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Humans first arrived in Alaska
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over 20,000 years ago.
(stirring orchestral music)
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A-ha, look!
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A house pit! You know, you have your thatched roof.
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Fish hanging from the ceiling.
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And some of Alaska's current residents
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can trace their heritage back to these early times,
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keeping ancient traditions intact.
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To be able to see these different cultures,
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and experience this land,
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that these people have been around
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for thousands and thousands of years,
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really was a great experience.
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Today, Alaska remains a unique
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and relatively unspoiled state,
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more wild than any other in America.
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And it calls out to a unique person.
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There are some who embrace the solitude of living alone
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in this remote landscape.
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You can enjoy all the fishing and hunting,
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and it's just been a hoot since I've worked here.
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Thrill a minute.
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(laughs)
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And others come here to play in the snow.
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And in the air.
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It's a world-class unlimited aerobatic machine.
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Up, down, sideways, anything we can stand,
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the airplane can do.
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Whoa!
Whoa!
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Alaska is home to a unique community,
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where neighbors near and far
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can rely on each other to survive.
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There's a lotta people that,
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I'm the only guy they see every week for months at a time.
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Thanks for the mail, you want some crab?
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Thanks Jim, yeah, this is awesome.
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Benefits of bein' the mailman out in Kodiak.
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(reverberating drumbeat)
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(wind howls)
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(poignant string music)
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Some call it, the last frontier.
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But it is really the first.
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Alaska's where the first Ice Age hunters
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crossed over the temporary land bridge from Asia
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to enter the continent of North America.
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Pursuing the migratory herds of giant bison,
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caribou, and mammoth.
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There are villages in Alaska
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inhabited for thousands of years.
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And after the Native Americans
(soaring orchestral music)
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came the Russians, Spanish, English and French explorers.
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And then Yankee adventurers and pioneers,
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all captivated by a magnificence
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to be seen nowhere else on earth.
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And while past explorers came to Alaska
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seeking valuable resources,
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better hunting grounds in ancient times,
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more recently the search for oil and gold,
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Alaska's greatest resource just might be,
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the Alaskans themselves.
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(plane engine sputters)
(swaggering country music)
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(laughs) Can I chew on it?
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Say bye-bye Ann!
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Bye-bye!
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Are you gonna get on the plane?
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Yeah.
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Yeah! (chuckles)
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Are you guys ready to load up?
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Whenever you are, yes.
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For many Alaskans living off the grid,
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when they need a favor from a neighbor,
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whether it's big or small, they call for a float plane.
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Island Air, they're definitely a lifeline,
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because we have no service
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that goes around the island and delivers goods.
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This is how people get their mail,
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their food, so they are an integral part
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of our economic engine here.
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(upbeat acoustic country music)
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That's all I got for ya.
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Everything you move in a car down south,
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in your truck, in your delivery vehicle,
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it all moves in an airplane or a boat in Alaska.
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Cargo!
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I've been on a few different
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search and rescue type flights.
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I've picked up people
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who've had heart attacks, burn victims,
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and a pretty wide variety
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of medical emergencies.
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It's the interaction between,
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everyone out in the bush, and helpin' them,
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and helpin' them help us, it goes both ways.
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Your feet, thanks for the mail,
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you want some crab?
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Thanks Jim, yeah, this is awesome.
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Benefits of bein' the mailman out in Kodiak.
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Alaska is the largest state in America.
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But its population of 740,000 people,
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ranks 48th out of the 50 states.
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Most Alaska is not accessible by road.
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Even the state capital of Juneau
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is only accessible by boat or aircraft.
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But for some, this remoteness is the very reason
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why they choose to live in Alaska.
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The Uganic Cannery was shut down in 2001,
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due to an international crash in the price of salmon.
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And while the facility remains shut down to this day,
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one lone caretaker remains
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to maintain this decaying outpost.
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I'm the presence on site, I just keep an eye on things.
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(relaxed rock music)
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I enjoy all the fishing, and hunting,
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and it's just been a hoot since I've worked here.
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Thrill a minute.
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(laughs)
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The weekly arrival of a float plane,
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means this caretaker will get his mail,
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groceries, and most importantly,
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an interaction with another person,
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connecting him to the outside world.
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Hey Pete.
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Island Air brings the mail here.
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They bring my groceries on the mail plane.
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They're kind of a lifeline.
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So, how's the weather in town?
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It's starting to look kinda nasty out to the northeast.
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Yeah.
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There's a lotta people that,
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I'm the only guy they see every week
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for months at a time,
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so, you kinda gotta give 'em five minutes,
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let 'em talk to somebody face-to-face.
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Alright, alright.
I'm going.
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Alright, on.
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Here you go Lance.
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Alright thanks Pete.
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Hey, I found some graffiti on the wall
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you might be interested in seein'.
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Yeah?
Yeah.
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Cool, tell me where.
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Okay.
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You really kinda get to develop
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a relationship with these guys,
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and if they don't walk down to the dock
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or walk down to the beach when you pull up,
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that could be scary, I haven't had that happen yet.
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But you're always hopin' that they're gonna be there
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waitin' for you when you pull up.
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(laughs)
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Alright Lance, well let's see ya next week.
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See ya next week.
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Watch that pail back there, Lance.
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Oh yeah!
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The bush pilots are my heroes.
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Modern-day Alaskans rely on air transportation.
