04:25...Brett Bond and Ivy O'Gwen

00:04:26acquired a trapping cabin

00:04:2750 miles from their home base.

00:04:31I'm going to start cutting these.

00:04:33Yeah.

00:04:34Let's see what we've got.

00:04:37But it's taken two winters

00:04:38to cut a trail linking one side to the other.

00:04:41Wow.

00:04:42Look how much snow there is.

00:04:44And now that the hard work is finally done,

00:04:48they're ready to reap its long-awaited rewards.

00:04:54Got a direct line now,

00:04:55so we're going to be able to trap the main,

00:04:57trap along the direct line,

00:04:58straight to the outpost,

00:04:59and test that area up.

00:05:02There you go.

00:05:03You ready to boil?

00:05:04Yep.

00:05:04Let me start boiling these wolf traps.

00:05:07You going to go out and get us some grouse?

00:05:08Yeah, I'm ready to go.

00:05:10I'm going to hop on the four-wheeler

00:05:11and just get away from the house a little bit.

00:05:13Take Bridger.

00:05:14Okay.

00:05:15See if we can get some birds.

00:05:16All right, take your time.

00:05:17Take your time.

00:05:17Use your ears.

00:05:17Come on, buddy.

00:05:22Brett and I are both very independent people,

00:05:25so it's really nice to be able to divide and conquer certain tasks.

00:05:29He has a full day's work around the cabin here,

00:05:34and I get to go do something that I really enjoy,

00:05:37which is grouse hunting.

00:05:39The grouse is one of the most common game birds in Alaska.

00:05:43It feeds on insects, berries, and aspen buds,

00:05:47so it's often found in areas where young trees are just starting to grow.

00:05:52Grouse are a multi-purpose wild game food for us.

00:05:56We eat it, and stuff that we can't eat is used for our trap lines.

00:06:00So I'm going out every day and trying to get as many as I can

00:06:05before trapping season starts.

00:06:08These are what all these grouse are in here eating.

00:06:11It's starting to freeze up and get snowy on the ground,

00:06:14and they're eating all these highbush cranberries.

00:06:17So I know they're in here eating.

00:06:19I just got to walk around and fluster some up.

00:06:24Come on, Bridge.

00:06:30The woods are so quiet.

00:06:38If you listen, you can hear their stories.

00:06:52There's one on the ground right there.

00:06:55Right there by the tree.

00:07:00North of Denali's snow-capped peak.

00:07:30The village of Manly is a gateway to Alaska's frozen interior.

00:07:35Come on, guys.

00:07:37Come on, Dumb Dumb.

00:07:38And for Laurel Eklund and his team of ten huskies...

00:07:41You guys getting ready?

00:07:43You guys getting ready?

00:07:44It's where dog sledding boot camp always begins.

00:07:49Come on, guys.

00:07:50Come on.

00:07:51We got about seven yearlings.

00:07:53Their first big trip.

00:07:55It's really nice to get these guys' experience here.

00:07:57They got to start out somewhere.

00:08:00The 14-month-old pups have learned the basic mushing commands and how to pull the sled together.

00:08:06Okay.

00:08:06We got to go on here.

00:08:08But they've never attempted an all-terrain long-haul trail like the one they're tackling today.

00:08:13A 65-mile trek over hard-packed ice and fresh powder.

00:08:18This right here is the type of stuff that's going to gain them experience for their life.

00:08:27And I'm not just talking about just for a race like the Iditarod.

00:08:30Whether it's to check traps, whether it's to go travel, they need to learn the little tricks of the trade by coming out here.

00:08:37Breaking trail, being patient, stopping and going, waiting for me.

00:08:41Kind of warmed up, aren't we, guys?

00:08:44This winter, Laro's gunning hard to get ready for a second shot at the legendary Iditarod.

00:08:50But as a musher with 31 dogs in his kennel, he has to think long-term, too.

00:08:55You know, all the stuff they do is going to be muscle memory when they get older.

00:08:58Training his varsity and JV squads at the same time.

00:09:01And luckily, he has some help.

00:09:05The only adults I have in this team are three of my main team dogs.

00:09:09The old reliable four-mirror over here, mirror, octocontro, or the moms that he's yearling.

00:09:15The moms are anchored in key positions to lead the way and teach the young ones to follow.

00:09:21Alrighty, guys, time to rumble.

00:09:24Partner, you ready?

00:09:27Hey!

00:09:31Takes about two to three years to develop and train a dog.

00:09:37Hey!

00:09:37Friendship!

00:09:38Looks like your dad.

00:09:41They gotta prove themselves, you know, their mental toughness.

00:09:44But these yearlings still, you know, they're still learning the basics.

00:09:47Alright, guys.

00:09:48Chief!

00:09:49Chief!

00:09:51Chief!

00:09:53Today's run should put the dogs through a gauntlet of challenges.

00:09:57But the course isn't designed just for practice.

00:10:00Oh, Dad?

00:10:01That's it.

00:10:02That's it.

00:10:03Lauro's father, Neil, has been camping deep in the bush for several weeks.

00:10:08Fish here.

00:10:10Hang him up.

00:10:11Last fall, I dropped off my dad at the Toll Vaughan River to trap for fish and beaver for trail snacks for my dogs.

00:10:18Get this rack full of fish, that'll be good.

00:10:20Yeah.

00:10:21Now that Neil's ready to come home, Lauro's turning the extraction into a team-building mission.

00:10:29We are on the Telegraph Line Trail here.

00:10:34This is kind of like a communal trail to Trials Peak, Manly, and Burbank.

00:10:39This historic trail once linked the Gold Rush Outpost of Manly, including its U.S. Army Telegraph Office, to the outside world.

00:10:48Today, it cuts through sprawling wetlands that are nearly impassable in the summer months, but harden into a sled trail during the deep freeze.

