Altitude determines what conditions and creatures dominate in Denali National Park.

Many Alaskans rely on heavy-duty equipment like bush planes, logging cranes and fishing boats to make a living. What happens, however, when the tools of the trade break down and the nearest help is hundreds of miles away? Braving the elements in wild, remote corners of the state to repair super machines are the full-service master mechanics at Jim's Equipment Repair, an Anchorage-based company serving residents since 1994. "Big Fix Alaska" chronicles the around-the-clock "rescues" made by owner Jim Evridge and his team, from stranded crab boats in the middle of the Bering Sea to frozen multimillion-dollar cranes near the North Pole.

A journey to the last frontier: the beautiful, remote and deadly state of Alaska.

The breathtaking beauty of Alaska sometimes hides the fact its winters can be incredibly harsh, especially for those who live in the state's outlying areas. "Alaska: The Last Frontier" perfectly illustrates this reality, as the series profiles life for the Kilcher family in the isolated community of Homer. For four generations the Kilchers have lived off what their 600-acre homestead has provided, but cultivating that living is never easy. Led by patriarch Atz Kilcher and his brother Otto, the family spends the short summer and fall gardening, hunting and fishing for food, gathering supplies from the land and preparing their animals for the winter. Viewers, who may or may not have a fancy phone by their side while watching on their big-screen high-def TV, also see the Kilchers living off the grid, where running water and electricity aren't daily staples, nor is contact with the outside world. Atz, by the way, is the father of music superstar Jewel.