On Alaska’s Yukon River, three raft crews each begin preparations for a trek downstream to sell goods to native villages. Each raft, made from wood collected from logs and timber, will serve as their home and, ultimately, profit for the next five weeks.
As three separate crews take on the Yukon River and begin their initial float downstream, they quickly learn the challenges of river life. The three rafts approach the first village of Rampart and must decide to barter or keep on floating.
With a week under their belts, all three crews have protein and cash on their minds. Yukon veteran rafter Neil takes son Lauro hunting for some protein, but when they have no luck they resort to an old fishnet trick. Meanwhile, rookies Andrew and Josh also attempt to fish for food. Scotty’s crew hunts spruce grouse and makes a bargain for a much-needed tugboat to steer their raft. Andrew and Josh are the first to cash in, selling timber in the village of Tanana. Neil takes a risk by taking the raft through a treacherous stretch of the river known as The Boneyard. All the crews notice winter freeze slowly creeping over the Yukon.
After three weeks on the river, all the crews prepare to winterize their rafts for the fast-approaching freeze. Scotty’s crew insulates their raft with dried moss and collects firewood they hope to sell in the village of Ruby. Rookies Andrew and Josh soak in a thermal hot spring and rest before deciding to travel down the treacherous Yukon through the night. Neil’s crew practices survival skills, while Lauro works on a tent for his sled dog. In Ruby, Andrew and Josh are the first to cash in while Scotty’s crew arrives second and has to sell their wood at half price. All the crews end the night bonding before the winter freeze sets in.
After weeks on the river, all crews have reached a crossroad with the same question in mind: Should they push on for profit or cash out and leave the Yukon behind? Neil’s crew realizes it may be time to get off the river as ice freezes around their raft and the temperature plummets dangerously low. Others realize that the Yukon means life or death as Andrew gets emergency airlifted due to extreme dehydration and infection. Scotty and his crew must sacrifice precious timber for the safety of their raft. As the freeze sets in, all three crews risk everything for the possibility to cash out.
Three hundred miles down the Yukon, the crews arrive at Galena with the dreams to cash in and end their time on the river. Neil and his crew make a profitable decision to sell their supplies before the winter becomes unbearable. In an unexpected turn, Lance jumps ship to Josh’s raft and becomes his much-needed shipmate. Scotty’s crew must turn down an offer for his raft because it’s too low, forcing them to continue downriver for better profit. Once the two rafts begin downstream, there is no choice but to fight the rapidly freezing river.
Six weeks into their journey, the remaining two rafts struggle to navigate the perilous Yukon River. With whipping winds and massive waves threatening to sink their rafts, both crews must pull over and regroup before attempting to reach the village of Koyukuk. Neil and Lauro set out on the journey to their winter cabin in the wilderness.
In the wilderness outside the village of Galena, Neil and Lauro take their dogsled team deep into the forest, trying to reach their winter cabin. But surviving in the snow-covered wild will take all of their skill and courage. Back on the Yukon, the other two crews reach the end of the line, and must do whatever it takes to sell their rafts and get off the river before the full force of winter destroys any chance for profit.
