A father and son duo from Poolesville, MD competed in season 4 of the History Channel series Alone back in 2017. The series follows contestants as they survive alone in the wilderness for as long as possible using a limited amount of survival equipment. With the exception of medical check-ins, the participants are isolated from each other and all other humans. Contestants may “tap out” at any time, or be removed due to failing a medical check-in. The contestant who remains the longest wins a grand prize of $500,000.
Pete and Sam Brockdorff (61 and 26 at the time of filming), competed in the fourth season that was filmed in Northern Vancouver Island. It included a team dynamic and consisted of 14 contestants, made up of seven family-member pairs, who were individually dropped off in remote areas of Northern Vancouver Island. The two members of each team chose 10 items of survival gear to be equally divided between them. The team chose one member to be taken to a campsite while the other began approximately 10 mi (16.09 km) away and was required to hike to the site, using only a compass and bearing to find the way. If either member tapped out or was medically evacuated, his/her partner was disqualified as well. The last remaining team won the $500,000 prize.
Pete is a retired shipping driver. His father was a career military officer, so he spent his childhood traveling. He began accompanying his father on hunting and fishing trips when he was eight years old, learning lessons about the outdoors and developing an immense respect for nature. Pete utilized what his father had taught him, and supplemented his skills by learning trapping, falconry, bow fishing, bow hunting, and primitive skills. He studied biology, zoology, ecology, and botany, eventually earning a degree in Biological Sciences. Pete’s father passed away before his son Sam was born, but he was determined to pass down to his son all the lessons he had learned. Sam joined his father on many wilderness trips from a young age, and Pete is confident that his son’s skills and knowledge far exceed his own.
Sam is an environmental scientist, currently working as a layout foreman for an environmental restoration company. His father Pete wanted to instill a sense of adventure and respect for nature in Sam by setting off on wilderness trips. Sam has fond memories of the time spent with his dad, whether it was learning a primitive skill, wrestling snapping turtles, or building rafts on local ponds. Through both professional and personal interest, Sam has a vast knowledge of plant species. A capable outdoorsman, Sam has spent the last few years “going feral” in the Utah wilderness, utilizing primitive skills to survive at elevations of nearly 12,000 feet. He’s looking forward to spending time in the wilderness of Vancouver Island with his father, utilizing savvy that has been passed down in the family from one generation to the next.
Below are the ten items Pete and Sam selected to bring on their survival journey to Vancouver Island:
- Tarp – 12′ x 12′
- Fishing line and hooks – 50 yards of 40 lb. test and 250 yards of 20 lb. test
- Gillnet – 12′ x 4′
- Trapping wire – 3.5 lb. gauge
- Rations
- Tarp – 12′ x 12′
- Paracord – 500 lb. Rated
- Saw – folding saw, 14″ blade
- Ax – 26″ all-steel ax
- Pot – 2 quarts, stainless steel
The duo almost won it all- lasting 74 days and coming in second place. Ultimately, they jointly decided the cost of the game wasn’t worth it when Pete had severe GERD. Information courtesy of the Alone website on the History Channel website. View their video below: