The early winter storms have left the entire homestead unprepared. A desperate search for a newborn calf and its mother forces Otto's wife and their youngest son into a night snowstorm while Otto is away building shelter for his herd.

The extended Kilcher family struggle to get through a record-breaking harsh winter. Desperate for food, Atz Lee and Jane venture onto the ice to try fishing. Patriarchs Otto and Atz embark on a dangerous mission to bring aid to a fellow homesteader.

Spring finally arrives on the homestead. Eivin mills lumber, builds a large chicken house from scratch and helps wife Eve take out a rogue cannibal hen. Desperate for food, Jane goes fishing for king salmon solo.

Otto and family battle the elements and predators to drive their cattle to the summer pasture. A missing calf causes Otto and Eivin to head off for a dangerous late night rescue mission. Atz Lee and Jane build a makeshift greenhouse.

Atz begins his summer range riding season to protect Otto's cattle herd. A bear menaces from the edge; a wolf invades the herd. Otto & family race the clock and the elements to gather in winter's hay crop. Eivin and Eve's cannibal hen strikes again.

The Kilchers rally & call in favors to tackle their largest project this season. They have 48 hours to build a long cattle fence and rebuild a cabin, or the treacherous river's tide will trap their barge full of critical equipment for another month.

Summer half over, the Kilchers head out fishing, but it's not for fun...at least not entirely. They need 100s of pounds of fish to eat and barter with during winter. Each couple has their own time-proven technique for catching salmon and trout.

Atz Lee and Eivin travel 160 miles and brave the bears of "Terrible Island" to hunt deer. Otto refuses to admit defeat and will use all the blackpowder he has to remove a pesky stump blocking his progress.

The Kilchers scramble to finish their winter prep. Otto confronts a predator killing calves from inside his herd. Atz Lee and Jane catch and smoke salmon in their secret fish camp. Eivin uses a samurai sword to prepare Thanksgiving dinner.

Cattleman Otto Kilcher sees life a little differently. Some people think he's crazy, but he'll tell you it's just his willingness to accept whatever life brings him. Otto's sense of humor is infectious and his ingenuity inspires everyone.

For the Kilchers, necessity truly is the mother of invention and recycling takes a on whole new level -- from bone yard scavenges and make-do parts to tasty roadkill suppers. And it's not just the Kilcher men who have to be tough and resourceful.

Hidden deep in the wilderness of Alaska is the toughest town in America: McCarthy. Locked in winter’s grip, the 42 souls who are brave enough to live here must battle the elements, and each other, to maintain their pioneer way of life.

The last days of winter bring change. The future of town lies in the balance. Jason races the melting river crossings to reach his crashed airplane. Jeremy tests his nine-year-old son with a risky solo dog sled run through the woods.

As seasons change in McCarthy, the town is haunted by its darkest day. The icy ground thaws into a quagmire, and old-timer Tim Mischel is marooned at his remote cabin. Neil and Jeremy’s frozen truce is set on fire.

Spring means locals can finally reach the outside world to resupply. Jeremy walks a bull calf home through bear country and faces off with a hungry black bear. Jason’s brother Eric departs town for a new job, leaving Jason to face the wild alone.

McCarthy is under attack from awakening bears. Jeremy’s livestock is attacked and he goes on the hunt. While Gary searches for horses spooked by a grizzly.