The Last Alaskans

This is my new favorite "Reality" TV show. It is so very true to life compared to many others. I especially enjoy Heimo Koth and his wife Edna. Was very sad to see Bob Harte passing away. What are everyone's thoughts on the show?

I like it.

I think it's a great reality show showing bush life in a realistic way.

Only one I watch. I just can't deal with Sue, on the other one.

Wish Ken and Barb would make an appearance!

Obviously you have not seen W17 in person. That geezer has a "face for radio...."

Pete

This is the one show my wife will put down her sewing and really pay attention to, but only when Edna and Heimo are on, she really enjoys Edna and can relate to her quite well

You Heimo and Edna fans should wander over to the Alaska Trappers website and store. Be the first one on your block to have that fancy new cap embroidered with the words:

"I Know Heimo!"

Its gonna be a collectors' item soon...

Pete

Thanks for the tip Pete. Logan and I each ordered one. Now all I have to do is get them autographed.

I was talking to Heimo and Edna in Subway in Fairbanks last summer. They said that they get mobbed by fans everywhere they go. Even in the L-48! Heimo says that getting through the Seattle Airport is big project these days.

He has such a kind heart that he wants to mingle with fans (and sign hats!) But it has the potential to make him miss his flights!

Pete

We just watched that show again last night and it just never gets old. Logan thinks Heimo is the bomb so I can't wait for him to get the hat. Of course Momma wanted one that said "I know Edna".

Cool Stuff ...and a Great show!

I just ordered my hat, great show!

Last summer, when it was hot, I started recording reruns and watching the whole series for the second time. It was even better being able to watch it without the long hiatus between seasons. Just shows that when the reality is good, there doesn't need to be any hype. Aside from a genuinely interesting topic, the cinematography is fantastic. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that the show is basically aired to fill time from a network perspective, which is unfortunate for the group of us that have really enjoyed it.

Related to the original reason I asked this question, I found out that most of the Discovery and Nat Geo shows are on Hulu Live TV. Unfortunately, not all of the seasons of Last Alaskans are available (though maybe they will be with time) on demand. Since I've now watched the first three seasons twice, and the new ones should be available via Hulu, I went ahead and cut the cable TV. It felt great telling the cable company to pound sand after years of continually fighting price hikes with them ever year.

So Pete in Fairbanks, let us know if you hear of a fifth season being filmed! Sounds like there's a decent following here on T-man!

I'm in the film making business in my own way with some commercial success. This is the only bush reality show that I'd stay home to watch. And from start to finish it is high-quality production, and of course, the stories are fascinating

I have my own Heimo story. He was talking about wolverines on one of the shows. I sent him copies of the research findings from the wolverine projects I've been involved with along with some of our gulo footage. Six months later in July my phone rings and its Heimo. Two hours later we finally managed to talk ourselves out of words. The man can talk, (guess I can too), but is as genuine as an Alaskan summer day is long. It's nice to see a good guy and his equally charming family get some respect and recognition without having to pander to made for TV exploits.

Having said that I like Chip and his family also, Stan also seems like a genuine guy, but there's something about Heimo.

Saw the post about Heimo and Edna and just thought I would add my two cents. I have sat and watched every show that I get a chance to. The main reason is it tells it like it is with no drama like some of the so called Alaska shows. It is very interesting to follow the different family's on the show from week to week as they progress. Although I'll never get up that direction I have to envy the people that live the life out in the bush. I fully enjoy all the posts that are on here from the "Wilderness Trapping and Living". Thanks Again.

Way back in third grade we watched a movie called Braving Alaska, Heimo's section in it made me determined to move to Alaska one day. It was quite the thing to say growing up in Suburbia NY. Well Ive been here for 10 years now and am still thankful Ms. Snappe showed us that movie. Wonder if its available any where?

Here it is on youtube. I watched it back in the day too, but never made the move. Its neat to see them then and now. I believe everyone else on the documentary has died or left the Bush since then.

