Throughout history, Alaskans have had to fight for survival.

Even now, everything is STILL Tougher in Alaska � the last American frontier.

A New Weekly Series on History � Premieres on Thursday, May 8 at 10 pm ET/PT

Geo Beach travels to extreme locations in this giant state, from wind-swept Arctic tundra to rugged coastal mountains � mining for gold, fishing for salmon, and tackling other tough, uniquely Alaskan activities.

NEW YORK, APRIL 15, 2008 � Everything is tougher in Alaska. From earning a living to burying the dead, everyday life here has always been shaped by severe weather, rugged terrain and vast distances between communities. The people who call Alaska home have a long history of overcoming adversity and adapting to their extreme environment. Host Geo Beach, who has lived in Alaska for more than 25 years, is on a quest to find out what it really takes to survive and thrive in Alaska. The new series TOUGHER IN ALASKA premieres Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 10pm ET/PT on History �.

It wouldn't be a tough show without a tough host, and TOUGHER IN ALASKA host Geo Beach is just that. Since moving to Alaska, Geo has worked as a logger, firefighter and medic, and commercial fisherman � including winter crabbing on the Bering Sea. He knows his way around oil spills and industrial kitchens, construction sites and law enforcement. Like most Alaskans, Geo has endured plenty of waves, winds and blizzards while living here. Armed with his own experience and the centuries of Alaskan tradition, Geo reveals the guts, self-reliance, ingenuity and technology it takes to survive and prosper in this challenging land considered America's last frontier.

Each episode of TOUGHER IN ALASKA charts an expedition through the far-flung corners of the huge Alaskan state � from the tops of mountains to the depths of the Bering Sea. It investigates unique aspects of life in Alaska, looks at how Alaskan pioneers got things done in the past, and explores how they overcome harsh conditions to get things done today. Along the way, we meet a lot of plucky Alaskans � all following in the footsteps of the great explorers who originally survived and thrived in the extreme environment.

The first week of TOUGHER IN ALASKA (May 8) finds Geo hunting for gold in the great Alaskan wilderness, something people have been doing since the 1870s, when the promise of gold first lured men north to Alaska. Today, with the cost of gold skyrocketing, the race is on once again and Geo joins in on the chase. He'll see how individual prospectors around the state use ingenious techniques (including a giant underwater vacuum) to get the gold out, and he'll join a team of hard rock miners in the frontier mining town of Wiseman as they blast through 250 feet of rock in the hopes of hitting the mother lode. TOUGHER IN ALASKA: GOLD MINING premieres May 8 at 10 pm ET/PT.

In future episodes, Geo tackles different, demanding adventures and locations � vividly illustrating how living in Alaska is just plain harder than it is in the Lower 48.

Other topics covered include: Railroading...Roads...Forces of Nature... Garbage... Salvaging... Fairbanks Winter...Disconnected...Policing... and Frozen Freeway. In these episodes, Geo struggles against bitter winter weather to keep the electricity flowing to Alaska's second largest city, triggers a �controlled� avalanche, and tempts fate in one of the most active seismic zones in the world. As always, Alaska dishes up lots of real work, risks, and excitement.

The new series TOUGHER IN ALASKA is produced for History by Moore Huntley Productions. Executive Producer for History is Carl H. Lindahl. Executive Producer is David Huntley.

The official mini-site for the TOUGHER IN ALASKA series, www.history.com/tougher-in-alaska, will feature images and video, including our host Geo Beach, who will share insights about the Alaskan lifestyle and daily activities in the last American frontier. The site will also include interactive maps, history content on Alaska, and background information to supplement the programs. A teaser page with on-air promos will launch first, followed by the official mini-site on April 23.

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