(serene music) - [Coyote Voiceover]
As children we are told to follow our dreams. To work hard and never give
up until they come true. This long journey north
is one of my dreams. (fire crackling) (serene music) Lost in the shadows of
the Alaskan wilderness, I step into the
tree line and take in the smell of the forest. This is wolverine country
and finally I am here. (dramatic music) (gentle music) - Endless miles of dense
forest, rushing rivers, and towering mountains
encompass what is considered the last true frontier
in North America. Welcome to Alaska, a
place where the wild stretches as far
as the eye can see. Staking claim as
the largest and most sparsely populated U.S. state, it boasts a staggering
663,000 square miles of land, which also happens
to be home for some of the continents
most iconic animals. If you look up, there is a
good chance you will spot a bald eagle watching as you
roam along a river's edge. This elegant bird of prey
is a symbol of vision and if one sours
across your path, it's a sign that you
should trust where you were going and
what you will become. My path in life
had landed me here on the search for
an animal so elusive that they are only
ever seen at a glance, as a flash of fur
in the underbrush or a shadow moving out of
focus that you barely happen to catch from the
corner of your eye. To encounter a wolverine in
the wild is next to impossible, but for me, part of the
dream was to at least try. The wolverine is a spiritual
symbol of persistence, an animal that never
surrenders, that never gives up, and which defies all odds
when it comes to survival. I knew that by immersing
myself into this wild place, I would allow my mind and spirit to become one with
the wolverine. I needed to place my hands
where paws may have touched the boulders that had
worn down over millions of years to become
grains of sand. I wanted to drink the
same life-giving water that melts from the glaciers
and flows through the forests. I challenged myself
to venture across the skeletons of fallen giants so as to find myself
facing the exact same obstacles this animal
conquered with ease. - This forest is
like a playground. I can only imagine
what it would be like to be a wolverine
out here in all this. I'm trying to find one, but man, this
terrain is difficult. - [Coyote Voiceover] For several
days we searched riverbeds, forests, and boulder
strewn grasslands. (gentle music) The screw was with me
every step of the way as I climbed trees, foraged raging waters. - Come on, keep going. Hand me the camera. Woo, this is tough. - [Coyote Voiceover]
And watched in wonder as the sun set
beyond the mountains leaving an eerie glow in an
ever darkening summer sky. I wanted to find a
wolverine more than anything I have ever
wanted in my life. Yet, as the hours
turned into days, I came to the realization
that it could take my entire lifetime and I may never
see a wolverine in the wild. Alaska is simply that vast and this creature is
truly that elusive. But Breaking Trails
is an animal show, and if there is one
thing I've promised each and every one of you, it's that I would be getting
up close with a wolverine. So it was time to shift
the gears into plan B. However, not all things
go according to plan. Whenever the crew and I can't
find animals in the wild, we work with
sanctuaries that have rescued or raised
them in captivity. And today, we will be working
alongside Steve Kroschel. - Oh man, it is
beautiful out today and we're about to meet Steve. He is the man who can
speak with all animals, but specifically the wolverine. Pretty excited to meet him. I've got my little stuffed
wolverine here, Gulo, who I've had since
I was a little kid. Eight years old, my
mom made this for me and I've been carrying
it ever since. I figured no better
place to bring this stuffed animal
than to Alaska. Here he comes. This is Steve. Steve. - I heard talking. - Sorry, we walked
through the gate. We didn't know if
anybody was here yet. - Well, I could hear things
and the birds stopping singing so I thought, what's
going on here. - I'm Coyote.
- Nice to see you. There're a few of
those around here, too. Coyotes.
- Yeah, no, I know. Well it's a nickname I've
had since I was a little kid. I know it's kind of unusual,
but it's an original thing. - Coyote Peterson. - Coyote Peterson, that's it. - You've got a show
on the internet. - Yes, YouTube. We've been doing it for
about two years now. All sorts of different animals. And hopefully today. - You got one here. - Yes, this is my wolverine.
