Alone Season 11: Arctic Circle

Ten survivalists are dropped into the Mackenzie River Delta about 125 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the coldest and most remote location the show has used. Early days bring drop-shock, first fishing and hunting attempts, and close encounters with bear and wolf sign, while William Larkham Jr. and Michela Carriere post early wins with pike and foraged food. The premiere ends abruptly when Cubby Hoover accidentally shoots an arrow into his own thigh near the femoral artery, forcing him to tap out as the season's first exit.

Out this episode: Cubby Hoover (day 4, medical)

• Cubby Hoover accidentally shoots himself in the leg with an arrow near the femoral artery and becomes the season's first tap-out
• William Larkham Jr. hand-catches five smelt using a shock-wave technique
• Isaiah Tuck develops an unexplained nosebleed while adjusting to the extreme cold
• Michela Carriere cooks the kidney of a wolf-killed squirrel for food

The five survivalists not featured in the premiere settle into camp life, testing shelters, fire-starting, and early hunting chances. Timber Cleghorn has the most dramatic near-miss, getting within bow range of a bull moose using cow calls but missing both shots, while Jake Messinger loses his fishing line and has to improvise a net. Everyone remains in the game as the group adjusts to the harsh Arctic terrain.

• Timber Cleghorn gets within range of a moose using cow calls but misses with both arrows
• Jake Messinger loses his fishing line on Day 1 and spends days searching before building a net
• Peter Albano builds a dome-shaped 'Turtle Lair' shelter designed to avoid bear trails
• Dusty Blake hunts his first squirrel and dedicates the moment to his daughter

With about ten days behind them, contestants push into more ambitious shelter builds and food gathering. Michela Carriere gets violently sick after misidentifying a toxic plant as an edible root, while Peter Albano rebounds from a slow start with a huge pike catch and a working smoker. Despite that success, Peter finds the emotional weight of missing his family too much and taps out on day 8, becoming the season's second exit.

Out this episode: Peter Albano (day 8)

• Peter Albano hauls in roughly 10,000 calories of fish and builds a smoker before tapping out on Day 8
• Michela Carriere gets violently sick after misidentifying toxic arctic dock as edible burdock root
• Isaiah Tuck digs a 10-by-10-foot shelter into a hillside
• William Larkham Jr. traps his first snowshoe hare

As the group passes the two-week mark, sickness becomes a growing threat. Dusty Blake develops severe stomach pain and constipation he suspects is giardia, and after days of suffering he taps out rather than risk needing a hospital, becoming the third contestant out. Elsewhere Jake Messinger burns both hands boiling water without gloves, and Timber Cleghorn spots a moose just as the episode ends.

Out this episode: Dusty Blake (day 10, medical)

• Dusty Blake taps out on Day 10 after days of burning stomach pain and constipation
• Jake Messinger burns both hands boiling water without gloves, causing swelling and numbness
• William Larkham Jr. discovers a pine marten has raided one of his cached grouse
• Sarah Poynter finds an abundant patch of bolete mushrooms after losing bird innards to jays

Timber Cleghorn lands the season's biggest game, killing an estimated 1,200-pound moose and spending days butchering, smoking, and building a fortified cache he calls 'Fort Moose Meat.' While the windfall boosts his odds, Michela Carriere finds the crushing isolation too much to bear and taps out on day 18, the fourth contestant to leave. Jake Messinger and Dub Paetz both post fishing wins as six survivalists remain.

Out this episode: Michela Carriere (day 18)

• Timber Cleghorn kills an approximately 1,200-pound moose and builds 'Fort Moose Meat' to store it
• Michela Carriere taps out on Day 18 due to the mental toll of isolation
• Dub Paetz lands two large pike using a spring-pole fishing system
• Isaiah Tuck endures a frightening night of nearby wolf howls while building his shelter

Timber Cleghorn's moose windfall comes at a cost as he falls ill with sweats and chills after days of hauling and processing meat. The bigger blow lands on Jake Messinger, who develops severe abdominal pain and is diagnosed with a possible bowel obstruction after twelve days without a bowel movement, forcing a medical evacuation on day 21. Isaiah Tuck ends the episode doubled over in chest pain while untangling his gillnet, foreshadowing trouble ahead.

