As an outdoorsperson and fur trapper who dreams of living in the Alaska wilderness, “The Last Alaskans” quickly became my favorite show. Heck, I hardly watch TV at all, but eagerly purchased every episode and watched intently….over and over again. The show documents the lives of a handful of families who have chosen to live a unique lifestyle, isolated from civilization, roads, electricity, and all of the modern conveniences. Instead, they spend winters within and around the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northern interior Alaska. They chop wood for heat, hunt and fish for food, trap furbearers for a meager income, and live life free of all of the modern distractions and obligations of the rest of society. Most people romanticize about living this way, but aren’t willing to make the sacrifices to do so – it’s easier to watch others do it from the comfort of our own homes. That said, even those who want to live in extremely remote Alaska may not be able to. The area within ANWR where much of the show is filmed, for instance, no longer allows human occupation. These few families are grandfathered in.
The Last Alaskans ran for four seasons, between 2015 and 2018. It was wildly popular as a ‘different’ reality show. Its down to earth and reflective style, lack of any scripting, and focus on real people, real experiences and absolutely stunning scenery are what made the show so special. But even TV shows are subject to reality, and it cost a lot to film all that stuff in such a remote and difficult to access place. So despite its widespread popularity, The Last Alaskans was cancelled after its fourth season.
The show covered some really fascinating characters. Here’s some of what I know about them and what they’re doing now.
Heimo and Edna Korth are the real deal. They’ve been living the remote lifestyle, more than 200 miles from the nearest town, for more than 40 years. Far north of the Arctic Circle, they raised a family in this remote wilderness on and around the Coleen River, living almost solely off the land and the cash generated from winter fur trapping efforts. Heimo was born and raised in Wisconsin and moved to Alaska as a young man trying to get away from the city and live in the woods. For several years he lived alone out in the bush, not seeing another human being for many months at a time. His wife Edna is an Eskimo from the village of Savoonga on St. Lawrence island. Heimo met her while living with the villagers and learning their subsistence lifestyle.
For many years the Korth family would come out of the bush and spend a few months in the village of Fort Yukon on the Yukon River, working for wages and gathering supplies to return to their remote home where they spent the majority of the year. The Korths raised three daughters. A fourth, Coleen, tragically drowned in the river when she was two years old. Their other daughters are adults now, and live in town. While Heimo and Edna still return to the trapline each fall, they spend more time in Fairbanks these days to stay close to their grandkids.
“The Final Frontiersman” is a book written about Heimo Korth’s lifestyle and is believed to have been the inspiration for “The Last Alaskans”.
A young Heimo Korth and family were featured in National Geographic’s “Braving Alaska“, a video that aired on PBS in 1992. The program featured other bush residents as well, including Susan Hayden, who was raised in the remote country around Arctic Village. Susan later made appearances on “The Last Alaskans” while visiting her family’s old cabin.
Vice Magazine put together a 2009 documentary about Heimo which can be found on Youtube.
Bob Harte grew up in New Jersey with a passion for the outdoors. As soon as he could, he left the east and made his way to Alaska. After bouncing from place to place, Bob eventually found his home in a cabin on the Coleen River, the Korths’ nearest neighbor at about 50 miles away. Bob spent winters in his remote cabin for decades. Like Heimo, he got in just before the area became a Refuge, and thus had a permit to remain. Bob met Nancy, a school teacher working in Stevens Village, while spending time in Fort Yukon one year. They married and spent several winters on the trapline together. They raised a son and a daughter together, but struggled to make things work and balance the economic realities of life with the romance of living in the bush. Bob and Nancy divorced, and she and the kids stayed in town while Bob stayed on the Coleen.
Bob Harte was one of the most captivating characters in The Last Alaskans. His passion for the area he trapped, hunted, fished and survived on the Colleen River, in an area devoid of other humans, just about exploded through the TV screen. Bob’s emotions resonated with close to two million viewers as he lived out his last years in the wilderness. He was alone and dying in the place that he loved, nothing but beauty all around him, contrasted with the sadness and loneliness that comes with the knowledge that this was the end.
Bob passed away during the show, but not before he shared his home and stories with viewers, riding up and down the river looking for game, tending traps on snow machine, sitting in front of a fire and talking about the good old days. After Bob’s death, his ex-wife Nancy Becker wrote a book about their story, titled “Trapline Chatter: Life and Love with Last Alaskan Bob Harte“.
