Three people remain as The History Channel’s Alone season nine episode 10 kicks off. Episode 10 takes us from Day 53 through Day 61, and all three survivalists are still standing by the end of “Winter’s Grasp.”
Teimojin, Age 31, Montreal, CAN
Day 53: Frost covers the ground as Teimojin uses his rungu (a wooden club) to finish off a squirrel caught in one of his traps. It’s a good-size squirrel and should provide about 500 calories. He first used rungus when he visited the Masali in Kenya in 2012.
Teimojin feels being a bridge between the medical world and the traditional world helps him give back to indigenous communities.
Day 54: Although the shelter looks big on the outside, inside it’s compact but functional. The temperature’s dropped again and Teimojin needs to pack on some more moss to help insulate.
As the first physician in the competition, he’s more aware of what constipation can do to a body. He reveals it’s been hard to poop and worries about hemorrhoids but knows how to combat the pain if that happens.
While gathering boughs he takes a tumble off a log and goes down hard. He’s feeling weaker and knows his mind’s not as sharp, but fortunately, he’s able to get up and continue with the competition.
A grouse momentarily catches his attention but it’s too far away to shoot.
Back at his shelter he rests in front of the fire, realizing that little bit of gathering used up all his energy for the day. He’s got a winter’s worth of reindeer moss, a piece of grouse, and a handful of berries on hand – and that’s it. He’s been saving it up for Thanksgiving, certain it will give him a mental boost.
Teimojin’s aware one activity a day will be all he’s capable of now.
Day 56: Teimojin trained in this weather in the military and learned how to thrive in it. He grabs a walking stick and heads out, believing he can hear grouse flapping. He takes three steps uphill and already needs a break.
Day 57: Teimojin’s in bed at 12:30pm listening to the wind. Everything’s more complex now because of the weather and he’s happy his roof’s holding up. He doesn’t envy anyone who’s nearer to the beach and is happy he’s tucked into the forest.
Day 58: It’s still snowing and he’s feeling the cold. He’s hungry and boils reindeer moss which is high in carbs but low in nutritional value. He’ll use the water from the moss to freeze up the outside of his shelter, making a moss ice castle. Teimojin did this in the military to help with the insulation.
Just walking 15 feet to the creek is difficult but he’ll keep going. “This is an incredibly personal journey for me,” says Teimojin. He spent seven years working on becoming a doctor and sacrificing his mental and physical health. After those seven years, he felt like he didn’t even know his family anymore and didn’t know where he fit in. “Being out here I realized I can’t be that selfish. It has to be about the people I care about,” explains Teimojin.
He hopes to be a better person when his time on Alone comes to an end.
Day 61: Teimojin shows off his chipped tooth that happened from chewing on a bone the wrong way. He warns that if you lose a tooth, don’t put it in water. That will destroy it.
He heads off to check snares, going slowly since his energy level’s down. “I’m pushing past my limit each and every day. Clinically, I know I’m declining,” admits Teimojin.
He makes a noise like a squirrel, but nothing responds. After taking a little fall in the snow, he decides to go back to his bear hang and get the last of his grouse. It’s not Thanksgiving but he needs the energy – and morale – boost. He holds up the last wishbone and sucks on it before making a wish. Every time he makes a wish he gets animal protein, but this time he’s going to wish that sharing this experience with his mom will bring them closer together. He promises she’ll never be alone and he’ll be a much better son coming out of this experience.
He’s pleased with how much food he has in his pot, showing off the stew of grouse and reindeer moss.
Karie Lee, Age 57, Sandpoint, ID
Day 53: Snow falls as we catch up with Karie. She makes a snow angel and cheers wintertime. Karie believes more snow’s on the way and sets to work building a cob oven and making her shelter more weather-proof. The cob oven’s clay will help heat the shelter as the temperature plunges.
Karie’s still in a good mood and looking forward to more time spiritually connecting with the earth.
She builds a chimney for her new oven, which is taking longer to build than she anticipated, and has the chimney coming straight up out of the ground a little way from the shelter’s wall. After it’s finished, she tests the oven and can hear the clay sizzling. Unfortunately, there’s a breakthrough and the smoke fills her shelter. The oven’s falling apart and she’s now spending more time on this and not out getting food.
The oven’s a bust and she’s disappointed in wasting that much time on the project.
Day 55: It’s 22 degrees and more snow has fallen. Karie heard a noise outside her shelter and she thinks it could have been a bear, but there aren’t any footprints in the snow.
The berries are giving her a surprising amount of energy, and she carries around the fruit leather made from bunchberries to snack on while she’s out and about. However, she needs more than just berries to win Alone.
