What is Life Below Zero about?

Viewers go 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 forag...

Life Below Zero

TV Show 2013 7.3 /10

Created by Claire Allesse

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Streaming availability last verified: January 14, 2026

About Life Below Zero

Life Below Zero follows a handful of Alaskans who choose to live in some of the state's most remote and unforgiving places. The show records everyday work and decisions that keep these people alive through long winters, from ice fishing and storing meat to mending engines and navigating storms. You meet Sue Aikens, whose nearest neighbor is hundreds of miles away, Erik Salitan, who lives largely off what he hunts and forages, Chip and Agnes Hailstone, who rely on fish and barter, and Andy and Kate Bassich, who use a team of sled dogs for travel and hauling. Episodes emphasize routine, restraint, careful planning, and the slow accumulation of skills that make survival possible.

Created by Claire Allesse, Life Below Zero premiered in 2013 as an unscripted documentary series filmed on location across Alaska, featuring real residents and their day to day lives rather than staged scenarios.

There are no major awards listed in the provided information. The series has nonetheless sustained many seasons and steady viewership, which reflects ongoing industry and audience support through continued production rather than high-profile trophy recognition.

Life Below Zero brought stark images of subsistence living into mainstream television, increasing curiosity about off-grid lifestyles and sled dog culture. It has given viewers a recurring window into human interaction with wildlife and remote landscapes, and clips and scenes from the show circulate widely on social media, shaping how many people picture life in Alaska.

Critics and viewers generally praise the show for its authenticity and cinematography, reflected in a 7.3/10 vote average from 44 votes. The series centers on themes of self-reliance, isolation, resourcefulness, human-wildlife encounters, and the labor that keeps small, dispersed communities functioning through extreme seasons. Some audiences note a deliberate, slower pace that mirrors the long winters it portrays.

Details

Release Date: May 19, 2013
User Ratings: 44 votes
Type: TV Series
Seasons: 23
Episodes: 240
Genres: Reality, Documentary

Official Trailer

Cast

Sue Aikens

Self

Erik Salitan

Self

Andy Bassich

Self

Kate Rorke-Bassich

Self

Chip Hailstone

Self

Agnes Hailstone

Self

Created by: Claire Allesse

Seasons (23 seasons, 240 episodes)

Season 1

10 episodes - 2013

Season 2

6 episodes - 2013

Season 3

12 episodes - 2014

Season 4

8 episodes - 2014

Season 5

12 episodes - 2015

Season 6

8 episodes - 2015

Season 7

15 episodes - 2016

Season 8

10 episodes - 2016

Season 9

10 episodes - 2017

S10

Season 10

8 episodes - 2017

S11

Season 11

11 episodes - 2018

S12

Season 12

11 episodes - 2018

S13

Season 13

11 episodes - 2019

S14

Season 14

8 episodes - 2019

S15

Season 15

11 episodes - 2020

S16

Season 16

11 episodes - 2020

S17

Season 17

11 episodes - 2021

S18

Season 18

8 episodes - 2021

Season 19

11 episodes - 2022

Season 20

8 episodes - 2022

S21

Season 21

11 episodes - 2023

S22

Season 22

9 episodes - 2023

Season 23

20 episodes - 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Life Below Zero is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu. You can also rent or buy it on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Video.

Yes, Life Below Zero is available to stream on Disney+.

Yes, you can buy on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Video.

Life Below Zero has 23 seasons with a total of 240 episodes.

With a rating of 7.3/10 from 44 viewers, Life Below Zero is well-regarded and recommended by viewers.

Life Below Zero stars Sue Aikens, Erik Salitan, Andy Bassich, Kate Rorke-Bassich, and Chip Hailstone.

Life Below Zero was created by Claire Allesse.

Life Below Zero was released on May 19, 2013.

Life Below Zero is a Reality and Documentary series.

Life Below Zero is a reality documentary that follows real residents of rural Alaska, so the people and their survival challenges are real rather than fictionalized. It's presented as nonfiction, showing everyday subsistence living through harsh Alaskan winters.

Sue Aikens appears as herself and lives at an extremely remote Alaskan homestead, where her closest neighbor is more than 300 miles away. The show follows her daily work to survive, including hunting, trapping and maintaining her camp through winter.

Erik Salitan appears as himself and is shown subsisting primarily on what he hunts and forages, living off the land in remote parts of Alaska. Episodes focus on his hunting, foraging and survival techniques across the seasons.

Andy Bassich and Kate Rorke-Bassich appear as themselves and rely on a pack of sled dogs for transportation and daily life in remote areas. The series often highlights their dog care, winter travel and how they use the dogs to haul gear and move between camps.