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But the first native settlers
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lived in a different time.
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Archeologists are searching to learn more
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about these early Alaskans.
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To learn what tools they used.
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What they ate.
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And how they lived.
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Morning guys!
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Alright.
Morning.
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Looks like we got some awesome weather
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to go take a look around.
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These two researchers
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are from the Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak, Alaska.
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And they're headed out to discover
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some of the island's archeological treasures.
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Pretty much every survey we ever do on Kodiak
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we use a float plane.
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You can't get there without a plane.
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They're looking for native Alutiiq villages,
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that date back over five hundred years.
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So this is the Alutiiq history book,
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these sites.
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The plan is to drop the archeologists
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on the Shelikof Strait,
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a difficult landing site for float planes.
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(exciting drum music)
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When you're on the Shelikof Strait
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you have really big tides,
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and you almost always have winds and currents.
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(plane engine roars)
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But the skies begin to darken,
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and by the time they arrive to their archeological site,
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the conditions are too rough for a safe landing.
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Ah, this is looking a little worse out here now.
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Yeah.
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Oh yeah, look at the waves, is that too big?
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Yeah, pretty much any time
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you see white on the beach
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it's pretty hard to get the float plane to it.
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Yeah I don't think we're gonna get on that beach today.
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It kills me we didn't get there,
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that was where I really wanted to go.
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While the primary site
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will not be explored today,
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there is another historical location
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on nearby Afognak Island.
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The Alutiiq people settled here
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because of the protection offered by the natural bay.
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And today, the same bay should provide enough protection
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for a safe landing.
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I think we can make it in there.
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Oh, there we go guys.
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(optimistic country music)
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Kodiak has an incredible number of sites,
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I mean there's already 1200 recorded ones.
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And I found a hundred this year,
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and we're gonna probably find a few more today.
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See you guys.
And the wind is just
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Gettin' a little rough.
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Little bit of wind out there but,
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we'll be back to get ya.
Okay.
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See you guys.
Yep.
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(cheerful country music)
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A-ha, look!
(woman exclaims)
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A house pit.
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You know, you have your thatched roof.
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Fish hanging from the ceiling.
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There's probably some benches.
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This is huge.
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Yeah this is a pretty big one,
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this is probably a winter village.
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While the native settlements on Afognak
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have long been abandoned,
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there are other native settlements that have remained intact
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for thousands of years.
(acoustic tribal music)
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The Tyonek tribe's traditional home on Cook Inlet,
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has earned them the name of the beach people.
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Their native corporation owns the Tyonek lodge,
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and many other businesses far north of Anchorage.
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And today, they work to preserve and protect
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the natural resources, and their territory.
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It's part of the fact that Alaska's known as the
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wildlife resource of America.
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We find ourselves today with a resource
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that is severely depleted due to policies
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that were initially designed to protect the resource.
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But as we get along in reviewing what has happened,
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we find ourselves with
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the lowest moose population on record.
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And to the point today,
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we are struggling to rebuild that moose population.
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See him?
Oh yeah.
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Oh yeah, he's comin' right out.
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The wildlife conservation here,
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in the Upper Cook Inlet, of Alaska, is what's at stake.
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There is an overpopulation of bears
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and an underpopulation of moose.
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There's an imbalance in nature,
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it's recognized by the Department of Fish and Game,
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by the local natives here, in Tyonek.
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Wow, we're seein' bears.
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Definitely a lotta bears here.
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Bears have always been important to the Tyonek,
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as a source of meat and hides.
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Their culture though,
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is based on a variety of animals and plants.
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A tipping of this balance
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threatens their entire way of life.
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The growing number of bears in the area,
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has caused the moose population to crash,
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creating a negative impact on the Tyonek people.
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It's been estimated at eight bears per square mile.
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Last year we estimate that we had 95% calf mortality.
270
00:09:53,390 --> 00:09:55,520
That is not acceptable.
271
00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,590
If we don't get some control over what's happening,
272
00:09:58,590 --> 00:10:01,040
bears are gonna be eating bears here very shortly.
273
00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,790
For the Tyonek people of Alaska's Cook Inlet,
274
00:10:03,790 --> 00:10:04,930
the land and animals
275
00:10:04,930 --> 00:10:06,820
are a part of their heritage.
276
00:10:06,820 --> 00:10:08,790
The traditions and cultures of these people
277
00:10:08,790 --> 00:10:10,910
have been passed down through generations,
278
00:10:10,910 --> 00:10:12,383
for thousands of years.
279
00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:14,680
According to our elders,
280
00:10:14,680 --> 00:10:19,680
our people have been in Alaska for more than 40,000 years.
281
00:10:21,230 --> 00:10:24,670
And that we can document that through our stories.
282
00:10:24,670 --> 00:10:28,190
Our creation stories, our hunting stories,
283
00:10:28,190 --> 00:10:31,600
our fishing stories, our stories about the universe.
284
00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:36,600
Imagine this earth, imagine all the stars in the sky,
285
00:10:36,850 --> 00:10:41,330
imagine the universe, imagine it were in one grain of sand.
286
00:10:41,330 --> 00:10:43,830
Imagine how big that beach would be.
287
00:10:43,830 --> 00:10:47,400
We not only looked at what's here and now,
288
00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:51,120
but how do we, as a people effect the universe?