Karie checks out her traps and explains she hasn’t even seen a bear so smaller animals are all that’s on the menu right now. Her first traps come up empty and she has a difficult time locating others. The snow’s up to her knees and has buried her ribbons marking the traps.
Karie feels like she’s not good enough to come home with a meal and finds that embarrassing. Later that evening, she decides she’s done with squirrel trapping. She’ll have to exist on her fruit leather and berries.
Day 56: Karie doesn’t want to leave her shelter but has to urinate and get water. She’s immediately struck by the cold wind which isn’t her favorite element. It’s snowing sideways and much more difficult to get around. Her optimism slips a bit when she concedes it’s getting overwhelming.
Day 57: Karie’s only task for the day is to gather firewood. The snow’s really deep and she notes it’s snowed at least two inches in the past hour. She takes a tumble while attempting to get her wood into her shelter and decides to call it a day after making a fire.
Day 59: The bottom of her pants are frozen shut and she can’t push her feet through. She laughs as she struggles into her pants before heading out for more firewood and pitch. She has a history of adrenal exhaustion and is very aware of when she’s getting close to the edge.
Karie hears a squirrel as she gathers pitch and takes a shot. It’s a hit and she’s got fresh meat for dinner! This squirrel marks the first she’s actually shot.
“I’m in heaven,” says Karie as she eats. “This is part of my dream.” She’s justifiably proud of herself for what she’s accomplished and what she’s learned.
Karie thinks the competition will go two more weeks.
Juan Pablo, Age 30, Pinawa, CAN
Day 54: It’s 28 degrees and snowing as Juan’s tucked inside his sleeping bag. He gets dressed inside the bag and gets his blood flowing. He’s attempting a 20-day fast and needs to conserve his energy. We’re told a person can go one or two months without food as long as they hydrate.
Juan heads out into the wet snow and calls it perfect hypothermia weather. “Just seeing this now makes you feel colder,” says Juan.
After fetching some water, Juan reinforces his roof so his tarp doesn’t sag. He’s planning on copying the animals and working with the weather – not against it. Juan explains that in survival mode you get a better grasp on what’s important. You have to be present and enjoy the moment or else mentally you won’t survive.
Day 56: The snow’s really coming down and Juan checks it out through his window made from his boots’ gaitors. Outside looks like a winter wonderland and Juan describes it as wet, cold, and windy. It’s definitely not a good day to go outside, but he needs to get water and heads to his pier.
Juan believes there probably aren’t many people left in this harsh place.
Day 57: The temperature’s fallen to 19 degrees and Juan’s wrapped up in his sleeping bag at 10:15am. The wind’s gusting at 51 mph and he has no plans to leave his shelter. He thinks that it would suck if his shelter collapsed.
Day 58: The storm’s over and Juan admits he’s never experienced so much continuous wind. He takes a seat by the river and drinks water, explaining he’s been drinking water straight without boiling it for 10 years. Juan didn’t collect enough water yesterday and realizes he needs to up his intake.
Juan is the only person in the history of the Alone competition not to actively maintain a fire.
He spends time patching up his shelter’s door and holes in his walls. Because he’s fasting, everything’s taking more of his energy.
Day 59: Juan’s pot has ice in it and he bangs it to clear it. He then cuts a hole in the ice and fetches some water. It’s still not safe to walk on the river but it will be in a few days. He hopes to walk across the river to find more supplies once it’s completely frozen.
Juan works on building an ice chisel so he can test the ice. He’s still planning on doing a little hunting and trapping, even though he’s currently fasting. Juan’s determined to give it everything he has to stay in the fight.
He found a nail on Day 2 and uses it to make sure his ax is securely attached to the wood he’s just shaved for his ice chisel.
Day 60: Juan uses his multitool to clip his toenails, aware it’s important to take care of your feet. He emerges from his shelter and packs more snow up against the sides of his shelter for added insulation. Juan thinks his shelter is 90% airtight now, thanks to the added snow and ice.
The inside of his shelter is warmer than it’s been in a while, and he still doesn’t have a fire. He’s using his body heat in the sleeping bag to keep things dry. Everything’s a struggle but he’s not afraid and is curious about how far he can push his body.
- Alone Season 9 Episode 1 “Drop Shock” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 2 “Consequences” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 3 “Law of the Land” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 4 “The Beaver” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 5 “The Land Giveth” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 6 “The Weasel” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 7 “The Birds” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 8 “Gut Feeling” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 9 “The Ice Up” Recap
- Alone Season 9 Episode 11 “Fight, Flight or Freeze” Recap