I love the Last Alaskans! Great show. I actually had the opportunity to meet Heimo and Edna last fall on a moose hunt. I was floating down the river and a wildlife asked me to pull my boat over so she could check our hunting licenses. We had two moose in our boat. Anyhow, at first I didn't realize it, but Heimo and Edna were with the trooper. Heimo was driving the trooper up the river with his jet boat. He is a really nice guy in real life. He told me about a logjam downriver from his cabin. And then he said when you get down to my cabin pull over and get me. I'll take you down the river to show you a better channel to take to avoid the logjam. I was sure glad I ran into him because we were fully loaded down with my raft and we could have gotten into a real bind if I hadn't run into him.

Thanks for sharing that video jwood. Just watched the whole thing. I like watching "The Last Alaskans". I like Heimo and his family so wanted to watch that video.

Here's a more recent documentary on Heimo and Edna. This came out shortly before the last alaskans show started.
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I watched this as an adolescent. It "ruined" my life. Ever since then any time my mind would wonder it would be of living simply.


I read Heimo's book a few years ago. Great read. Especially after spending some time in the fox valley you really get to appreciate his view as a young man.


There's a young couple in the show that I really enjoy watching as well

That's the first I have seen of that show. Old Joe Mattie sure looks young while buying fur from Susan Hayden. Thanks for posting that !

Watching "Braving Alaska" sure brought back some memories. Cold winters, Trapline Chatter and running into Heimo and Bob Harte and others that have chosen the remote Trapping life style, here in Fairbanks in the spring.

Jwood, again thank you for sharing these videos. I could watch those videos at night over regular t.v. any day. I really enjoy watching Heimo and Edna. I would love to go hang out with them and help them hunt and trap. That would be awesome. Thanks again.

Thanks. Enjoyed Braving Alaska. Any idea when it was filmed? Also it would be nice to know those folks are today.

I believe it was filmed in 1992. I don't know any of them personally and have never been to AK (yet), but....
Heimo and Edna are still there. Susan Hayden lives (i think) in Fairbanks and drives a truck, she was in a few episodes of The Last Alaskans with her brother Daniel, who is a bush pilot, revisiting their old cabin. Their parents have both passed away. Randy Brown is a fisheries biologist in Fairbanks, they moved there shortly after the show was filmed. I don't know what ever happened to Errol Wilson and is wife. A google search turns up similar names in Vermont, but I have no idea.

Dan O'Neill wrote a book "A Land Gone Lonesome" about the folks who settled up and down the Yukon in the Eagle area beginning around the 1970s, and were pushed out by the feds after ANILCA. That would be the folks shown in the wedding picture Errol shared in the show. It's a nice followup to John McPhee's book "Coming into the Country", when the folks were actually still living there. Some excellent reading for those interested in that lifestyle.

Thanks for posting that, going to rewatch it tonight!

Thanks for the info.

I found it interesting that Heimo mentioned that the country started downhill when people started farming. Or something to that effect. Rabbits would be really rare if we still depended on hunting and gathering for survival. But he's right, the overpopulation has got us in a lot of trubble.

I lived in Errol Wilson's cabin off and on from 1997-2006, and I used to have his address, I wrote him many times and he never wrote back. He left that cabin in 1996. The cabin is 85 miles from Eagle, the NPS ran me off and stole everything I owned and made the cabin a public use cabin.

Was that at Washington Creek?

Pete

Yes... I was one of only a handful of people who lived on Washington Ck. in the 20th century.

Thought that might be the place.

During the D-2 lands fight in Wash DC, I assisted a Wall Street Journal reporter visit there with Errol. Trying to get the story of the trapping lifestyle into the public eye before the vote! I think it was about 1978.

Pete

This is me way up Washington Ck.

I trap downriver from Washinton creek. The cabin roof fell in a few years back due to Park service not maintaining the cabin which no doubt was on purpose so they could get rid of yet another cabin that trappers might use. To my knowledge we are the last ones trapping within the preserve and the Park service has certainly made it a headache over the years.

What a great movie, thanks for mentioning it!

That's great to hear, glad to know someone is still at it in there trapping.

Keep at it and may your traps be full.

They took that channel off of our programing of Dish satellite. Did not make me happy. I really enjoyed watching it.