289
00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,553
The Tyonek try to preserve
290
00:10:52,553 --> 00:10:55,787
their traditional language, in story, and song.
291
00:10:55,787 --> 00:11:00,310
The Dena'ina language here is almost extinct.
292
00:11:00,310 --> 00:11:04,253
Right now we have four dialects, here in Cook Inlet.
293
00:11:05,410 --> 00:11:08,540
And 58 fluent speakers.
294
00:11:08,540 --> 00:11:13,540
And today, we have no younger speakers younger than 45.
295
00:11:15,140 --> 00:11:19,650
It's one thing that I really try to work with Tyonek,
296
00:11:19,650 --> 00:11:23,453
is to bring back the songs and the dances and the stories.
297
00:11:24,530 --> 00:11:26,940
To get to meet some of the Tyonek people,
298
00:11:26,940 --> 00:11:29,990
and to watch the young kids bangin' the drums
299
00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:31,800
and sing native songs.
300
00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,540
You start to understand that the balance of nature
301
00:11:34,540 --> 00:11:38,770
is such an important element of nature to them.
302
00:11:38,770 --> 00:11:41,590
That balance between the bears and the moose
303
00:11:41,590 --> 00:11:42,840
is vital to them.
304
00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:45,420
Indigenous Alaskans have a close relationship
305
00:11:45,420 --> 00:11:47,460
with the land and its resources.
306
00:11:47,460 --> 00:11:48,870
North of the Arctic Circle,
307
00:11:48,870 --> 00:11:51,870
an Inuit Village offers guided snowmobile trips
308
00:11:51,870 --> 00:11:53,630
deep into the Arctic tundra.
309
00:11:53,630 --> 00:11:56,120
For the Inuit, this has been a familiar home
310
00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:57,530
for thousands of years.
311
00:11:57,530 --> 00:11:58,900
But for the modern tourist,
312
00:11:58,900 --> 00:12:00,800
this can be a very rough journey.
313
00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,260
We've got about a 75 mile trek
314
00:12:03,260 --> 00:12:06,020
on the snowmobiles this morning to get out to camp, so.
315
00:12:06,020 --> 00:12:07,510
Weather's cold, but we're bundled up,
316
00:12:07,510 --> 00:12:09,314
and hopefully it'll be a good ride.
317
00:12:09,314 --> 00:12:11,462
(thrilling orchestral music)
He broke his foot Friday.
318
00:12:11,462 --> 00:12:12,843
(dogs squealing)
319
00:12:12,843 --> 00:12:14,770
On his own?
Yeah.
320
00:12:14,770 --> 00:12:16,286
He's crazy.
321
00:12:16,286 --> 00:12:17,853
He's dumb.
322
00:12:17,853 --> 00:12:18,686
No.
323
00:12:18,686 --> 00:12:19,883
He's hardcore, we call that.
324
00:12:20,980 --> 00:12:22,320
So it doesn't take long
325
00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:24,470
for the excitement to wear off a little bit.
326
00:12:24,470 --> 00:12:26,220
You get in these sleds and right away
327
00:12:26,220 --> 00:12:28,810
you start getting pounded by the snow,
328
00:12:28,810 --> 00:12:31,450
the cold, the bumps, and you realize,
329
00:12:31,450 --> 00:12:33,340
a 40-year-old body's not gonna last
330
00:12:33,340 --> 00:12:34,610
too long in this sled.
331
00:12:34,610 --> 00:12:37,170
The Inuit tribe used to be called Eskimos,
332
00:12:37,170 --> 00:12:39,630
but are now known by their own native name.
333
00:12:39,630 --> 00:12:41,270
They were the last of native people
334
00:12:41,270 --> 00:12:43,170
to cross the land bridge from Asia
335
00:12:43,170 --> 00:12:46,480
to settle in North America, and the prime land to the south
336
00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:48,720
was already taken by other tribes.
337
00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:52,150
The Inuit settled in the Arctic, because nobody else would.
338
00:12:52,150 --> 00:12:53,560
They adapted to one of the most
339
00:12:53,560 --> 00:12:55,610
extreme climates in the world,
340
00:12:55,610 --> 00:12:58,350
and have remained on this land for thousands of years.
341
00:12:58,350 --> 00:12:59,940
We had an eleven hour ride
342
00:12:59,940 --> 00:13:01,520
into camp yesterday from town,
343
00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,550
and the best way I can describe it
344
00:13:03,550 --> 00:13:05,360
is just sheer torture.
345
00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,100
Every once in a while, you think you're feelin' good,
346
00:13:07,100 --> 00:13:08,940
you warm up, and then 20 minutes later,
347
00:13:08,940 --> 00:13:10,877
you're sittin' around, and your feet are freezin'
348
00:13:10,877 --> 00:13:13,460
and your hands are numb, and you're startin' to think,
349
00:13:13,460 --> 00:13:15,393
boy, what did I get myself into?
350
00:13:16,780 --> 00:13:18,160
Ah, finally!
351
00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:19,113
Home in the Arctic!
352
00:13:20,355 --> 00:13:23,910
Now this land up here is obviously pretty cold and snowy
353
00:13:23,910 --> 00:13:26,450
but it really is an amazing place,
354
00:13:26,450 --> 00:13:28,990
I mean the best word to describe it is just vast.