Out this episode: Jake Messinger (day 21, medical)

• Jake Messinger is medically evacuated on Day 21 after a suspected bowel obstruction
• Timber Cleghorn falls ill with alternating sweats and chills after hauling 600 pounds of moose meat
• Dub Paetz loses a 36-inch pike after celebrating too early, then repairs his broken glasses with pine resin
• Isaiah Tuck ends the episode doubled over with chest pain while working on his gillnet

Isaiah Tuck's chest pains from the previous episode prove serious, and early on he chooses his health and hopes of starting a family over the game, tapping out on day 23. The four remaining men lean harder on fishing, with Dub Paetz building confidence around steady pike catches even without a moose kill, while Timber Cleghorn completes an elaborate shelter he calls 'Fort Moose Head.' William Larkham Jr. runs low on food but rebounds by snaring a snowshoe hare.

Out this episode: Isaiah Tuck (day 23, medical)

• Isaiah Tuck taps out on Day 23 due to ongoing chest pains
• Dub Paetz lands a 44-inch pike and says he can win 'one pike at a time' without a moose
• Timber Cleghorn builds 'Fort Moose Head,' mounting moose antlers over his shelter door
• William Larkham Jr. snares a snowshoe hare after running out of fish

With four contestants left, pine martens become a season-long nuisance, repeatedly raiding food caches and stringers. Timber Cleghorn nearly loses a prized 40-inch pike to the current before recovering it, and William Larkham Jr. has to fend off a marten he's nicknamed 'Sassy' from his stores. Dub Paetz has a scare falling into the water while setting a beaver snare, but no one taps out this episode.

• Timber Cleghorn recovers a missing stringer holding a 40-inch pike using a long stick
• William Larkham Jr. repeatedly fends off a marten he's named 'Sassy' from his food cache
• Dub Paetz falls into the water setting a beaver snare and shows early hypothermia symptoms
• Timber discovers dangerous smoke buildup after moving his fire inside his shelter

Deep isolation starts to wear on the four remaining survivalists as the season passes the six-week mark. Sarah Poynter develops severe kidney pain that she describes as knife-like and, fearing permanent organ damage, taps out around day 42. Dub Paetz nearly quits too after discovering his entire food cache contaminated with mouse droppings and salmonella, but stubbornness keeps him in as three remain.

Out this episode: Sarah Poynter (day 42, medical)

• Sarah Poynter taps out around Day 42 after severe, knife-like kidney pain
• Dub Paetz discovers his food cache contaminated with mouse feces and salmonella but chooses to continue
• Timber Cleghorn crafts gorge hooks from moose bones to catch fish
• William Larkham Jr. loses a beaver cache to a marten before rebounding with a snared grouse

Down to a final three, Dub Paetz, Timber Cleghorn, and William Larkham Jr. grind through worsening cold and scarce food as the river begins to freeze. Dub channels his loneliness into building a homemade stringed instrument and singing about missing his family, while Timber fends off a wolverine raiding his cache and William lands his first solid ice-fishing catches. All three push on toward the season's final stretch.

• Dub Paetz builds a homemade violin/guitar and sings about missing his family
• A wolverine repeatedly raids Timber Cleghorn's food cache
• William Larkham Jr. catches a 36-inch, 16-plus-pound pike through the ice
• Timber discovers mold contaminating part of his moose jerky supply

All three finalists reach a grueling medical checkpoint around day 75, each showing the physical cost of more than two months alone. Timber Cleghorn battles frostnip on his toes, William Larkham Jr. marks his son's birthday alone by building a bigger fire, and Dub Paetz grows visibly frustrated that the competition hasn't ended despite passing his check. All three clear the medical review and continue.

• All three finalists pass a Day 75 medical check
• Timber Cleghorn develops frostnip on his toe from the deepening cold
• William Larkham Jr. builds a larger fire to privately mark his son's 12th birthday
• Dub Paetz stockpiles pike and inconnu but shows growing emotional strain

In brutal near-zero temperatures and barely four and a half hours of daylight, the final push takes its toll. Dub Paetz taps out on day 80 citing the effects of starvation and isolation and missing his family, and Timber Cleghorn follows on day 83, deciding he has already gained everything he needed from the experience beyond the money. That leaves William Larkham Jr., who is surprised at his shelter by his wife Jill during a medical check and is declared the Season 11 winner after 84 days, having lost about 75 pounds over the course of the competition.

Out this episode: Dub Paetz (day 80, medical), Timber Cleghorn (day 83)

• Dub Paetz taps out on Day 80 citing starvation, isolation, and missing his family
• Timber Cleghorn voluntarily taps out on Day 83, saying he'd received everything but the money
• William Larkham Jr.'s wife Jill surprises him during a Day 84 medical check to reveal his win
• William Larkham Jr. wins after losing an estimated 75 pounds, finishing with the third-longest run in show history behind Season 7 and Season 3