Tyler and Ashley Selden are unique to their generation, in that they are the only young family I know of that’s living the remote wilderness lifestyle. They along with their two young children and team of sled dogs trap along the border of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Tyler was raised on a farm in Nebraska, where his family still resides, and met Ashley in Minnesota. They moved to Alaska with a dream after Tyler read “The Final Frontiersman” and wanted to live a life like Heimo Korth’s. The Seldens spend their summers in a small cabin outside of Fairbanks, grow a big garden and work for wages to gather up an outfit for the fall. They fly or boat up to their trapline in the fall and spend the majority of the year out in the bush.
Ray Lewis and his family were featured in the first two seasons of The Last Alaskans. Ray is another person from the Lower 48 who moved to Alaska to get away from it all. A quiet, loner type, Ray is connected to the wilderness in a unique way. The family would spend summers in Fairbanks and winters in the woods. Ray, his wife Cindy and their three daughters trapped out of a cabin in the Yukon Flats for some time. They also have a cabin on the Nowitna River, and later in the show spent more time on a house boat Ray built and trapped in that area instead. The Lewis women have a rare genetic eye condition called BPEI, which raised a lot of questions among viewers of the show. As the show went on they spent more time on the boat and away from the focal area of the show, and eventually were no longer a part of the show.
Charlie Jagow is a young man who grew up on his father’s remote trapline on the Porcupine River within ANWR. Paul Jagow moved to the area from New York as a young man, and lived alone in this wilderness area for several years before meeting his wife Dawn. They raised two children out here, Charlie and his sister Joanna. The rest of the family lives in Fairbanks these days, but Charlie has chosen to come back to this place and build a new cabin on his family trapping grounds. In his last days before he passed, Bob Harte offered his trapping territory to Charlie as well, opening up an opportunity for the ambitious young man to expand his trapping area.
Here are some answers to a few questions about the show and its characters.
Will there be a Season 5 of The Last Alaskans?
Reality shows can come back, but most of the time when they’re cancelled, that’s it. As much as I and hundreds of thousands of others would like, there probably is never going to be a season 5 of The Last Alaskans. But who knows, another show featuring the lives of these special families may emerge.
How did Bob Harte Die?
Bob Harte died after a long battle with cancer.
What Happened to Heimo and Edna Korth?
Nothing happened to Heimo and Edna. They still go out to the trapline. They spend a little more time in town these days, but the couple and their family is still doing fine.
What Happened to Tyler and Ashley Selden?
Tyler and Ashley are doing great, raising their two kids on their remote bush trapline. They are out of contact with the outside world for the majority of the year, but when they return to town they post on their website: www.alaskaseldens.com.
Where Does Heimo Korth live in the Summer?
Heimo spends time in Fairbanks during the summer, with occasional visits to Fort Yukon. He still spends a great deal of his time out on the Coleen.
What is Charlie from The Last Alaskans doing now?
Charlie operates Double Shovel Outfitters, guiding hunters, anglers and other recreationalists in ANWR part of the year and continues to live and trap out of his cabin during the winter months.
Is The Last Alaskans Real?
I personally know two people who were on the show, and have indirect connections with all of the rest. This show, without a doubt, was absolutely the real deal. There was no scripting, no drama. The show depicted real life events from real people while they lived the same lifestyle they were living before cameras came to the bush. Of all the reality shows I’ve seen (Yukon Men was pretty good too), The Last Alaskans is as real as it gets.
Vince says
Jeremiah,
i always got lost in the vastness and beauty of the area Heimo and others live(d) in
i remember heimo saying one time, in 40 years in the bush him and Bob lived 50 miles apart
but never ran into each other,how awsome would that be!!!!
wish i new i could’ve moved their in the 70’s
Thanks for posting
John Rieger says
This was the best show on TV real people and real living
Brian says
I miss this series a great deal. I wish it would return. I know that Bob cant, but still miss him! This show was real.
Strange for a series, but I felt connected to all of them.
Dan says
Bob was my favorite. Wish he woulda been well enough to get a new plane and fly again. Maybe we could have started a ‘go fund me’ page to get Bob a new plane…..
Don says
Funny how the really good things in life can be canceled because of cost while tv is so full of junk that really should be canceled no matter the cost. Felt like I was right there with them and just loved this show. Good people, good values and a damn good show.
Tina says
I agree with this 100% the Good shows are always cancelled, But Garbage like Kardasians still airs!
Peter Tully says
I watched all of the alaska programmes and i wish i could have lived there when i was younger.