355
00:13:28,990 --> 00:13:31,580
You look out and you can only see snow and ice
356
00:13:31,580 --> 00:13:34,140
as far as the eye can see, even on these clear days,
357
00:13:34,140 --> 00:13:37,883
so it's beautiful but certainly very intimidating.
358
00:13:39,110 --> 00:13:40,790
There's not many places you can truly say
359
00:13:40,790 --> 00:13:41,970
you're on the top of the world,
360
00:13:41,970 --> 00:13:43,870
but this is about as close as it gets.
361
00:13:45,290 --> 00:13:47,100
Now I know why people go south for the winter,
362
00:13:47,100 --> 00:13:48,710
that's for sure.
363
00:13:48,710 --> 00:13:50,010
While these adventure seekers
364
00:13:50,010 --> 00:13:51,710
see a barren landscape,
365
00:13:51,710 --> 00:13:53,910
their native guides no how to harvest food
366
00:13:53,910 --> 00:13:56,190
from the seemingly lifeless wasteland.
367
00:13:56,190 --> 00:13:57,120
You get anything yet?
368
00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:58,770
No bites yet.
369
00:13:58,770 --> 00:14:01,310
First glance, this place looks incapable
370
00:14:01,310 --> 00:14:02,930
of supporting human life.
371
00:14:02,930 --> 00:14:05,033
But the locals know a few tricks.
372
00:14:06,590 --> 00:14:07,933
I got it!
373
00:14:07,933 --> 00:14:08,983
See, he got a fish.
374
00:14:11,478 --> 00:14:12,978
Whoa!
Yeah!
375
00:14:12,978 --> 00:14:14,900
(laughs)
376
00:14:14,900 --> 00:14:16,260
Very good, Alan!
377
00:14:16,260 --> 00:14:18,114
Good fisherman, eh?
378
00:14:18,114 --> 00:14:20,000
(both chuckle)
379
00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,920
Did you bring any wasabi?
380
00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:22,980
Okay.
381
00:14:22,980 --> 00:14:24,600
Gotta have sushi.
382
00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:26,580
Here fishy fishy fishy fishy.
383
00:14:26,580 --> 00:14:27,620
Patience.
384
00:14:27,620 --> 00:14:28,453
It's a virtue.
385
00:14:29,441 --> 00:14:31,780
(exclaims) Pulled it away, damn it!
386
00:14:31,780 --> 00:14:33,370
He bit it, and let go.
387
00:14:33,370 --> 00:14:35,712
Ah, that must've been like a 30 pounder.
388
00:14:35,712 --> 00:14:37,890
(laughs)
389
00:14:37,890 --> 00:14:40,249
Hey Alan, I switched fishin' poles!
390
00:14:40,249 --> 00:14:41,470
(chuckles)
391
00:14:41,470 --> 00:14:43,730
But we had a blast, great time,
392
00:14:43,730 --> 00:14:45,230
Alan caught a couple nice fish,
393
00:14:45,230 --> 00:14:46,370
Wallace caught fish.
394
00:14:46,370 --> 00:14:48,346
They're for my supper!
395
00:14:48,346 --> 00:14:49,370
(chuckles)
396
00:14:49,370 --> 00:14:53,330
The only problem is, Dean and I didn't stand a chance.
397
00:14:53,330 --> 00:14:54,980
Better luck next time.
398
00:14:54,980 --> 00:14:55,950
Ah, what a day!
399
00:14:55,950 --> 00:14:58,460
But to be able to see these different cultures,
400
00:14:58,460 --> 00:14:59,850
and experience this land
401
00:14:59,850 --> 00:15:01,050
that these people have been around
402
00:15:01,050 --> 00:15:03,100
for thousands and thousands of years
403
00:15:03,100 --> 00:15:05,770
really was a great experience.
404
00:15:05,770 --> 00:15:07,810
People of Alaska are no strangers
405
00:15:07,810 --> 00:15:09,460
to dangerous situations.
(slick acoustic music)
406
00:15:09,460 --> 00:15:10,760
But with the right knowledge,
407
00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:12,180
preparation and equipment,
408
00:15:12,180 --> 00:15:14,740
braving the back country is worth the risk.
409
00:15:14,740 --> 00:15:17,170
Alaskans Lance and Nikki Kronberger
410
00:15:17,170 --> 00:15:18,310
own their own business,
411
00:15:18,310 --> 00:15:20,350
taking clients on guided excursions
412
00:15:20,350 --> 00:15:22,120
into the Alaskan wilderness.
413
00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,180
They're about to leave for a seven day trip
414
00:15:24,180 --> 00:15:26,280
for the Brooks Range, but this time,
415
00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,110
they're not going for business, but strictly for fun.
416
00:15:29,110 --> 00:15:32,620
Minus food, this is what a pack should weigh.
417
00:15:32,620 --> 00:15:33,472
Alright.
418
00:15:33,472 --> 00:15:34,707
There we go.
419
00:15:34,707 --> 00:15:37,130
Now that's what I'm talkin' about.
420
00:15:37,130 --> 00:15:38,640
13.7 pounds.
421
00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:40,390
That's what you should be weighing.
422
00:15:41,780 --> 00:15:44,460
When Nikki and I got married, I had already been guiding
423
00:15:44,460 --> 00:15:47,670
and I had just started Freelance Outdoor Adventures.