00:10:58So, we got this nice kind of bus brush area to open up on.

00:11:06So, we're going to do some off-trail training here.

00:11:09So, we'll get the team kind of navigate through this open stuff here, and it'll get rolling.

00:11:14All right, guys.

00:11:15Oh, gotcha.

00:11:16Oh.

00:11:17Oh.

00:11:18Yep.

00:11:19No.

00:11:20No.

00:11:21No.

00:11:21Well, I just f***ed up.

00:11:39Surviving in the remote Alaska wilderness requires grit, guts.

00:11:45Got it.

00:11:46And great aim.

00:11:48Oh, good.

00:11:49That one snuck up on me.

00:11:52Let's go up there and get it.

00:11:54Come on, Bridger.

00:11:56Having this first grass is great.

00:12:00All right.

00:12:06Nice one.

00:12:08Bridge, come here.

00:12:10I want you to come see.

00:12:12I think maybe the shot kind of scared him.

00:12:15Good boy.

00:12:16This is your first bird.

00:12:17Sit.

00:12:18I know.

00:12:19That was really exciting.

00:12:20You're going to learn.

00:12:21Oh, there's a feather.

00:12:23This is a grouse.

00:12:25These pretty wings are going to be used at our trapping site.

00:12:30And then this is fresh meat for us tonight, and you get to have some, too.

00:12:34And let's go find some more.

00:12:37Come on.

00:12:38Let's go.

00:12:39Good boy, buddy.

00:12:40While ivy's rustling up their next meal.

00:12:43I'm going to drop these in.

00:12:46Brett's readying the tools of the trade.

00:12:49Right now, I'm boiling my canine traps.

00:12:53This is a logwood dye.

00:12:56We're desensitizing them, boiling them, getting a coating of dye on them.

00:13:01Got a little bit of mixture of wax in this batch here.

00:13:04I'll make the trap fire off quicker.

00:13:07And then as these are boiling, I'm going to make a couple of wolverine boxes.

00:13:13Unlike the wolf and coyote, a wolverine's thick, oily coat evolved to shed frost easily, without absorbing moisture.

00:13:21Making it some of the most sought-after and valuable fur on the market.

00:13:27But also, this one on an angle so it doesn't stick through.

00:13:30One of the most difficult animals to trap.

00:13:34Wolverines are pretty elusive.

00:13:37This will be the outside of my box.

00:13:40They isolate themselves from humans.

00:13:41They're pretty smart.

00:13:43My wolverine hat, actually, the one that I wear.

00:13:46It took me six weeks to catch that wolverine in particular.

00:13:49He was smart.

00:13:50He'd come back every, like, 10 to 14 days.

00:13:53And I had a trail camera on it.

00:13:55And he had worked this natural set.

00:13:57And somehow was smart enough to set it off.

00:14:03So I cleared one of these boxes.

00:14:06And he'd never seen one of these before.

00:14:09The advantage of using a box is that it both attracts the curious creature and hides the trap.

00:14:15And I'm going to switch out these traps here real quick.

00:14:20And then finish off that box.

00:14:21From its mighty mountain peaks to its wide and wild tundra, Alaska is a land of ice forged by fire.

00:14:44Off the mainland southern coast, Kodiak is still just as rugged as it was more than 100 years ago when a massive volcanic eruption buried the island in ash more than a foot deep.

00:14:57Not many places can you live where there's still ground that's undisturbed from the last volcano.

00:15:07The raw and untouched wilderness once drew Mike Horstman here as a young big game hunter.

00:15:20A little bit more.

00:15:21Now, he's spent nearly four decades hand-building a life and a homestead where the work is never done and the next project is always waiting.

00:15:32Today, I'm going to dig a root cellar.

00:15:35Temperature of the ground down here is going to keep it insulated, which is what I really need.

00:15:40Root cellars are primitive pre-refrigeration tech that preserve food and crops at stable, cool temperatures by storing them underground.

00:15:49See, all that material right there, that's all good stuff to put on the root.

00:15:57You'll keep it from freezing tight in the winter and keep it probably 40 degrees in the summer.

00:16:06Having this root cellar is definitely going to be an improvement.

00:16:09It's something that I've been thinking about for years.

00:16:13I finally decided that I'm just going to get this done.

00:16:16I've got everything plugged in.

00:16:19Got it set on the 60 volts.

00:16:22In the last two years, with the price of fuel and everything else steadily rising.

00:16:27You can see it.

00:16:28It's just making that meter go now.

00:16:31Mike supercharged his efforts to make his property energy independent.

00:16:36Basically, I have free power.

00:16:38All I got to do is wait for the wind.

00:16:41Adding a wind turbine and solar panels.

00:16:45My merciful heavens, look at that.

00:16:47We've got voltage.

00:16:48To save money and time.

00:16:52I don't have to go to town near as much.

00:16:54The upgrades have been a game changer.

00:16:57That's monumental.

00:16:59In one day, I went from caveman with a candle to the 21st century.

00:17:03Mike still relies on a generator to power his hunting guide business, and the season is about to kick off in a big way.

00:17:12This fall, I've got a permit for a bison, I've got a goat tag, and I've got some deer tags, and once I get this done, I'm going to be able to hang anything that I kill.

00:17:25If all goes to plan, the root cellar will store several months' worth of food in any big game bagged by his bear hunting clients.

00:17:34All without using a single watt of electricity.

00:17:36All without using a single watt of electricity.

00:17:38I'm going to be able to hang out to the heat.

00:17:44See how the hole's coming along.

00:17:54Got nine foot there and it's going to be eight foot so we got plenty of room for it.

00:17:59This hole is going to be eight by eight with a seven foot ceiling and I'll cover the top of it up with the material that I dug up so it'll be insulated from all angles.

