Hard Choices

Hidden deep in the wilderness of Alaska is the toughest town in America: McCarthy. Locked in winter’s grip, the 42 souls who are brave enough to live here must battle the elements, and each other, to maintain their pioneer way of life.

The last days of winter bring change. The future of town lies in the balance. Jason races the melting river crossings to reach his crashed airplane. Jeremy tests his nine-year-old son with a risky solo dog sled run through the woods.

As seasons change in McCarthy, the town is haunted by its darkest day. The icy ground thaws into a quagmire, and old-timer Tim Mischel is marooned at his remote cabin. Neil and Jeremy’s frozen truce is set on fire.

Spring means locals can finally reach the outside world to resupply. Jeremy walks a bull calf home through bear country and faces off with a hungry black bear. Jason’s brother Eric departs town for a new job, leaving Jason to face the wild alone.

McCarthy is under attack from awakening bears. Jeremy’s livestock is attacked and he goes on the hunt. While Gary searches for horses spooked by a grizzly.

Hidden in McCarthy is the largest man-made ruin in the world - and Neil wants to open it up to tourists. Jenny finds a secret creek that holds gold and must pack a raft to inspect the claim.

McCarthy’s future lies in the balance as Neil takes the last steps toward making a town-wide electrical grid. Locals are pushed to their limit, so Jeremy calls an emergency meeting to stop Neil’s plans and bring stability back to McCarthy.

The town meeting erupts over Neil’s power grid, and Jeremy must decide if McCarthy is worth fighting for. This battle has been brewing for years. A showdown is coming.

The 42 residents of McCarthy are choosing sides in the battle to draw visitors to this historic frontier town, but when a pack of wolves begins stalking the streets of downtown, locals must unite to protect their way of life.

Winter's grip on McCarthy threatens starvation so locals must brave the frozen wilderness to hunt big game, but when the town's richest landowner begins his secret plan to open the frontier to the outside world, McCarthy could be fractured forever.

The hidden city inside the mountain is within reach but exploration means convincing locals for help. Temperatures drop to 40 below, threatening ranchers trailblazing the frozen tundra, and an emergency meeting is called to defend the frontier.

In the dying days of winter, McCarthy locals join forces to survive wolf attacks & starvation, but the plan to open the frontier to the outside world turns residents against each other when locals night at the golden saloon turns into a free for all.

The great Alaskan breakup fractures McCarthy. Food is lean for man and beast so locals combat hungry wolves stalking their herds. A last chance treaty between supporters of the new and old goes up in flames. Tim closes up his cabin atop the summit.

As the battle for McCarthy wages on, a team of experts works to locate the only known entrance into the Mother Lode mine. Locals fight to break free of Neil’s stranglehold on the town by casting their own ammo.

Neil breaks through to the Mother Lode mine but locals are too busy defending against waking bears to stop him. Jeremy & his son setup a tree stand to protect their farm. Jenny goes on a solo hunt to track down a bear that's been stalking her cabin.

Neil defies both nature and locals by developing his mine tour, but when the town discovers his secret construction project planned for downtown, McCarthy draws a line in the sand; and tragedy forces one of McCarthy’s best to fight for their life.