424
00:15:47,670 --> 00:15:50,410
And so she got thrust into the business,
425
00:15:50,410 --> 00:15:52,210
like, this is gonna be our family business
426
00:15:52,210 --> 00:15:54,160
and you're gonna have to be part of it.
427
00:15:55,110 --> 00:15:58,890
I remember being excited about going with my dad,
428
00:15:58,890 --> 00:16:03,670
and I only went once, because I had a hard time being quiet,
429
00:16:03,670 --> 00:16:06,370
and he never took me again.
430
00:16:06,370 --> 00:16:08,790
With their bags packed, but not too heavy,
431
00:16:08,790 --> 00:16:11,760
these Alaskans fly deep into the Brooks Range.
432
00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,880
The northernmost extension of America's Rocky Mountains.
433
00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,760
Once they land, they will not see another human being,
434
00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:19,970
until the same plane arrives to pick them up,
435
00:16:19,970 --> 00:16:20,970
a week later.
436
00:16:20,970 --> 00:16:23,530
Once we landed, we knew there was a mountain
437
00:16:23,530 --> 00:16:26,330
we wanted to head to that traditionally had sheep on it.
438
00:16:29,090 --> 00:16:31,270
We're gonna move up this valley up here
439
00:16:31,270 --> 00:16:36,218
and just gonna stay nice and low and easy walk and,
440
00:16:36,218 --> 00:16:37,713
I'm just gonna get ready to go.
441
00:16:38,750 --> 00:16:42,050
(gentle music)
442
00:16:42,050 --> 00:16:43,600
I love Alaska.
443
00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:44,830
The mountains are gorgeous,
444
00:16:44,830 --> 00:16:47,090
and when you get dropped off by a 206
445
00:16:47,090 --> 00:16:48,681
in the middle of nowhere.
446
00:16:48,681 --> 00:16:52,140
You definitely feel that you're in God's country
447
00:16:52,140 --> 00:16:56,350
and I love the challenge, I'm kind of competitive.
448
00:16:56,350 --> 00:16:58,373
Not with other people but with myself.
449
00:17:00,072 --> 00:17:02,420
Hey Lance, what kind of hair is this?
450
00:17:02,420 --> 00:17:03,520
As we were hiking in,
451
00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,470
I found some grizzly fur on the ground.
452
00:17:06,671 --> 00:17:08,100
That's the guard hair.
453
00:17:08,100 --> 00:17:10,150
The Brooks Range is Bear Country.
454
00:17:10,150 --> 00:17:12,080
Especially grizzlies.
(electronic music)
455
00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:15,350
And home to a major portion of the bears on the continent.
456
00:17:15,350 --> 00:17:16,780
Hiking through the Brooks Range,
457
00:17:16,780 --> 00:17:20,310
means having to know how to live with grizzly bears.
458
00:17:20,310 --> 00:17:23,263
And how to climb unforgiving mountain passes.
459
00:17:24,780 --> 00:17:28,300
The approach we had was really rocky.
460
00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:31,230
Had a couple little steep sections and a lotta loose shale.
461
00:17:31,230 --> 00:17:32,630
Help me, would ya?
462
00:17:34,490 --> 00:17:35,620
There was a few spots
463
00:17:35,620 --> 00:17:38,720
where she gave me that look where she was uncomfortable.
464
00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,533
But she knew that that's what we needed to do.
465
00:17:43,234 --> 00:17:45,550
You're doin' good sweetie, you're doin' good.
466
00:17:45,550 --> 00:17:49,400
There were some times that I felt like we were Spiderman.
467
00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:53,090
And sliding on the shale, and a little nervous.
468
00:17:53,090 --> 00:17:56,440
She understands that this is what I do.
469
00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:58,243
And she was ready for it.
470
00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:01,010
That was scary.
471
00:18:01,010 --> 00:18:02,910
You're alright.
472
00:18:02,910 --> 00:18:03,743
Okay?
473
00:18:03,743 --> 00:18:04,576
Anxious.
474
00:18:04,576 --> 00:18:05,510
And nervous.
475
00:18:05,510 --> 00:18:06,573
Little bit frightened.
476
00:18:08,980 --> 00:18:10,203
That was really scary.
477
00:18:13,066 --> 00:18:14,727
It helps that he's so confident.
478
00:18:16,570 --> 00:18:17,870
Walking through there.
479
00:18:17,870 --> 00:18:19,170
It didn't even bother him.
480
00:18:20,060 --> 00:18:22,053
So that makes me feel like I can do it too.
481
00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:24,557
Still scary though.
482
00:18:26,497 --> 00:18:28,791
He's definitely good at his job.
483
00:18:28,791 --> 00:18:30,160
Yeah.
484
00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:31,670
As they continue to traverse
485
00:18:31,670 --> 00:18:32,900
through the Brooks Range,
486
00:18:32,900 --> 00:18:35,640
they soon meet one of the local grizzly bears.
487
00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:37,380
While the bear's in the distance,
488
00:18:37,380 --> 00:18:39,250
he has picked up their scent.
489
00:18:39,250 --> 00:18:40,083
He's comin'.
490
00:18:40,083 --> 00:18:42,445
Like he's gonna come and get somethin' to eat.
491
00:18:42,445 --> 00:18:43,383
There he is, there he is!
492
00:18:43,383 --> 00:18:45,443
Get outta here!
493
00:18:45,443 --> 00:18:47,400
You get outta here!
