This week Alone embarks on a new challenge as History’s brutal competition show offers fan favorite contestants from past seasons a do-over.
In a land twice the size of Texas, hemmed in by China and Siberia, 10 former survivalists will get a second chance as they embark on the most trying Alone challenge yet in the form of Northern Mongolia. Mountains, desert, woods, and winters so frigid that livestock reportedly die frozen on their feet.
Redemption is the motivating factor as these hardy folk from the previous seasons have been called back for the challenge.
How does it begin?
Dropped off in Northern Mongolia, the most remote location yet, the ten survivalists are guaranteed one thing: Suffering. They will endure subzero temperatures, apex predators, and isolation that crushes the soul.
You know the drill. They embark after selecting ten must-have items they absolutely will rely on. After the drop, the surveying of the land in double-time, then the planning and building of a shelter, securing potable water and a source of food and fashioning weapons for protection and hunting.
No idle time is allowed or advised, and these people have done this before in prior seasons, so they know.
What to fear:
Northern Mongolia is home to weather so extreme if caught unprepared you will die. Also the venomous Siberian pit viper, loads of foxes, several types of wolves, bears, wild boar, snow leopards and maybe a wild horse or camel.
What they can win:
The last person standing will walk away with a cash prize of $500,000 and bragging rights of epic proportions.
What do most pick in their ‘ten’ list?
Impressive levels of ingenuity are great, but most opted for these items on their ten list: A knife, a multitool, paracord, fishing line and hooks, a pot, a Ferro rod, a sleeping bag, bow and arrows, a folding saw and trapping wire.
Who is in the cast?
BRITT AHART
Britt’s first Alone stint was 35 days in Patagonia for Season 3. “Baptized by fire,” his successes and failures schooled him. Britt feels that he fought with nature. This season, he plans to win.
NICOLE APELIAN
Nicole, who has Multiple Sclerosis, spent 57 days on Vancouver Island during Season 2. She grew up in Massachusetts, was a field biologist in Botswana in the mid-90s, then a game warden with the US Peace Corps, and even began tracking and researching lions in Southern Africa.
Once she attained her Master’s degree in biology, she got her doctorate while working with the San Bushmen. Now she teaches survival skills, makes her own herbal medicines. She has her own tracking and wildlife safari company, and is an adjunct professor at Prescott College.
Nicole is taking a gill net and extra food rations in her ten list.
JESSE BOSDELL
Jesse lasted 5 days in his S4 Alone effort. Since then, Jesse’s studying bio-medical engineering at the University of Maine, building bee-hives, while settling down and becoming a “sponge for new survival tricks” and hopes to win the challenge Mongolia.
RANDY CHAMPAGNE
Randy Champagne spending 21 days in living off the land on Vancouver Island. He teaches wilderness living skills, and specializes in hunting and trapping with primitive methods and hopes to overcome the isolation of Mongolia.
CARLEIGH FAIRCHILD
Carleigh Fairchild nearly won Season 3 in Patagonia, where she displayed incredible knowledge and skill in shelter building, fire making, finding edible plants, and lasted 86 days.
Lack of protein caused her weight to plummet which led to her extraction. Fans really rooted for her.
Read our interview with Carleigh Fairchild here
SAM LARSON
Sam Larson did 55 days on season one of Alone. He is an author and now has two kids, a son, born shortly after his return from Vancouver Island, who is now a 2-year-old and a daughter who was born just days before he left for Mongolia. Sam is packing double food rations on his ten list.
DAVE NESSIA
Dave’s 73-day experience on Season 3 of Alone in Patagonia nearly killed him as he wasted away to skin and bone.
He quit his job of six years as a bushcraft instructor and lived in his truck exploring the world. Dave has shown us he will do whatever it takes.
BRAD RICHARDSON
Since season 4’s disappointment, Brad spends his free time practicing primitive skills throughout the Midwest and lower sections of the boreal forest.
Brad hand-forges knives and tools, and creates educational bushcraft and blacksmithing videos. He opted for a frying pan over a pot.
LARRY ROBERTS
Larry Roberts lasted 64 days on Season 2, filmed on Vancouver Island. Larry continues to work as an electrician in the Minneapolis area.
In his spare, time he teaches at a survival school and increased his knowledge base by attending skills gatherings and taking as many other classes as possible. Larry also picked double food rations on his ten list.
BROOKE WHIPPLE
Brooke lasted 49 days on Vancouver Island on Alone Season 4. Spending her winters in Reed City, Michigan and her summers in Fox, Alaska, Brooke knows all kinds of wilderness extremes and has mastered many endeavors.
This mother of two is ready for a new challenge in Mongolia and hopes to win.
Alone airs Thursdays at 10/9c on History.