00:18:09I think that the hole's going to be perfect. I can see in my mind what I want to do but I gotta put it in action now.

00:18:29With all the dangers and difficulties of the Alaskan winter.

00:18:33Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.

00:18:38Small missteps can lead to big messes.

00:18:42Pain.

00:18:44It's kinda ridiculous to get tangled in the one tree in this open area but you know the dog is just being a dog really.

00:18:50You know, they don't understand about the whole lines and this and that.

00:18:57Let's go. This is how it goes sometimes.

00:18:58some time yeah that's all for me oh

00:19:05I got you hey kill it hey let's go up oh get the dogs turned around and get

00:19:14these guys on tango we'll get back on the right track the team's running at a

00:19:22good clip covering 10 miles so far and leaving the flats in its rear view but

00:19:29they've still got another 55 miles to go to reach Neil's camp alrighty now we're

00:19:36making our way through the Dugan Hill Pass right here the Dugan Hills are kind

00:19:42of like one of the bigger landmark hills you can see the dog man they're they're

00:19:47kicking into low gear help them out a little bit by running what a nice thing

00:19:52but doing this type of work on a trail yeah I've been trying to get back and

00:19:57getting as good a shape as I can for the race you know I gotta be in shape during

00:20:04I did a rush you know we're the 17th dog on the line you know these guys deserve

00:20:11free deserve me to be at peak physical physical shape you know huh and that's

00:20:18gonna improve me as a racer and as a woodsman as well

00:20:23the Iditarod covers an epic 1000 miles more than 10 times the distance Laro is

00:20:29traveling today it takes time and a lot of hard work to build up the

00:20:34conditioning that the dogs will need to succeed

00:20:37so every run counts trail breaking can be a lot of tough work it's uh one of those

00:20:45things you can see how these guys are really digging in there way up front you

00:20:49know they're they're almost swimming they're making like a swim motion it's a

00:20:52movement that takes some practice for dogs to make but these guys these guys are

00:20:58they're all trying pacing real nice you know look like professionals future looks

00:21:04bright for the kennel I got the Tanana River right here so we're gonna keep

00:21:10cruising

00:21:11the vast wide open Tanana River leads directly to Neil's camp but right now it's

00:21:20about 20 degrees so it's a really warm day 20 degrees is well below freezing

00:21:27hey hey hey easy but that doesn't guarantee the safety of river ice

00:21:36there may be snow on the ground in central Alaska but until the winter goes

00:21:52sub-zero

00:21:53hey hey hey easy getting around on the Tanana River can be a deadly gamble do you see

00:22:00open leads that stuff right there you might have risk to break it through

00:22:05that

00:22:08lately with the warmer winters we've had it's been tough to really uh tell about

00:22:15the ice traveling these big rivers you gotta be cautious you know they can sneak

00:22:20up on you hold on you're going in guys have lost dog teams and hopefully that's

00:22:24not me so right now I'm just taking a quick look at the ice depth so I'm just

00:22:30gonna cut a good-sized hole here and see roughly you know that's yeah that's

00:22:35roughly three inches right there so like right now this is super safe you know we

00:22:42got almost to my wrist and ice this is great for a dog sled yeah holy cow this is a lot

00:22:50of ice actually right here again this just because it's good here I bet if I got

00:22:55closer to that lead you can see the current coming out of that water you

00:23:00definitely don't want to be crossing right beside this thing

00:23:06where the trail is at at the moment that's safe but you still gotta be on the ball but

00:23:12I fall in the ice and especially the Tanana that's it you know you're not getting out

00:23:17we're it looks like we're safe for a while but you never know keep on traveling

00:23:21in the Alaskan interior known as the Yukon Koyakuk winter is knocking come on Nabi

00:23:50and for homesteaders Chance and Soraya Painter and their two young boys the time to protect

00:23:58their precious livestock from the coming breeze is now

00:24:01come on we're going to build a barn today we're going to go and get timbers to build a barn

00:24:10so why don't we make like a frame here so we could figure out sides and maybe where the door

00:24:15it's gonna be the reason we're building this is because it's going to be cold very soon here we

00:24:22really need to make sure our livestock is safe because we rely on them as a source of food and

00:24:27other natural materials the livestock that we have our goats and sheep and then we also have

00:24:32some chickens and we also have two pigs as of right now the structures just basic livestock

00:24:38holding areas mostly just rough cut lumber that is fencing in just small areas

00:24:45living 65 miles from the nearest grocery store puts a premium on the meat the painters raise at home

00:24:51and the makeshift livestock shelters just won't cut it when the brutal cold returns

00:24:56after last winter we realized that we're definitely going to need to build a bigger more insulated area

00:25:04for the animals so that it's easier on them while it's minus 50 degrees outside let's see what 16 by

00:25:1016 looks like and then we'll pretend that we are sheep goats and a pig yeah okay it's not necessarily

00:25:19just the cold last winter we had a lot of wolves coming around and kind of circling around our area

00:25:25we do have livestock dogs to protect them but things still happen 16 right there

00:25:32all right beautiful which side did you want to put the door I definitely want to put the door on this

00:25:41side since all the wind comes from this way okay so door um maybe we'll lay some sticks out acting

00:25:49as like the corridor so as we're laying down the sticks I'm just kind of imagining myself or Soraya

00:25:55pushing a wheelbarrow through and just picturing the animals like in their own little stalls because

00:26:01thinking about the pig area now that's probably pretty good yeah just trying to make sure that they

00:26:06have enough space to stretch their legs and be happy because you don't want them being too cramped

00:26:12inside of the cabin the pigs can basically have one side because Gus is going to get huge

00:26:17so Gus and Maggie if he gets too big we're just going to eat him he's looking super delicious

00:26:22how's that look that looks good we should start hauling we're losing daylight so the plan is to go out