494
00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,360
If you spend an extended amount of time
495
00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:52,200
in the wilderness of Alaska, it is wise to be prepared
496
00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,350
for a dangerous encounter with wildlife.
497
00:18:54,350 --> 00:18:56,270
Lance has brought a rifle as protection
498
00:18:56,270 --> 00:18:58,880
from the massive predators that call this land home.
499
00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,291
We tried to yell at him, holler and scream.
500
00:19:01,291 --> 00:19:03,326
Get on outta here!
501
00:19:03,326 --> 00:19:04,643
Get outta here!
502
00:19:04,643 --> 00:19:05,580
Is he big?
503
00:19:05,580 --> 00:19:06,550
Yeah.
504
00:19:06,550 --> 00:19:09,740
There's a very large comfort zone
505
00:19:09,740 --> 00:19:11,480
that I tolerate with those bears.
506
00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,040
And when they get inside that, somethin's gotta be done,
507
00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,360
and I'm not gonna wait, until we have a problem.
508
00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:19,480
If they know I'm there and they're not afraid,
509
00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:20,840
I'm gonna make 'em afraid.
510
00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:22,630
So I had Nikki take a shot.
511
00:19:22,630 --> 00:19:24,673
Hit that rock.
Hit it?
512
00:19:24,673 --> 00:19:25,920
Will it ricochet?
513
00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,040
Yeah, but that'll scare him good.
514
00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:28,900
It won't come back and kill me?
515
00:19:28,900 --> 00:19:29,733
No.
516
00:19:31,045 --> 00:19:32,411
Okay.
517
00:19:32,411 --> 00:19:35,053
(gun fires)
518
00:19:35,053 --> 00:19:40,053
Blew some rocks in his face, he ended up movin' up.
519
00:19:40,090 --> 00:19:41,770
The warning shot scares away
520
00:19:41,770 --> 00:19:42,910
their hungry intruder.
521
00:19:42,910 --> 00:19:45,050
And when clients come,
522
00:19:45,050 --> 00:19:46,830
and they start whinin',
523
00:19:46,830 --> 00:19:49,363
and they start whimperin' a little bit,
524
00:19:50,220 --> 00:19:52,210
it's real easy for me to look at 'em and say,
525
00:19:52,210 --> 00:19:54,700
my wife was way tougher than you.
526
00:19:54,700 --> 00:19:56,470
And that's a great motivation tool
527
00:19:56,470 --> 00:19:58,133
to get their butt up the mountain.
528
00:19:59,300 --> 00:20:00,600
Many Alaskan residents
529
00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:02,110
have a taste for adventure.
530
00:20:02,110 --> 00:20:03,810
And they enjoy taking risks.
531
00:20:03,810 --> 00:20:05,940
But for the pilots in the Alaskan skies,
532
00:20:05,940 --> 00:20:09,258
risks are usually to be avoided at all costs.
533
00:20:09,258 --> 00:20:11,140
(rotor whirring)
534
00:20:11,140 --> 00:20:13,630
I tell all my folks here at Tanalian,
535
00:20:13,630 --> 00:20:18,170
the number one rule is, just land.
536
00:20:18,170 --> 00:20:20,270
We don't have to take the risk.
537
00:20:20,270 --> 00:20:22,410
We're not rescuing refugees,
538
00:20:22,410 --> 00:20:25,530
we don't need to push and push and push and push and push.
539
00:20:25,530 --> 00:20:27,223
We're just doin' a job.
540
00:20:28,570 --> 00:20:31,070
For Tanalian Chief Pilot Mark Barker,
541
00:20:31,070 --> 00:20:32,960
flying is more than a job.
542
00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:34,770
It's his passion.
543
00:20:34,770 --> 00:20:36,000
Hey, Pablo!
Hello!
544
00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,630
So is this all your planes?
545
00:20:37,630 --> 00:20:39,260
Well, this is two of 'em!
546
00:20:39,260 --> 00:20:42,030
Mark Barker, and flight instructor Pablo Neira,
547
00:20:42,030 --> 00:20:44,090
are taking to the skies for a pleasure flight.
548
00:20:44,090 --> 00:20:46,300
Man I love it!
I got the Christen Eagle
549
00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:48,810
here, and that's the Long-EZ.
550
00:20:48,810 --> 00:20:51,030
This ride will be in one of Mark's home-built,
551
00:20:51,030 --> 00:20:53,320
aerobatic performance planes.
552
00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:54,220
I built both of 'em.
553
00:20:54,220 --> 00:20:55,660
How long did it take you to build this?
554
00:20:55,660 --> 00:20:57,840
Took me about three years to finish it up.
555
00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,430
It's a world-class unlimited aerobatic machine.
556
00:21:00,430 --> 00:21:03,530
Up, down, sideways, anything we can stand,
557
00:21:03,530 --> 00:21:05,000
the airplane can do.
558
00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,660
Mark Barker, is really into aviation,
559
00:21:07,660 --> 00:21:09,310
is one of those aviation geeks,
560
00:21:09,310 --> 00:21:11,400
and he builds his own planes, so,
561
00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,300
I feel privileged to fly with Mark today.
562
00:21:14,300 --> 00:21:17,330
On this particular one, the pilot sits in the back.
563
00:21:17,330 --> 00:21:18,360
So I'll be sitting in the front?