- It's not alive though. - No, this is not as alive as
the wolverines you're used to. I told myself if I ever
actually make it to Alaska to see a wolverine,
Gulo is coming with me. - Oh God. Well, you want to
see a live one? - Yes. If we can get close to
live wolverine today, that would be pretty awesome. - What do you mean by close? - As close as you'll let me get. - [Coyote Voiceover] So
who is Steve Kroschel? Well, to put it simply, he is
a man who cares about animals, so much so that he
has dedicated his life to building an incredible
wildlife sanctuary that is home to many
rescued Alaskan animals, including moose, lynx, weasels, and, of course, the wolverine. But we aren't allowed
to see that yet. Aside from being the man
who cares for and speaks to animals, he's also an
incredibly successful filmmaker. Steve has produced
and directed several award winning documentaries
and is world renowned as being the master
of avalanches. That's right, if you have ever
seen an avalanche on screen, there is a good chance Steve
is the one who filmed it. - This has been a dream of mine
since I was eight years old and you can help me
realize that today. If you're willing to train
me and let me get close. I know, it's crazy, right? - How much time do we have? - [Coyote] Well, we need
to get this episode today. So it's eight o'clock right now and I'd like to be working
with the wolverine by-- - Today, today, today? - Today, so let's
say eight hours. Can you turn me into
somebody that's ready to be in an enclosure with a
wolverine in eight hours? (laughing) If you're willing to train me, I'm willing to do
whatever it takes. - Train you?
- Train me to the point where
you feel I am ready to be in the presence
of a wolverine. - I mean... (laughs) - Is that a yes? I think that's a yes. I think that's a yes, guys. - All right, let's
try something here. - All right, let's let
the training begin. Yeah, dude, we're in. So Steve, I noticed that
you don't wear any shoes. Is there a reason for this? - Yeah, actually. I can afford shoes, but I
don't like to wear them. I really feel better, and
this is scientifically backed, your physiology
changes immediately when you connect to the Earth. And all creatures, all animals
are connect to the Earth. Fish, birds, everything
except people because of the
rubber sole shoes. So you're missing out. - OK, well, because I am
walking in your steps today-- - [Steve] No, no,
no, don't do that. - [Coyote] No, no, no, no. - [Steve] No, your
feet aren't... Do you do this a lot? - No, but if I'm
gonna learn from you, I need to be walking
the same way that you do and connect
with the planet. OK, this is where it begins. - [Steve] So we
got, like, a day? Is that it?
- Yeah, eight hours. Eight hours before
wolverine time. - [Steve] Little wheels
are turning in my head. - [Coyote] OK. Cool, are these all your skulls? Check this out. Wow. - [Steve] Here's a
wolverine skull right here. - [Coyote] That is
a wolverine skull. - [Steve] That's wolves here. Anyway. - [Coyote] Wow, can't I hold it? - [Steve] Yeah, sure, yeah. - OK, so I've seen
wolverine skulls in museums. This is actually the first time I have ever physically held one. - Really? - Yeah, honest to goodness. OK, so Steve, I know this is
gonna seem a little bit weird, but hold onto the skull. Trust me. OK, I'm gonna put my
hand inside of the jaws and I want you to just
apply a little pressure. Now press down. I'll tell you when to stop. Keep going, keep going,
keep going, keep going. OK, that's good, that's good. - Yeah, well, Jiminy Christmas. - Wow, those canines
are unbelievably sharp. Look at the indentation
that that put into my hand. OK, now that I feel like I
know what it's like to be slightly bitten by a wolverine,
let's get into the training. - [Steve] Oh, Jesus. - [Coyote Voiceover]
I think at this point, Steve either thought I
was completely crazy, or that I was simply willing
to do whatever it would take to get face-to-face
with the wolverine. Then all of a sudden, I was
presented with my first test. - Uh oh. - What was that? - Got a little
(mumbles) coming here. Relative of the wolverine. - In that pipe?
- Yeah. - [Coyote] Is it a weasel? - [Steve] No, it's
a mystery animal. - [Coyote] Mystery animal. - [Steve] You know what? I'm gonna get a little jar
of jelly and I'll reveal it. How's that? - [Coyote] That
sounds really good. OK, Steve, whenever
you're ready. - I went in the cabin
and got this jelly. I need to find a stick. - About this long? Is that good? - [Steve] Just get a
little bit on the end. - [Coyote] Like that? - [Steve] He's growling again. He smells that. Hurry, hurry, hurry. This is a mini
wolverine on steroids. - Right. First task, I can do this. You do the countdown for me. - No, I can't do it. - I hear it, I hear
it, it's OK, it's OK. I got it, count me down.