00:26:31to the logging trail and then go and start looking for our sill logs and wall logs what trail are you

00:26:37going to head up I'm going to go to the far trail there's pretty tough woods out there we need to

00:26:43harvest four sill logs a sill log is what the entire cabin rests on and then we're hoping to be able to

00:26:50get the sill logs down at the end of the day is that everything you need I think that's everything

00:26:55all right I'll be back in a little bit all right bye-bye all right bye bye

00:26:59bye-bye

00:27:01up in the tobacco root mountains the sun's finally caught up to Jake and his pack

00:27:23and they're ready to roll all right so I found this track early this morning in the dark and uh

00:27:31I wasn't able to turn up another one which is a good thing so we've only got one job to do today

00:27:36we'll see if the dogs can't get this kitty pushed back up on the mountain

00:27:42Marlene here it is here it is here it is good dog good dog good dog well just like that we're off to

00:27:56the races on the cat's scent and kicking off the first hunt of the season are Marlene Mardell

00:28:04and Blue three of Jake's most seasoned trackers coming into the season this year is a little

00:28:10different than all the ones in the past we don't have any uh pups anymore everybody's fully trained

00:28:15everybody I would consider to be a veteran this year so I'm hoping that this year I can put out

00:28:21less dogs I'm going to do two to three at a time instead of letting go half the pack

00:28:25I rely on these dogs each and every day so it's going to be nice to run smaller packs and be able

00:28:31to have extra dogs at home that are ready to go for the next day

00:28:34see where these dogs are

00:28:43they're covering some country

00:28:46at top speed the dogs are running as fast as 15 miles per hour

00:28:52leaving Jake in the dust

00:28:54they went over top of this ridge and they're dropping down so

00:28:58I need to get up to the top here and uh see if I can't catch up to him

00:29:03he'll track them on GPS while he closes the gap

00:29:08a trek that can take hours in this treacherous terrain

00:29:13you can't quite hear these dogs yet I should be getting close enough to where I should be hearing

00:29:25them they're across the canyon here in a patch of timber

00:29:28and it looks like they're yeah they're just a little over a half mile right now so

00:29:34I should start hearing them here pretty soon

00:29:36it's definitely nice to have snow on the ground but uh

00:29:40tough tough snow conditions I'm slipping and sliding and I'm using a lot more energy

00:29:44but uh either way I've got to keep pushing

00:29:47the dogs are trained to stay on target until Jake arrives

00:29:51no matter how long it takes

00:29:53all right I can really hear those dogs now

00:30:02they can't be far

00:30:04oh

00:30:06oh that's not good

00:30:08I've definitely got something funky going on here

00:30:11the dogs were peeling up the creek here

00:30:13and Marlene just took

00:30:15went about a hundred yards and pulled up treed

00:30:17and she's down here treeing by herself

00:30:20I'm gonna get up here and see what the heck they got

00:30:22what you got here

00:30:35holy cow

00:30:41in the dense woods of the Alaskan interior

00:30:53chance has a plan for his barn build

00:30:56all he needs now is the heavy timber

00:30:59which is a daunting one-man task in these parts

00:31:02all right I'm gonna have to try and move some of this stuff and make a trail right through here

00:31:08uh the plan for right now is I'm gonna cut this in

00:31:17this is gonna be my shoot to drag logs through

00:31:21I'm just gonna open up the trail a little bit first and just kind of inch my way in here

00:31:27I've chosen this area to uh make trail into because I've seen lots of nice trees

00:31:32while I was walking around trapping lynx and beaver in here last winter

00:31:36so I'm just trying to make sure that the trail is clear and wide enough to get a four-wheeler through

00:31:45I also want to make sure as I'm dragging the logs through that there's not any big

00:31:50logs to to get hung up on

00:31:56so I've cut a good you know 10 feet of trail 10 foot wide here

00:32:03my four-wheeler can really easily get through here without any problems

00:32:07so I'm gonna start looking for some timbers

00:32:13so this is a nice looking tree this one looks really good it's not too big so I'll be able to

00:32:19actually drag it out of here uh looks like it's about a 10 inch base

00:32:25which is basically what I'm kind of shooting for so this tree would make a really good sill log

00:32:31I'm thinking which is the log at the very bottom of the cabin it's basically the the structural

00:32:38integrity of the whole foundation we need four sill logs and luckily there's two nice two more

00:32:46nice ones right here and from the looks of it we might be able to actually get two logs out of the

00:32:51third tree these trees look great so I'm gonna go grab my saw and start cutting them down

00:32:56so the way I'm gonna cut this tree down is I'm gonna limb up all of these branches on the bottom

00:33:06here and then I'm gonna do what's called a face cut and I'm going to cut a wedge into the bottom

00:33:13and I'm gonna take that wedge out and then make another cut on the back side at an angle tension

00:33:20from this releasing will shift the weight of the tree towards the face cut and it'll end up

00:33:25falling the tree uphill here so the tree fell exactly where I was wanting it to we'll be able to limit up

00:33:33now and once the log is on the ground I'll be able to attach a rope onto the butt here and I'll be able

00:33:38to swing it around with the wheeler and start dragging it up the hill I'm feeling pretty good about getting

00:33:44the first tree down I got a whole lot more logs than I gotta cut

00:34:00on Kodiak Island Alaska the big dig is complete okay and a construction project that's taken months to

00:34:08plan is finally getting underway now I'm gonna fab my root cellar right here in the yard and I'm

00:34:16gonna carry it over there and set it in position I think it'll be a lot easier to build it on flat

00:34:21ground than down in the hole each of the beams that Mike's using to build the root cellar

00:34:27I can see it from right here has been plucked one by one from the shores of Eagle Harbor

00:34:33I think this is one right here in the grass the salvage missions taken all summer

00:34:42kind of like going shopping but its price tag can't be beat yeah perfect a lot of people myself

