Animals are on the move in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge during the Fall; Heimo tracks a caribou migration; bear tears through Bob's cabin, destroying 2 years of collected dry meat, and the Lewis family arrives alongside some moose.

Winter is coming, so Heimo pursues a moose that will feed Edna and him for months. Meanwhile, Bob packs up his hunting gear, but runs into trouble when his boat's engine malfunctions; and Tyler and Ashley find their cabin flooded by a rising river, and later, after a week of salmon fishing, their catch is raided by a bear.

Everyone prepares to hunt animals large enough to feed them throughout the winter when temperatures will drop to -50.

Winter has arrived and now Bob must live without his crashed plane; Heimo must cross a newly frozen river in order to set traps; Ray and his girls prepare their traplines to replace much needed meat.

The price of living hundreds of miles from civilization is evident; Tyler and Ashley make a long 15 mile journey to a lake cabin on a quest for food and to run their dog team; Bob leaves to go see his daughter.

The first day of darkness has arrived in the refuge and everyone is now in jeopardy of getting caught miles from home in the dark; the Lewis family daughters prepare to leave and trek into town on their own.