564
00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:19,800
You'll be sittin' in the front.
565
00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:21,421
I don't trust you to sit in the back yet.
566
00:21:21,421 --> 00:21:23,470
(laughs)
That's tomorrow.
567
00:21:23,470 --> 00:21:26,500
This is the first time, in one of those biplanes,
568
00:21:26,500 --> 00:21:28,870
and it does loops and stuff, so,
569
00:21:28,870 --> 00:21:30,737
I'm skeptical about this (laughs).
570
00:21:32,100 --> 00:21:34,700
Pablo has a good reason to be nervous.
571
00:21:34,700 --> 00:21:38,090
Alaska sees over 100 plane crashes a year.
572
00:21:38,090 --> 00:21:41,270
And aviators here are understandably cautious.
573
00:21:41,270 --> 00:21:44,410
But today's adventure won't be a typical flight.
574
00:21:44,410 --> 00:21:47,359
This is how pilots in Alaska have fun.
575
00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,526
(rhythmic rock music)
576
00:21:51,780 --> 00:21:53,053
First thing we're gonna do
577
00:21:53,053 --> 00:21:55,030
is we're just gonna climb up to altitude here,.
578
00:21:55,030 --> 00:21:56,610
When you're doin' aerobatic maneuvers,
579
00:21:56,610 --> 00:21:59,340
you wanna have a lot of altitude underneath ya.
580
00:21:59,340 --> 00:22:01,636
You wanna safely recover.
Yeah, I want enough
581
00:22:01,636 --> 00:22:03,053
room to recover.
582
00:22:03,053 --> 00:22:06,000
This is gonna be a simple aileron roll,
583
00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,440
we're gonna get a little speed here.
584
00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,410
And as I pull up, we're just gonna send the airplane around
585
00:22:11,410 --> 00:22:13,940
in a nice gentle way just like this.
586
00:22:14,927 --> 00:22:17,070
(both exclaim)
587
00:22:17,070 --> 00:22:17,903
Oh man, that's cool,
588
00:22:17,903 --> 00:22:19,902
look at that, we're comin' out of it, whoa!
589
00:22:19,902 --> 00:22:21,060
Wow!
590
00:22:21,060 --> 00:22:22,772
(Mark laughs)
591
00:22:22,772 --> 00:22:24,605
We're gonna pull up!
592
00:22:25,733 --> 00:22:29,316
And we'll push forward, and send it around!
593
00:22:30,522 --> 00:22:33,401
(Pablo exclaims)
I don't wanna make you sick.
594
00:22:33,401 --> 00:22:35,029
(Mark laughs)
595
00:22:35,029 --> 00:22:36,750
But you don't wanna go back to town
596
00:22:36,750 --> 00:22:39,290
without doin' one more aileron roll.
597
00:22:42,161 --> 00:22:44,589
(Mark laughs)
598
00:22:44,589 --> 00:22:47,564
(Pablo laughs nervously)
599
00:22:47,564 --> 00:22:49,020
Now I'm gettin' sick!
600
00:22:49,020 --> 00:22:50,118
(laughs)
601
00:22:50,118 --> 00:22:53,157
This is crazy, Pablo, what're we doin'?
602
00:22:53,157 --> 00:22:55,240
(laughs)
603
00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:05,110
The bush pilots in Alaska
604
00:23:05,110 --> 00:23:07,080
are a different breed than the commercial pilots
605
00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:08,690
in the rest of the world.
606
00:23:08,690 --> 00:23:10,200
Whether for fun or for work,
607
00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,784
they consistently fly in dangerous conditions.
608
00:23:12,784 --> 00:23:13,820
(thunder claps)
Especially along
609
00:23:13,820 --> 00:23:15,160
the small islands.
610
00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:19,550
Severe weather can make flying and landing treacherous.
611
00:23:19,550 --> 00:23:20,550
Alright, well I'm gonna get my plane ready
612
00:23:20,550 --> 00:23:23,360
and get this first one done.
(ominous ambient music)
613
00:23:23,360 --> 00:23:25,160
Cannery watchman Lance Parker,
614
00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,250
has broken a prop on his boat.
615
00:23:27,250 --> 00:23:30,150
His only transportation at this abandoned cannery.
616
00:23:30,150 --> 00:23:31,920
I was just running my line,
617
00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,590
it's the last run of the season.
618
00:23:34,590 --> 00:23:37,510
I broke my propellor on a rock that I didn't see.
619
00:23:37,510 --> 00:23:40,370
I just limped in on the broken one.
620
00:23:40,370 --> 00:23:42,033
But, it's a miserable go.
621
00:23:42,900 --> 00:23:45,100
Replacement parts are hard to come by
622
00:23:45,100 --> 00:23:46,980
in this part of the world.
623
00:23:46,980 --> 00:23:49,600
Trying to stay ahead of the parts game,
624
00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,550
it's a challenge, you have to build a confidence
625
00:23:53,550 --> 00:23:56,820
or knowledge of what are readily available and what aren't.
626
00:23:56,820 --> 00:23:58,890
Luck is on Lance's side today,
627
00:23:58,890 --> 00:24:02,510
as they found another propellor in the town of Kodiak.
628
00:24:02,510 --> 00:24:04,170
Island Air, one F scale?