00:34:51included leave stuff too close to the beach a lot of this stuff floats out in the bay and a few days

00:34:57later a week a month it'll end up on somebody's beach

00:35:04you know the way my I'm exposed here to the Gulf a lot of it comes to me

00:35:11the dimensional lumber is free and that's not the only savings Mike's eking out of the land

00:35:18these panels have been here at least 10 years

00:35:21they were the leftovers from a hanger that got built in town and I knew the guy that built it

00:35:29between the lumber and the panels this build is low cost but high quality the beauty of these is that

00:35:36they're going to be insulated like I've done with them for the walls this is probably as good

00:35:41a material as I could use there are two and a half inches of foam interlocking joints with metal on both

00:35:47sides of baked enamel paint and uh they'll completely insulate alert cellar

00:35:58okay the material is going to run all the way to here but I need to put a beam across so that I can

00:36:09hang a pine quarter a deer or something inside once this side wall is standing upright the notch in the

00:36:16stud will make room for a cross beam that'll span the length of the cellar and be strong enough to

00:36:22hold the weight of big game carcasses look at that oh baby oh baby it'll be perfect good now I got one

00:36:33more panel to do 18 inches another precision fit I've been thinking about building a root cellar for

00:36:41years but I just haven't had the time out here there's always a lot of work to do so uh to be

00:36:46able to put something together like this at this time of my life it's very self-satisfying to just a

00:36:52real a real sense of accomplishment to be able to live like this okay I got this one done I'm going to

00:36:58build one more I'm just going to build it right on top of here and then I'll put them in place with the

00:37:03forklift we'll see what happens it's day one of lion season you got going on here Marlene and high up in

00:37:23the tobacco roots holy cow she's got to push way up in that tree Jake's first shot on target you ain't

00:37:33supposed to be chasing the bobcat is a misfire it's definitely a big old bobcat but it's not what we're

00:37:41after and I've got Blue and Mardell heading up the drainage here on the creek so I'm just going to pull

00:37:46Marlene off and get her line back out with those other two and hopefully she catches up to the rest

00:37:52of the pack and catches that lion good girl Marlene I'm not going to tell Marlene she did a bad job

00:37:58she caught a cat good girl Marlene let's go mama here come on let's go you did good catch you up with the rest of them

00:38:16the detour puts Jake even farther behind but making up time on the steep cliffs is a tall order with fresh

00:38:25powder on the ground holy crap the snow is really starting to pick up kind of let up there for a

00:38:33minute now it's really starting to come down again all right I've got dogs starting to tree way down here

00:38:42below me looks like they're all barking pretty good right now and uh they're staying put so I think

00:38:49they got it treed um I just got to cover about three quarters of a mile to get to them hopefully they got me a cat crop

00:39:12uh Mardell decided to climb a tree so I got to get up there and uh help her down as quickly as I can

00:39:23we've got a cat at the top of the tree and Mardell's about halfway up Mardell climbing a tree it's a

00:39:28disastrous deal because if that mountain lion decides it wants to attack her she's going to be pretty well

00:39:34helpless up there come on good girl that cat only knows two ways down the tree and that's to climb

00:39:44down it or jump out of it good girl good girl good girl one of those options is going to be right over

00:39:52top of me and the dog so if this cat comes down right now me and the cat are going to end up in

00:39:58hand-to-hand combat which is the last thing I need way up above the valley floor the lion

00:40:13is king of the mountain good girl and when a lion is threatened its instinct is to strike

00:40:20Mardell climbing a tree is definitely a life or death situation Mardell's bad habits landed Jake 40

00:40:33feet above the ground and out on a limb with a big cat right overhead these dogs can climb these trees

00:40:41really well and really easily but they cannot climb down them if that dog comes out on its own

00:40:48it might end up breaking its jaw its leg or its back

00:41:02touch going whoa

00:41:06oh my darling

00:41:11T- Merci

00:41:14got it

00:41:16maybe up

00:41:18oh

00:41:21are you good

00:41:21oh

00:41:23oh

00:41:27oh

00:41:29oh

00:41:30oh

00:41:30All right, holy crap, so I've been having that problem with Mardell and Manny, they're

00:41:44the two dogs that have really been climbing trees on me, and as you can see, that's not

00:41:49ideal at all, it's not a safe thing for the dog, it's not safe for me, so when I get to

00:41:55a tree like that, it's hard to get her down and off of that, and now we've got a cat in

00:42:01the tree, they did their job, definitely not, I'd like to see it, but we'll take it, good

00:42:07dogs!

00:42:08Got this mountain lion pushed back, and it's time to get my butt off the mountain, get these

00:42:15dogs fed, and we'll be right back at it again tomorrow.

00:42:18Here, good dogs, good dogs!

00:42:25Back on Kodiak, with the mega machines doing the heavy lifting, okay, now I think the tricky

00:42:42part is going to be to get the first panels up and square, Mike's making fast work of

00:42:49his long-awaited root cellar, because I'm all by myself, it's a little awkward, I'm going

00:42:53to try and stand them up with the forklift, and then I'll just put them in place, and

00:42:58hopefully I'll be able to balance them without any mishaps.

00:43:03Each sidewall clocks in at 300 pounds, which is easy for a forklift to pick up, but not

00:43:09to hold on edge.

00:43:13This is the sketchy part, now I'm going to stand it up, and I'll block it from behind

00:43:17with a pole or something, and then I've got to pick this one up, this way, and maybe I'll

00:43:23do that with a piece of line, if I don't drop it on myself.

00:43:28That'll hold it for now.

00:43:43I think this is going to dig in, but...

00:43:45About 100%.

00:43:50Okay, I think that's good enough.

00:43:59Now that I've got the walls standing upright, and they seem like they're going to stay there

00:44:02for a few minutes, I'm going to start putting the panels in, and make the attachment on the

00:44:08backside.