- It'll bite you. It'll bit you on the face. - It's OK, count me down. - One, two. (laughs) - Did you see how
fast that pine marten came out of that little box? And I still have all my fingers. How'd I do, Steve? - Oh, that's good enough. (laughs) - [Coyote Voiceover] In
my mind, I was certain that it was time to
meet the wolverine. I was barefoot, I felt the power of
the wolverine's teeth, and I passed the pine marten
test with flying colors. In my second test, Steve
needed me to cut a gift for the wolverine
out of moose hide. - That is your
offering to the animal. It's a peace offering. This'll help you to understand
what size the wolverine would like and you're
gonna put feeling into it. Even while you're cutting it, you're gonna think
about wolverines. You're getting into the
wolverine's frequency. You're dialing in. Right now, go ahead. Don't cut yourself. - [Steve] Bigger. - [Coyote] Bigger? - [Steve] Yeah. That looks like
you're insulting him. - Oh boy. OK, he says bigger. It's still wet down here. Absolutely stinks. OK, and this has
gotta be the one. That is all still
rotting right there. Almost looks like the
face of a Sasquatch. All right, Steve, I
think I got a piece. - [Steve] That looks good. - [Coyote Voiceover]
There is no greater stench than rotting moose hide. Steve instructed me to
literally rub the rotting skin all over the inside
of the arena. - The sense of
smell in a wolverine is very, very, very keen. One molecule per five million. OK, yours is, like,
one in a 125,000. - [Coyote Voiceover] The only
thought going through my mind other than washing my
hands was when in the world am I going to see
this wolverine. Next, he had me carry a
40 pound slab of cow ribs for nearly a mile. I was to place it in
the arena as an offering to the wolverine and a
sign that I came in peace. After that, he said I
needed to work on my speed, so I sprinted. Next, it was my
balance, so I balanced. Steve believed that
conditioning me both physically and mentally was the only
way I stood any chance at surviving an encounter
with a wolverine. I knew I was getting close and as Steve headed
off on his own, he instructed me to enter
the arena and take a nap. He said that if I fell
asleep listening to the call of the raven that it
would guide me to a dream that would tell of my destiny. (raven squawking) (tranquil music) (raven squawking) - [Mark] Coyote, what's up, man? What's going on? - Well, it is mid-afternoon
at this point. It's hot. We haven't seen Steve for hours. I'm beginning to
wonder at this point is Steve turning me into Steve, or is Steve turning
me into a wolverine. - [Coyote Voiceover] The
crazy thing about Steve is that even when you
don't think he's listening, he's listening. My feet were weathered and worn. My hands ached. And just when I felt that
I couldn't go any further, Steve sat me down and told me
that my training was complete. He said that I still wasn't
read to meet the wolverine, but that it was time to learn
how to speak their language. And if I could accomplish that, or at least get to a
point where I wasn't asking for my face
to be clawed off, that maybe, just
maybe I would be ready to meet the phantom
of the north. This next part is
probably one of the strangest things
I have ever done. But when the teacher instructs, the student would be wise
to listen to his teachings. - [Mark] What's going
on right now, Coyote? - [Coyote] At this point
I am going to learn a little bit about the
vocalizations that it takes to interact with the wolverine. - If the wolverine comes
at you, it's (screams). Can you do that? (screams)
- OK, that's good enough. I can tell you can do it. You gotta remember
that because he will do things to you in
which you won't like. - But I noticed you
have a whole bunch of variation in everything that
you do and I want to make-- (screeching) - That's when he's coming at you and he's got that meat and
you're trying to (screeching). That's it, that's it. And then if he's chewing on it, if he's doing what
you want him to do. - Just give him
positive reinforcement? - You got to keep
talking the whole time because he
doesn't know you. Yeah, at some point. (screeching) No, no, no, no, only
if he comes at you. No, no, that wasn't good enough. - What if he makes full contact? - Then you just (growls). (growls) - OK, that's good
and I'll get there. Oh God, that's good. Don't do anymore. - It's good?
