The BEST episodes of Life Below Zero season 1

Every episode of Life Below Zero season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Life Below Zero season 1!

When bears, wolves and foxes are your only neighbors, life can be pretty lonely. Add minus-60-degree days and a constant battle for the most basic necessities, and you have the daily challenges of people who live in remote corners of Alaska. This series takes viewers deep into an Alaskan winter to meet six tough and resilient residents as they try to stay one step ahead of storms and man-eating beasts to make it through to spring. The closest neighbor to Sue Aikens is more than 300 miles away. Eric Salitan subsists solely on what he hunts and forages. Chip and Agnes Hailstone catch fish for currency in bartering for supplies, and Andy and Kate Bassich use their pack of sled dogs for transportation.

Last Updated: 4/26/2024Network: National GeographicStatus: Continuing
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Hell and High Water
star
7.94
102 votes

#1 - Hell and High Water

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 7/21/2013

Sue travels to Fairbanks to buy her Kavik River Camp; Andy and Kate move their dogs to a safe location before an ice breakup; Erik preps for grizzly-hunting season by renting out his property.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
There Be Monsters
star
7.74
150 votes

#2 - There Be Monsters

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 6/23/2013

This week's episode of Life Below Zero puts the spotlight on couples. Kate joins Andy out in the wilderness for a challenging day of collecting lumber for their homestead. After a day filled with frustrations, Andy surprises Kate with a quick getaway to celebrate her birthday. In Noorvik, Chip and Agnes are working together on a major hunt that could determine their livelihood for the coming year. They'll use the tactics of Agnes' Inupiat ancestors in hopes of getting a leg up.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Cold, Dark and Alone
star
7.60
154 votes

#3 - Cold, Dark and Alone

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 6/30/2013

During winter in the corners of Alaska, every day can be fraught with challenges. Sue sees few hunting opportunities this time of year in Kavik, but after a group of ptarmigan birds takes up residence in her yard, her mouth is watering for a special meal … if she can just get her aim on target. While out setting traps, Erik crashes his snow machine. With no part stores within a hundred miles, he must make an unscheduled trip to Fairbanks for repairs, leaving his trap lines to go unchecked.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Checkmate
star
7.55
120 votes

#4 - Checkmate

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/7/2013

Sue encounters a predator outside her tent; Andy buys a new sawmill and must tow it home despite dangerous snowdrifts on the Taylor Highway.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Winter's Edge
star
7.54
197 votes

#5 - Winter's Edge

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 6/2/2013

Winter is coming fast and six Alaskans living in the remote corners of the state are in a rush to prepare for the hard months ahead. Alone at the Kavik River Camp, a blizzard descends on Sue's camp as she sets up “hand lines” between her most critical buildings so she can find them in whiteout conditions. She also prepares firearms in case of a wildlife attack. In Wiseman, Erik tends to two critical tasks: collecting water and wood. If he's unsuccessful, he'll face trouble very quickly.

Watch Now:Apple TV
The Chase
star
7.51
136 votes

#6 - The Chase

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 7/14/2013

Chip and Agnes track a wolf for its fur; Sue hunts for a moose; Kate and Andy prepare for a doomsday scenario.

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Blood, Sweat and Fear
star
7.50
180 votes

#7 - Blood, Sweat and Fear

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 6/16/2013

In Kavik, nearly 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Sue is becoming dangerously low on fuel. With only a seven-day supply left, she calls in for an air delivery, but mechanical trouble with the plane fleet and another impending winter storm leave her holding her breath that they'll be able to deliver before she freezes. In Wiseman, Erik is in a match of wits with a clever wolf that keeps stealing bait from his traps.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Wolf at the Door
star
7.47
189 votes

#8 - Wolf at the Door

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 6/9/2013

Mechanical breakdowns and invading predators threaten the lives of six people as they try to survive the dark and cold winter in Alaska. In Kavik, a familiar sound startles Sue. She soon realizes that a deadly wolf has approached her cabin. Nineteen miles north of the Arctic Circle, Chip's snow machine breaks down, threatening his own survival since without it he cannot fish, hunt or trade. In Wiseman, Erik hunts for lynx fur to earn money but the beast outsmarts him every time.

Watch Now:Apple TV
End of the Road
star
7.42
330 votes

#9 - End of the Road

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 5/19/2013

Six people separated by hundreds of miles, all joined by the common cause of surviving the winter in the Alaskan bush. In Noorvik, Chip races to set whitefish nets on thin ice for the last catch of the season. Fishing on the frozen river is deadly, but it's vital to haul enough fish to last through the winter. Andy tests the safety of the river surrounding his house that he uses as a link to the outside world. Without this winter lifeline, he is trapped and isolated.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Hunt, Barter and Steal
star
7.38
221 votes

#10 - Hunt, Barter and Steal

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 5/26/2013

After being away for several months due to an injury, Sue is finally on her way to her home at the Kavik River Camp. Though she thinks bears may have taken up residence there, she discovers a bigger surprise: thieves have robbed her fuel supply. If she runs out before weather makes a delivery possible, she'll freeze. In Noorvik, Chip and Agnes can't access their hunting grounds until their river freezes, forcing them to rely on bartering the supplies they have for the essential items they lack.

Watch Now:Apple TV