00:44:13I'll just continue to put these panels on here, all the way to the top, and then I'll

00:44:20have it.

00:44:25Look at that.

00:44:26It's going together a lot nicer than I thought it would.

00:44:39That'll hold a hind quarter of a buffalo or a deer.

00:44:42At this juncture, it's looking good, but I still got to inch it back into the hole where

00:44:48it needs to set.

00:44:50So my idea is to tie a line to it and try and pull it with the excavator so I can get

00:44:57it in place.

00:44:59Now this is the part that I'm not sure of.

00:45:03Hopefully the bank doesn't cave away.

00:45:04We'll see.

00:45:05Living alone in the Alaskan bush requires a lot of heavy lifting.

00:45:18Okay, here we go.

00:45:19And some crafty improvisation.

00:45:20Hopefully I can pick up my line.

00:45:21We'll see what happens.

00:45:23So far we got that.

00:45:24Mike's root cellar structure is taking shape, but it needs to be tucked into the earth nice

00:45:38and tight if the soil is going to keep it cool.

00:45:43This is the tricky part.

00:45:45There we go.

00:45:50The little juice.

00:45:55Oh yeah.

00:45:56We got it.

00:45:57I guess I'll get down there and level it.

00:46:10From up here sitting in the seat, it looks like a million bucks, but I'm going to have

00:46:13to make sure before I go any further that it's level, true, and square before I put the

00:46:18roof on and cover it up.

00:46:21Well, that's right in the middle, right?

00:46:24Look at that.

00:46:25That's something that's on the money.

00:46:26As it turns out, it's on my first shot.

00:46:29It was a miracle of miracles.

00:46:31It's perfect.

00:46:32I won't be able to make it any better.

00:46:34Okay.

00:46:35Now we're going to put these panels on here, put the roof on, and it'll be done like dinner.

00:46:47Once I get all those panels on, I cover it up with a tarp, and now I'm going to pick up

00:46:53all this tundra and sod that I initially took off the surface.

00:46:58It'll absorb the moisture from all the rainwater and provide all the insulation that I need.

00:47:03Now we got it.

00:47:04Now we got it.

00:47:05Ahead of schedule and under budget.

00:47:10Woo hoo.

00:47:11So I finished covering it around from the backside, and now I have to cut the door out and put

00:47:16a wood framework on the edges of it and have the panels be the actual door.

00:47:23And that's how that's here.

00:47:26Now I'm going to lag a winch off of a boat trailer to one of these timbers on the side,

00:47:33and that's what I'm going to use to adjust the height of my quarters while they're hanging

00:47:39in here.

00:47:40When I had a deer outside the door, I could have it on the gambrel on his hind legs, bring

00:47:46the line out through the door, and then just crank it up.

00:47:50And it'll just hang here and chill.

00:47:56It's going to be perfect.

00:48:00All in all, I'm pretty tickled with the way this came out.

00:48:03I was able to fuse all available material from right here on the place, and another job

00:48:08is done.

00:48:09Life is good.

00:48:26Deep in the Yukon Koyukuk.

00:48:29After some felling, limbing, and trimming, the first sill log of the painter's new barn build

00:48:36is ready to hit the trail.

00:48:38All right, I'm going to hitch her up, see if I can get her through.

00:48:41All right, well that was the hard part, getting this thing actually up out of there, back

00:49:06on through the trail.

00:49:07It should be pretty easy from here on out.

00:49:09I'm going to drag it through the log yard now and go back and get another one.

00:49:13While Chance shuttles timber back at the homestead.

00:49:14Let's get some for Gus and Maggie and the chicken.

00:49:28Soraya is giving her sons Otter and Oma show a hands-on lesson in animal husbandry.

00:49:35While Chance is out logging, I'm going to stay back and take care of the animals, feed them,

00:49:40water them.

00:49:41We'll feed Gus first.

00:49:42Hi guys.

00:49:43Are you hungry?

00:49:44Mmm.

00:49:45Beans.

00:49:46There you go, Gus.

00:49:47He's getting so big, hey Nubby?

00:49:48Otter is my three year old son.

00:49:49His nickname is Nubby.

00:49:50Who are we going to feed next?

00:49:51Nubby?

00:49:52Chickens?

00:49:53Otter loves all the animals.

00:49:54They are his actual best friends.

00:49:55Are you ready?

00:49:56Yeah.

00:49:57Okay.

00:49:58Especially the chickens because those are the animals that we started out with on the homestead.

00:49:59So he's really bonded to the chickens.

00:50:00Hi chickens.

00:50:01Hi chickens.

00:50:02Hi chickens.

00:50:03And Omi is my youngest.

00:50:04We call him Omi.

00:50:05His name's Omi.

00:50:06His name's Omi.

00:50:07Hi chickens.

00:50:08Hi chickens.

00:50:09Hi chickens.

00:50:10And Omi is my youngest.

00:50:11We call him Omi.

00:50:12His name's Omi.

00:50:13Hi chickens.

00:50:14Hi chickens.

00:50:15Hi chickens.

00:50:17Hi chickens.

00:50:18Hi chickens.

00:50:19He's all, okay, David.

00:50:20And Omi is my youngest.

00:50:21We call him Omi.

00:50:21His name's Omisho.

00:50:22He's one and a half almost.

00:50:24And he's pretty much my right hand man.

00:50:27We do everything together with him and I.

00:50:29Every animal we have out here has a purpose.

00:50:35It's not necessarily just a food source.

00:50:37It's kind of like clothing and hide and meat.

00:50:41So they really need to be safe and warm.

00:50:43All right.

00:50:48Here, come here, Nubby. Over here.

00:50:52Mister, mister, mister.

00:50:54Get out.

