Winter is the most challenging season for many off-gridders, especially if you live in the interior of Alaska near Fairbanks, where temperatures in recent years have dipped as low as -45 degrees Fahrenheit – and the record is -66.
But that’s the life of off-gridders Danny Whittle and SueJean Heinz, a married couple who have learned how to survive in a frigid environment that can quickly kill if the right precautions aren’t taken. In fact, they once had to survive on stockpiled water when their pipes froze.
They are this week’s guests on Off The Grid Radio, and they share with us amazing stories of survival that you’ve got to hear to believe.
Danny and SueJean tell us:
- What it’s like to live in an area that sometimes gets 20 hours of daylight – and 20 hours of darkness.
- How they survived 15 days without running water when their pipes froze, drinking bottled water and melting piles of snow.
- What they stockpile for food in a location that is one hour from the nearest grocery store and is inhospitable to plants.
- How they use bales of hay and snow to add much-needed insulation during winter.
- What their survival plan is in case their primary source of heat fails.
Danny and SueJean also tell us how they survived a treacherous winter trip through the Yukon Territory when their transmission froze. Finally, they share with us the joys of living in Alaska, and what it’s like to see bear, moose, wolves and the Northern Lights right outside their door. If you’re a homesteader, off-gridder or simply someone who enjoys stories of surviving in the “Land of the Midnight Sun,” then this show is for you!