629
00:24:04,170 --> 00:24:06,760
Pilot Erik Howard picked up the part for Lance,
630
00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:08,640
and will fly to Port Bailey,
631
00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,867
40 kilometers north of Kodiak Air to deliver it.
632
00:24:10,867 --> 00:24:13,374
Around Kodiak here, everyone helps each other.
633
00:24:13,374 --> 00:24:14,770
Everyone's willin' to drop what they're doin' and help,
634
00:24:14,770 --> 00:24:17,720
'cause everyone's been in that situation before themselves.
635
00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:21,050
Alaska may be the biggest state in the Union,
636
00:24:21,050 --> 00:24:23,120
but it's also the smallest state in the Union.
637
00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:24,713
We are dependent on each other.
638
00:24:27,580 --> 00:24:28,473
And we did it.
639
00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,220
A present-day necessity, delivered.
640
00:24:33,220 --> 00:24:34,983
Thanks Erik, we'll see ya later!
641
00:24:38,678 --> 00:24:42,428
(ominous instrumental music)
642
00:24:43,570 --> 00:24:45,170
The boat prop that was delivered,
643
00:24:45,170 --> 00:24:46,800
did not fit his engine.
644
00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:50,280
The team back at Kodiak Air tries to find the correct part.
645
00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,530
Which is hard to do, on these remote islands.
646
00:24:55,321 --> 00:24:56,550
It's Emily at Island Air.
647
00:24:56,550 --> 00:24:57,850
He's in Port Bailey.
648
00:24:57,850 --> 00:24:59,713
Oh, yikes.
649
00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:04,090
They find a part in the city of Anchorage
650
00:25:04,090 --> 00:25:05,130
on the mainland.
651
00:25:05,130 --> 00:25:08,020
But a storm has the planes grounded until tomorrow.
652
00:25:08,020 --> 00:25:10,940
For tonight, Lance is stranded on a cold beach.
653
00:25:10,940 --> 00:25:12,563
I worry about it all night.
654
00:25:15,386 --> 00:25:17,020
(intense drum music)
655
00:25:17,020 --> 00:25:20,280
After weathering a huge storm overnight.
656
00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:22,630
Island Air basin, sonar per kilo.
657
00:25:22,630 --> 00:25:24,380
They are flying again.
658
00:25:25,553 --> 00:25:28,490
(upbeat rock music)
659
00:25:28,490 --> 00:25:31,360
Port Bailey, Island Air, be landin' shortly.
660
00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:33,410
Erik now has the correct boat prop
661
00:25:33,410 --> 00:25:35,773
to fly it out to the stranded recluse.
662
00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:38,690
Doesn't look too windy, it's pretty nice down there,
663
00:25:38,690 --> 00:25:41,720
so we're gonna have any issue gettin' in then.
664
00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:42,640
Should make Lance pretty happy,
665
00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,213
so he can get back on his boat.
666
00:25:45,091 --> 00:25:47,320
And I think we brought out a little bit of tobacco too,
667
00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,373
so that'll help make him happier.
668
00:25:52,170 --> 00:25:54,320
I didn't think they were gonna make it.
669
00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,166
But son of a gun, they did make it.
670
00:25:56,166 --> 00:25:58,410
(joyous instrumental folk music)
671
00:25:58,410 --> 00:26:03,156
Erik showed up, just perfect, like Island Air always does.
672
00:26:03,156 --> 00:26:04,450
(laughs)
673
00:26:04,450 --> 00:26:06,770
That looks like the baby.
674
00:26:06,770 --> 00:26:08,260
I gotta get back, we'll see you next time,
675
00:26:08,260 --> 00:26:09,280
good luck.
You bet man.
676
00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:10,330
Alright.
Thanks.
677
00:26:16,350 --> 00:26:19,020
Took the prop out of the box.
678
00:26:19,020 --> 00:26:21,060
And seen that it fit.
679
00:26:21,060 --> 00:26:22,320
And bolted it on.
680
00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:24,030
Now I'm ready to go home.
681
00:26:24,030 --> 00:26:26,010
I've got some traps to check on the way home,
682
00:26:26,010 --> 00:26:28,330
that I'm gonna pull out of the ground.
683
00:26:28,330 --> 00:26:30,380
And then that'll be the end of my season.
684
00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:35,370
In the last frontier,
685
00:26:35,370 --> 00:26:37,290
Alaskans rely on each other.
(pleasant country music)
686
00:26:37,290 --> 00:26:40,050
Yeah, after flyin' for Bob for a number of years,
687
00:26:40,050 --> 00:26:41,710
he's pretty much become like family.
688
00:26:41,710 --> 00:26:44,280
He may not be a friend but he's definitely family.
689
00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:46,070
It takes a special kind of person
690
00:26:46,070 --> 00:26:49,560
to brave the dangers and loneliness of this remote region.
691
00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,461
Look at that, we're comin' out of it, whoa!
692
00:26:51,461 --> 00:26:52,620
Wow!
693
00:26:52,620 --> 00:26:54,670
A lotta livin' goin' on around (chuckles)
694
00:26:54,670 --> 00:26:55,770
this company.
695
00:26:55,770 --> 00:26:56,720
That common bond
696
00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,830
creates tight-knit communities.
697
00:26:58,830 --> 00:27:01,460
Where people lend a helping hand, for comfort.
698
00:27:01,460 --> 00:27:02,523
And for survival.
51321
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