00:50:55Oh, pig out.

00:50:57Get out.

00:50:58Oh, no. Nubby is pig out?

00:51:01Oh, no.

00:51:04Pig.

00:51:06Pig.

00:51:11Deep in Alaska's interior, the painter's livestock are going hard wild.

00:51:16Pig.

00:51:18Pig.

00:51:19So as we're tending to the livestock, Otter starts yelling,

00:51:23Mama, Gus, out.

00:51:24And Gus is our male pig's name, but I turn around and both of the pigs are out.

00:51:28Oh, no.

00:51:32Like it was just chaos.

00:51:34All right.

00:51:35Let's let the sheep out later.

00:51:37We got to take care of these pigs, Nubby.

00:51:39I try not to panic in this situation, because the big pig, she's kind of a big pig,

00:51:44and she could really ruin a lot quickly.

00:51:45You got to smell that.

00:51:49You want that?

00:51:51Bet you do.

00:51:52Ha ha!

00:51:54Come on, pigs.

00:51:57You little turkeys.

00:51:59When I get down to the pen, I see that they've pushed the entire back wall off.

00:52:03Here, Maggie.

00:52:04Come this way, Maggie.

00:52:06Come here, girl.

00:52:07I'm a master pig-lurer.

00:52:12All right.

00:52:13Okay.

00:52:14There it is.

00:52:15There it is.

00:52:18All right.

00:52:21It's going to be really great when we have our barn finally all set up

00:52:24and won't be dealing with this kind of thing all the time.

00:52:27All right.

00:52:29Come here, nub.

00:52:29Come here.

00:52:42With trapping season set to kick off soon in Alaska...

00:52:45All right.

00:52:50Let's see what this looks like here.

00:52:53Oh, yeah.

00:52:54Brett's gearing up for the great unknown.

00:52:56Now, I'm going to cut some notches so I can slide in my springs.

00:53:05It's kind of exciting.

00:53:07This year is going to be a little different because now I get to explore the outpost.

00:53:13I haven't been trapping out there, so it's going to be kind of cool to get out there on

00:53:18untouched land and see what's out there for fur.

00:53:21Got to start there.

00:53:23See how this looks.

00:53:24It could be a big year financially because this will be the most traps I'll have out,

00:53:29the most amount of line in a new area.

00:53:33Oh, look at that.

00:53:35That is perfect.

00:53:36It's going to be a lot more work maintaining two places.

00:53:40All right.

00:53:40But it won't be as bad because I got help from Ivy, so it's going to be a pretty exciting year.

00:53:47Back in the bush, Ivy's also prepping for the season by hunting grouse.

00:53:51The ground's pretty frozen and crunchy, so my steps are pretty loud today.

00:53:58There's a lot of grouse in this area.

00:54:00We always see them when we're not hunting for them.

00:54:02They're just going to be a little more hunkered down this time of the year.

00:54:06They can be up in the trees.

00:54:07They can be down on the ground.

00:54:08So hopefully I can rouse to a couple others.

00:54:14Well, I see what.

00:54:18Right here in a branch.

00:54:20He thinks he's pretty hidden right now.

00:54:22Get a better angle.

00:54:43Get a nicer.

00:54:44Got it.

00:55:05Come on, Bridge.

00:55:06Let's go get the scrouse.

00:55:07Nice.

00:55:23Looks like a couple females.

00:55:26The forest provides so much for us and our family that it's really important for both

00:55:32Brett and I to utilize everything that we take from the woods.

00:55:34Save these.

00:55:37I sprinkle them near the set.

00:55:39Makes it look like something just killed a fresh bird.

00:55:42So when it comes to bird carcasses, feathers, wings, stuff that we can't eat.

00:55:48We'll put guts in this one and then we'll use the main carcass for bait.

00:55:53It's nice that those play such a big part in the success of our trapline and we're utilizing

00:56:00all of the birds instead of any part of it going to waste.

00:56:04Oh, nice meat on that one.

00:56:06Yep.

00:56:07Another good day of chores done.

00:56:11About a quarter, almost a half a bag of meat.

00:56:14Good job getting all your traps spoiled.

00:56:17Yeah, I know.

00:56:17Ready to go.

00:56:18Pretty excited.

00:56:19I can't wait to get out there on the line.

00:56:22Daylight burns fast over Alaska at this time of year.

00:56:39Well, you're taking a little longer than I expected.

00:56:44And after 10 hours on the trail, Lauro and his pack have used it all up.

00:56:50It's dark now.

00:56:51It's in the evening.

00:56:52But dogs look good though.

00:56:54You're not throwing that trail breaking.

00:56:56The dogs look good.

00:56:57But with 16 miles still to go till camp, Lauro knows it's best to break them before exhaustion

00:57:03sets in.

00:57:05Whoa, guys.

00:57:07Whoa.

00:57:09All right.

00:57:10He's ready for a snack.

00:57:11I think it's time we take a little break here, dogs.

00:57:15You know, it gets dark here early in Alaska.

00:57:18But I'm going to stop giving them a nice little quick meal with that digest.

00:57:22A good size chunk of frozen meat.

00:57:24I got a little bit of beef brought with me.

00:57:28Just give them a break, keep their spirits up, and just get off the runners for me and

00:57:32myself and enjoy a quick fire.

00:57:35Get a little bit more warmed up.

00:57:37That way too, you know, I don't go waking my dad up at 4 a.m. or whatever.

00:57:42He wouldn't mind if I did that, but what's the rush?

00:57:46Yeah, good fire going on now.

00:57:48I think we're going to be good here for a little bit.

00:57:51Pressed up and be back on the trail soon.

00:57:53As the sun rises over the Tanana River, the final push is underway, and Laro and his team

00:58:12are charging towards the finish line, a makeshift trapping camp where his dad has been posted

00:58:17up for weeks.

