Episode 4

Three couples take on Duane and Rena’s most demanding test yet in a bid to earn the final place on the shortlist to win their Alaskan home. Observed and assessed once more by CJ, three of the couples are taken to the imposing Canwell Glacier system. In an area known for wolves and bears, the test begins with a demanding trek over rough glacial terrain and icy streams, and it is not long before the group comes across a paw print made by a large grizzly.

Meanwhile, the three couples who have already earned a place on Duane and Rena’s shortlist leave camp for the day to try their hands at gold panning. A route to riches for a lucky few, the couples head to the banks of the Chena River to learn the tricks of the trade from a local Alaskan.

Back at the glacier, the group eventually complete the trek and arrive at the remote site where they will camp for the night. But before they can settle in, CJ reveals that Duane and Rena have a surprise in store for them. To test their survival instincts, the three couples must work together to build their shelters using nothing but the surrounding forest. Under the close scrutiny of CJ, the couples get to work, knowing that their performance in this test will make or break their chances of inheriting Duane and Rena’s home. While one couple makes some good initial headway, they put themselves at a serious disadvantage by forgetting some of the emergency supplies that they were meant to bring with them. And while the second couple dispute the best way to construct their shelter, the third begins to build theirs next to a standing dead tree, which CJ notes is in danger of falling. Racing against the unpredictable Alaskan weather, the couples eventually finish their shelters and bed down for the night.

After a night under the stars, the three couples wake up to the prospect that for two of them, their dream of owning a new home in Alaska will soon be over. After travelling back to camp, CJ delivers his observations to Duane and Rena, who decide who should be the fourth couple to fly to Ose Mountain and see their home first hand. For one couple there is elation, but for the other two couples, Duane and Rena’s decision means that their Alaskan adventure is over.