Ep 12. A Right of Passage

In episode 12 of season 9 of Alaska The Last Frontier, titled "A Right of Passage," we see the Kilchers continue to battle the harsh Alaskan elements in their pursuit of self-sufficiency. At the beginning of the episode, the family is gathered to celebrate Otto Kilcher's 65th birthday. The patriarch of the Kilcher family is feeling his age and has even started thinking about retirement. However, the rest of the family is determined to convince him to keep on working as they need him to continue to lead the way in their quest for self-sufficiency.

As the family prepares for winter, they must take care of all of the usual tasks: making repairs to the cabins, securing their food supply, and preparing for the long, dark winter months. However, this episode also focuses on the coming-of-age of the youngest generation of Kilchers, particularly Eivin and Eve's son, Findlay. At 13-years-old, Findlay is now old enough to earn his own hunting license, a right of passage in the Kilcher family.

Findlay is excited to go out hunting with his dad, but Eivin is determined to teach his son the importance of respecting the animals and the environment. They set out into the wilderness to track down their prey, but they come up empty-handed on their first outing. Nevertheless, Eivin continues to teach his son about survival skills and the importance of being self-sufficient.

Meanwhile, Atz Lee and Jane are also busy preparing for winter. They have been working hard to build a new cabin from scratch, using only materials from their land. However, they have hit a major snag in their project: they cannot get the roof on the cabin. They try with all their might to heave and hoist the heavy roofing panels up onto the structure, but it proves to be too much for them. They are forced to come up with a new plan, as failure is not an option when it comes to surviving the harsh Alaskan winter.

At the end of the episode, the Kilchers all come together for a birthday celebration for Otto. They honor his hard work and dedication to the family's way of life, but they also acknowledge that the younger generation of Kilchers is now ready to take on more responsibility. They raise a toast to Otto and to the future, knowing that even as they reflect on the past, they must continue to evolve and adapt in order to thrive in the remote wilderness of Alaska.

Overall, "A Right of Passage" is a heartwarming and inspiring episode that showcases the Kilcher family's determination and grit. It is a testament to the importance of family and community in overcoming the challenges of living off the land in one of the most unforgiving environments on earth. Fans of Alaska The Last Frontier will not want to miss this episode, as it offers a glimpse into the next generation of Kilchers and the future of their way of life.