00:58:20Hey, Dad!

00:58:23How was your trip?

00:58:24Yeah, it was good.

00:58:26Your trip was good.

00:58:27I'm really pumped to see my dad.

00:58:29It's great that he had a good time out here.

00:58:31Well, how's the trapping been?

00:58:32How's he been in a few months?

00:58:33Yeah, it was good.

00:58:34Good.

00:58:35Oh, I didn't hit it real hard.

00:58:36I'm not as young as I used to be.

00:58:38That sounds better than I'm getting old.

00:58:40Yeah.

00:58:41You know, he's in really good shape.

00:58:43He's in better shape than some 20-year-olds I know.

00:58:46Looks like he's had a great time.

00:58:47Neil set out to snare as much meat and fish as he could in order to feed the team through

00:58:53the winter.

00:58:54Well, all right, Dad.

00:58:55Let's see what you got.

00:58:56Hey.

00:58:57And it looks like he's been busy.

00:58:59I got you some beaver.

00:59:00We got fish for you.

00:59:02Yeah, it looks good.

00:59:04I got you some beaver.

00:59:05I got that packed away.

00:59:07Take you some beaver tails there.

00:59:08The dog will be happy with that.

00:59:10That's their favorite.

00:59:11Yeah.

00:59:12That's stuff around.

00:59:14Yeah, Dad.

00:59:14These will be great chill sacks.

00:59:16Yeah.

00:59:17Good.

00:59:17I'll take you up and show you some of the birds we got.

00:59:20Through all these years mushing, my dad's always helped me out.

00:59:22This is his way of helping me get some fish, helping me get some beaver, to support me along

00:59:27my journey of being a ditterod musher and helping with my dogs.

00:59:32Well, it looks like you've been having some fun out here.

00:59:34Yeah, I've had a blast out here.

00:59:36Traveling.

00:59:36Kind of reliving the old days.

00:59:38I know it's time to head back now so you can get your training in for your ditterod.

00:59:42Yeah.

00:59:43This journey was awesome.

00:59:45Great bunch of yearlings.

00:59:47You know, they excelled more than I thought they would.

00:59:49I know they'll do good, but it was wow.

00:59:52You know, I couldn't ask for a better set of dogs that are brought out here today.

00:59:56I'm very excited to see how these guys do.

00:59:59I bet you're ready for a cup of coffee, huh?

01:00:00Oh, yeah.

01:00:01All right, come on in.

01:00:14Back in the Yukon Koyukuk.

01:00:17Come on, nubi.

01:00:18The painters are finally ready to lay the foundation for their barn build.

01:00:23And with winter around the corner, and more than a dozen animals out in the cold, there's no time to waste.

01:00:32Slowly.

01:00:33A little more.

01:00:35More.

01:00:37Three inches.

01:00:37But then we get to work shifting them around, trying to make sure that each corner and the middle are all just 16 feet apart.

01:00:46How's that?

01:00:47Too far out?

01:00:48Perfectly fine?

01:00:49We're like half an inch off.

01:00:50That's close enough.

01:00:51I think that's close enough, yeah.

01:00:53Man, this one is huge.

01:00:58Okay.

01:00:58Each log weighs in at 300 pounds and needs to be locked into place with 8-inch heavy timber screws.

01:01:13That's nice.

01:01:14Oh, I like those.

01:01:17Constructing the barn's foundation is not the most difficult step of the process.

01:01:22But just about everything is more challenging with young children underfoot.

01:01:27All right, we're going to roll it.

01:01:28Are you ready?

01:01:29Yeah.

01:01:30All right.

01:01:34All right.

01:01:35Good job, ma'am.

01:01:39All right, just wait.

01:01:40Watch out.

01:01:41Yeah, Daddy's lifting it now.

01:01:42Here, watch out.

01:01:43Get away from this one.

01:01:45Can you go back over here?

01:01:45Go back.

01:01:46Further back.

01:01:47No, back.

01:01:48No, oh, oh, Mama.

01:01:50I'm not trying to hurt you.

01:01:51It's just really dangerous having the kids around.

01:01:54You kind of just always have to remain vigilant.

01:01:56Can't baby-proof the forest.

01:01:58All right.

01:02:05Does it feel sturdy over there?

01:02:07It feels pretty good.

01:02:08This one feels great.

01:02:09With more weight on it, it'll...

01:02:12It'll be crazy strong.

01:02:13Yeah.

01:02:13Yeah, I know.

01:02:14It's not even trying to shift.

01:02:17Do you love it, Ulm?

01:02:20He loves it.

01:02:22I'm feeling pretty confident about the structural integrity of the foundation.

01:02:27I think that's going to be really good, and I think it's going to keep our animals alive.

01:02:31Awesome.

01:02:31And then the walls tomorrow?

01:02:33Yeah, we'll start doing the walls tomorrow.

01:02:34Well, what do you say to some dinner?

01:02:38Yeah, I'm hungry.

01:02:39Yeah?

01:02:39I butchered the chicken.

01:02:40All right.

01:02:41Let's go eat the chicken.

01:02:42And those potatoes.

01:02:44Oh, and our potatoes.

01:02:45Yum.

01:02:45Next time on Mountain Men.

01:02:53I have to get the barn done because winter is coming up quick.

01:02:57I don't want those animals sitting out in the cold.

01:03:02Oh, that hurt.

01:03:05Trapping.

01:03:06You know, you got a lot of respect for these animals.

01:03:08Pretty grateful that, you know, you got that gift from Mother Nature.

01:03:11All righty, let's see what we got.

01:03:16Can there be any other way to do this?

01:03:18I was not preparing to be climbing up and onto the roof because I don't like that kind of height, and I could fall to my death.

01:03:27If she gets downwind, that could be a problem.

01:03:31I really don't want to mess with her.

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