- Yeah. - You hear that, he said that. He said it's good. I think I'm there, guys. I think. I think he's ready
and I think I'm ready. I'm sure you're sitting
there in front of your screen thinking to yourself, Coyote, what goes through
one's mind before they get into an enclosure
with a wolverine? I'm excited because
for 25 years, I've been trying to
get to this point. But at the same time,
my heart is moving at about a million
miles a second. And I am nervous,
I'm not gonna lie. But I need to make sure
that that wolverine does not realize that I'm
nervous because if it does, it's going to completely
control the situation. I need to keep my
cool and get this animal up close for the cameras. Gulo, my little buddy, it's been a long journey to
get to this point. This is where I leave
you behind and I get in with the real, living,
breathing wolverine. Mark, are you ready for this? - [Mark] As ready as
I'm gonna be, man. Let's do it. - We're about to get
into an enclosure with a real live wolverine. (serene music) This is the
wolverine coming out. - [Steve] See if he'll
go up this log here. Here we go. - [Coyote Voiceover] The
animal was incredible, just as I had
envisioned in my dreams. And as it scaled the
log and came to a stop, there was no
hesitation between us as instantly, we
came face to face. My dream of meeting a
wolverine had come true. - [Steve] Here you go. - [Coyote] Ready? - [Steve] All right. - Cool, did you get that? - Yeah.
- That was incredible. That was it. I just made a connection
with a wolverine. This is good, right? He's accepting the fact that
I have him on the tether. - [Steve] Yeah, OK,
just let him walk. Let's let him meet
your wolverine. You got a hold of him. He's meeting your wolverine
that you had as a child. Oh my God. - [Coyote] It's OK, it's OK. This is completely natural. Look at that. What is that? What is that, (mumbles)? It's OK, it's OK. Wow. - [Steve] Let him go, go, go. That's good, that's
good, that's good. Let him be there,
let him be there. Let him be there, that's
good, that's good. OK. Now we're gonna go back. - I can't believe it. Now we gotta see if Steve
will actually let me into the enclosure and get
it off the harness. - [Steve] Go ahead, gulu. - [Coyote] OK, now
Mark's coming in with us. You know that, right?
- Yep. - [Coyote Voiceover] I
was about to be the first animal show host in history
to enter an enclosure with an unharnessed wolverine. - In an enclosure right
now with a wolverine. I want to turn this GoPro on
and just set this over here by the moose skin
and the cow meat. - [Steve] So Coyote,
you're over there now. Get that moose hide. Get that gift. - This is my gift. - [Steve] And then Mark
is right behind Coyote. - [Coyote] OK. - OK, I'm gonna let him go now. - OK.
- There we go. - OK. - Now I'm gonna get
over on this side and be behind you
and I'm gonna watch. - [Coyote] OK. - [Steve] I think
he's so preoccupied. - [Coyote] OK, at this
point, the wolverine is off of the harness. We are in an enclosure
with the animal. - [Steve] Here he comes to you. OK, let him pull it. Let him pull it.
- Do I let go? - [Steve] No, no, just
let him pull on it. OK, OK, let go. - [Coyote] Oh, he likes that. I knew it, that soft part
of the moose's belly-- - [Steve] Watch your
hands, watch your hands. - [Coyote] OK. - [Steve] Very nice,
that's your gift to him. Now, I would get up and
walk over here with me. Just watch him. I wouldn't get any closer. He'll defend his kill. - [Coyote] I am
about two feet away from the wolverine right now. - [Steve] No, it's OK. Let him do whatever he wants. What I want you to do now if he gets a little bit further, I want you to grab
that piece of meat, take it and put it
over here and see if he takes it and puts it back. If you do that,
you're developing a relationship with him
without insulting him. Hurry, hurry, hurry, pick
it up and throw it back. Throw it over here. Hurry, hurry, hurry. - [Coyote] Here he
comes, here he comes. He now sees that the
meat is not there. It's right here. - [Steve] OK, pull on it. OK, let him have
it, let him have it. Let him have it, that's enough. That's very nice. - [Coyote] Didn't
struggle too much. - [Steve] Well, he didn't
jump from the meat to you so this is a good sign
that he's accepting you in a sense of he's letting you
into his private world now. - [Coyote] OK. - [Steve] That is incredible. That's like... I just can't believe
what I just saw. - Damn, here it is. OK, I'm watching him. Here you go. - [Steve] Watch your hand. Go ahead, go ahead. Be careful. - [Coyote] I'm gonna let
him drag, that one was his. - [Steve] I'm gonna
give you my shirt. - [Coyote] OK, put that on? You think he'll feel a