Best programmes ever.
Sad its not on again
[email protected]
Anna Blu says
I just discovered this show and am finishing up Season 4, trying to make it last as long as possible because I just found out there’s no other seasons. What will I do? I miss Bob, He was so, very genuine and a beautiful person. I want to continue to hear about all of them so I really appreciate this post! Rest in Peace, beautiful Bob. Feel like I lost my family too!
Cassandra Rotruck says
Yes i am right there with all of you. As many people as I see and continue to hear about how much they love this show, there has to be a way it could be funded. I think everyone fell in love with Bob. He was an amazing human being. I only wish more people were as genuine and as amazing as he was. Even Charlie, he is a very impressive young man. Very smart. I was so happy that Bob was able to pass his traplines on to him. Hes a very hard worker and will make Bob proud. If u need a helping hand Charlie (😉) Dont be shy. Haha. Much Love to everyone on the show. We will miss all of you.
Anne says
Isnr this the complete truth! Cancel the Kardashians and put The last Alaskans back on😄
J.Ellis says
Hi there, I miss the show. Thanks for the update on how folks are doing. I feel like they’re “part of the family” in a funny way and I’m glad they’re all doing well.
Chris says
Such an awesome show. Of all the things to be canceled because of costs- they couldn’t find something else? I miss the show and the beauty pf the filming but mostly I miss the people. They were true down to earth honorable people. Wish them all long and healthy life- we know they’re happy. If only we can be half as happy.
Jim says
Boy do I miss that show. I too have watched every episode many times. I loved all the families and their ordeals in the wild, but really connected with Bob. Though I knew he was sick, when I read that he died it really hit me hard.
As a previous comment stated, so much crap on tv these days and such a great show like, The Last Alaskans gets canceled!
Gary sheetz says
Please bring back this outstanding show it made Sunday special along with the background music.
Nancy says
I really looked forward to The last Alaskans every week.. The family was so close it was heart warming. Too bad the show was cancelled. It was like we were family
God Bless them all
Scott says
I wonder what happened to Bob’s cabin since he has passed. Do you think it is still standing or did the Govt burn it down? Just curious
Jeremiah says
Charlie took over Bob’s trapline, but I’m not sure if the cabin is being used.
AlexNYC says
Not a trapper, not an AK resident, not a reality trash tv fan…however, I sincerely loved the passion, uniqueness, honesty, truthful and harsh environment depicted in THE LAST ALASKANS.
I had been in Patagonia (Argentina and Chile) on several occasions and dreamed about living in AK wilderness on my own. After watching the show I understand that this is a romanticized idea that should stay only as a such, a dream. The shows is very good at that, at showing that I will mostly die alone just barely surviving. Not a fun way to go.
Thank you for writing the show.
RIP Bob.
Scott Beams says
I just found the series this year and spent hour’s in front of my t.v. living vicariously through the everyday actions of those living in the refuge. I was saddened by Bob’s passing & excited with the construction of new cabins erected & the introduction of new faces in the series and the trials each faced earning there survival. Knowing that I to romanticized the lifestyle led by the families, I also realized how much of honest everyday living has been lost to the pursuit of money & our ego’s. It is the best of real everyday living captured through the lense. Emotionally captivating. It’s a damn shame it was canceled.
Joe Bisceglia says
I have been a trapper for the last 60 years. I just want to say how genuine these people are. Connecting to Bob Harte was special because I could feel his passion and love for being on the trap line. Actually all of them have this passion or they could not be successful The way these folks live is not for the faint of heart. Soft spoken and tough as nails describes them well. Seeing this show cancelled was a travesty. The incredible garbage that’s on t.v. seems to live on. Makes no sense
Kevin F Hannan says
Bob was a awesome human being and was really sad when he had passed away 😢 I hope he is in heaven and fishing and trapping on his new trap line in the after life .. RIP 🙏 Bob.. I really appreciate the show good honest television Edna and Hiemo were great and I enjoyed the fact that his daughter krin and her husband Scott were starting to spend more time out on the trap line with mom and dad just when the show starts to show you that it is getting better and more popular than ever it gets canceled.. but let’s put more shows on like the real house wife’s of nj or the car crashiens because it’s like watching a car wreck or watching lord dip stick I mean Scott Dissack trash TV people love this crap .. I feel like I get dumber by watching shows like that and that is why I can’t watch .. please listen to us and bring a great honest family show like this back..