What Happened To Erik Salitan, His Wife Martha and Why They Left Life Below Zero

Erik Salitan lives in the state of Alaska, US, with his wife and son – Martha Mae and Lucas. The family came to prominence for featuring in a National Geographic Channel’s documentary series named Life Below Zero. As the name suggests, Life Below Zero mirrors life in the harsh climate of remote Alaska, which is often at a temperature below zero. So, most viewers of the series believe it depicts the real daily and seasonal lives of its characters who are all Alaskan settlers.

Outside his life on TV, Erik Salitan keeps himself busy with his adventurous hobbies. He does hunting and fishing and a bit of ice skiing and mountain climbing. He has also turned these into businesses as a professional hunter, fisherman, tourist guide and pilot.

Revisiting their married life

If marital compatibility was solely based on where people grew up, Erik Salitan and his wife Martha Mae could never have married each other. This is because the couple grew up in diametrically different environments. While Erik was raised in rural New York, Martha Mae was born and brought up as a native Alaska. However, the two would later meet and marry each other when Erik Salitan decided to move to Alaska at age eighteen.

While many people would rather not settle in Alaska, its natives don’t seem to have much of a choice than to live there. Then, there are particularly out-of-the-box personalities like Erik Salitan, who may freely decide to brave the odds of settling down in Alaska, even when they are not natives. It seems that Erik Salitan’s exceeding love for adventure is the reason he chose to settle down in Alaska of all places. It also seems apparent that their mutual interest in adventure brought the couple together in the first place. So, it is only natural that they were featured together in the Alaska-based adventure reality TV show, Life Below Zero.

Appearances On Life Below Zero

Life Below Zero is set in Alaska. Although in the US, Alaska sounds like another world to many Americans. Why? First, we know that Alaska is geo-politically outside the contiguous US together with Hawaii. But, another important reason Alaska tends to inspire mythical feelings in the mainland USA is its unique countryside ambiance. Known for its mountains, forests, and abundant wildlife, Alaska has generally been considered a place to visit. However, not many people have thought of it as a place to live in, given its harsh climate. Another factor scaring people from settling down in Alaska is the challenge of wild creatures and elements. It’s no wonder then that Alaska is the most sparsely populated state.

Thus, it’s no surprise that a documentary reflecting the daily lives of Alaskan settlers should generate much interest. Such a documentary can be found in Life Below Zero. The documentary series produced by BBC Worldwide has been running on the National Geographic Channel since 2013. It consists of episodes that have viewers entertained with real characters like Erik Salitan and his family surviving through hunting, fishing and improvising.

Alongside other cast members like Sue Aikens, Chip and Agnes Hailstone, Jessie Holmes and Andy Bassich, Erik and Martha Mae Salitan have been a part of Life Below Zero since its first season aired in May 2013. The couple quickly garnered a fan base for themselves from the viewers of the series. But since 2016, they have been conspicuously missing on the show. Thus, fans have been wondering – what happened to Erik Salitan and his wife Martha Mae?

Why Did Erik Salitan And His Wife Leave Life Below Zero?

This would not be the first time Erik Salitan and his wife would be taking a break from Life Below Zero. They once went missing from the show sometime in 2015 too. But, their absence since 2016 is way too long to be compared with their 2015 break. Thus, fans are really wondering where they went.

Anyone wondering what has happened to the couple needed to remember that they are not principally TV personalities. Instead, they had a very thriving life long before and outside Life Below Zero. Indeed, there is no record of any other screen project featuring either Erik Salitan or his wife. The reason is that Erik is more of a tourist guide and a professional hunter than a TV person. He even owns a hunting guide business, as well as a cottage that caters to many of the thousands of tourists who visit Alaska yearly. So, the couple has only gone back to a life they had before Life Below Zero.

What is more, the couple has a kid or two to take care of. Their first son Lucas has even started school. So, all these are likely to make a lot of demands on the couple and may not allow them to have any spare time to devote to Life below Zero.

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