little more comfortable? - [Steve] Put that on. Put that on. You're taking over my. You see that's all
the holes in there. - [Coyote] I'm
gonna drag the meat back again just real slowly. See if we can do that again. - [Steve] Do it quickly. - [Coyote] Let's just
let it be natural. Trust me, just let me let
the wolverine come up to me. - [Steve] Don't. - [Coyote] Here, look, look. (suspenseful music) Look how strong. He actually pulled me forward. He definitely got it from me. That's OK, I'm gonna let him. - I'm gonna let him eat. - [Steve] That's enough,
that's enough, that's enough. Really, serious. - [Coyote] Come on, close,
close, close, close. Look at that, and from
right at this position, you can see just how
powerful those jaws are. He is just razoring
through that meat. - [Steve] All right, we're done. - [Coyote] We're not
done, he's OK, he's OK. - [Steve] No, no,
no, no, no, no, no. We got meat and you. I need you to go this way. - Go this way, OK, I'll
get behind the meat. - [Steve] OK, open that door. - Well, when Steve says
that's enough, that's enough. At this point, the wolverine's
getting a little too rowdy and Steve said out of the cage. But that has to be
the coolest thing that I've ever done while
hosting an animal show. My heart is racing and it
was absolutely unbelievable. - So what you did there, the relationship that I've
had with this wolverine its entire life and for 36
years working with wolverines, what you did, unprecedented. No one's ever done that. I haven't even done something
like what you just did. And it touched you with
its teeth, it nose. You had made contact,
also, he allowed you. What we did today is we
pushed all the knowledge I had and you pressed down all that
that wolverine will give me, the benefit of the doubt,
benefit of the doubt of being a nice animal,
being with proper etiquette protocol
for a human being and you brought it to
that far from reality. - [Coyote] OK. - That far from reality. - That's pretty close. That's pushing the envelope. Steve, I cannot thank you enough for that experience, my friend. There are no words that
can come out of my mouth right now that can truly
explain what it was like to be in that enclosure
with the wolverine. I can see the
relief on your face. All that stress. I know how hard it was for
you to let me get in there. All my fingers are still intact. I made contact
with the wolverine. Today, you helped me
realize a dream that I've had since I
was eight years old. I don't know how I could ever thank you enough
for what today was. All those kids out there that
just watched this episode that experienced and got
to see a wolverine for the first time, you
helped me do that. Thank you, thank you so much. - I'm gonna hug you. - [Coyote] This has
been so much fun. - I want my shirt back though. - Yes, no, you need this. I can see what it
was like for you to be having that
wolverine jump all over. - Maybe I'll send it to you when it has a few more holes in it. - Yeah, I love the big,
huge paw mark that's on the back here and
all those claw marks. - Oh my gosh, there really
is a wolverine track there. - There is.
- Yikes. - That is awesome. I'm Coyote Peterson. Be brave. Stay wild. We'll see you on
the next adventure. - [Coyote Voiceover] The
realization of a dream is a powerful thing,
and in some cases it may take your
entire life before you achieve a single one. For the crew and I to reach
the far northern state of Alaska, it took many
years of incredibly hard work and the persistence
to never give up on what many thought
was impossible. The days I spent
working alongside Steve will always be held
dear in my heart as he truly is a
gift to this world. His love and
appreciation for animals and his connection to the planet is unlike anything
I have ever known. I am proud to call him my mentor and I am blessed to
have him as my friend. I will never forget
the moments I spent in the presence of the wolverine and I truly consider
this phantom of the wilderness to
be my spirit animal. Looking back on it all,
I now have a new dream, to one day return to Alaska. And I hope that when I
do, the north welcomes me back with a smile and
a sharp pair of claws. If you thought this
adventure was epic, make sure to go back and watch as we kayaked into
the Alaskan wilderness to get up close with
a sockeye salmon. And don't forget, subscribe
so you can join me and the crew on this
season of Breaking Trail. - [Coyote] Got one, got one! Woo, here we go. There we go, got one. It's strong, it's heavy. Get the (mumbles). That's a pretty good one. (coyote howling)
Wolverine encounter starting at 19:35 if you want, but the whole video is great.
This episode kind of sucked.