Carolyne Hailstone Biography: Life Below Zero, Her Sisters, and Raising a Family in Alaska

Carolyne Hailstone is one of the five daughters of Chip and Agnes Hailstone, who were longtime cast members of National Geographic’s documentary series Life Below Zero, which followed the lives of remote Alaskan families living off the land. Raised in the remote wilderness of Alaska, Carolyne grew up living a traditional subsistence lifestyle deeply rooted in Inupiaq customs and survival knowledge. Her life has been shaped by hands-on experience in hunting, fishing, gathering, and seasonal migration practices passed down through generations.

Early Life and Upbringing

Carolyne Hailstone was born and raised in Noorvik, Alaska, a small Iñupiat community near the Kobuk River in the Northwest Arctic Borough. She is one of five daughters of Chip Hailstone, a non-Native American originally from Montana who relocated to Alaska in his youth, and Agnes Hailstone, an Alaska Native of Inupiaq heritage. Carolyne’s upbringing centered on a self-reliant household that balanced traditional Inupiaq values with the practical demands of Arctic living.

From a young age, Carolyne learned essential skills such as operating snow machines and boats, setting and checking fishing nets, hunting caribou and birds, and preserving food through drying, freezing, and pickling. She was also involved in skinning animals, preparing hides, and crafting traditional garments. These skills were vital in a region where store-bought goods are expensive and seasonal access is limited.

Education and Practical Skills

Carolyne attended Aqqaluk High/Noorvik Elementary School, the main public school in Noorvik. Like many students in remote Alaskan communities, she experienced a mix of formal education and land-based learning, combining classroom instruction with traditional subsistence activities. She developed strong navigation skills, practical tool usage, firearm safety, and the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Her proficiency in traditional crafts includes crocheting with qiviut (muskox wool) to create hats and socks that retain warmth even in subzero conditions. She also contributes to meat processing and clothing production within the family.

Life Below Zero

Carolyne began appearing on Life Below Zero during her adolescence. While she is not a central figure like her parents, her involvement showcases the younger generation’s participation in maintaining the family’s subsistence traditions. One of her notable moments featured on the show includes her successful caribou hunt, marking a significant milestone in her growth as a hunter.

Filmed over more than a decade, Life Below Zero has chronicled Carolyne’s evolution from a quiet child learning by observation to a confident young woman skilled in harvesting, crafting, and sharing her culture. As of March 2025, she is an active voice in her community, sharing photos and stories through Facebook and embracing modern communication to document her lifestyle.

Personal Life, Baby, and Partner

Carolyne Hailstone has been in a long-term relationship with her partner, Skyler Wells, with public posts indicating they have been together since at least 2021. In April 2025, they welcomed their daughter, Leanne Wells. The name Leanne honors her great-grandfather Leo and great-grandmother Annie.

Carolyne occasionally shares personal updates through her public Facebook profile, including outdoor activities and key life events. She and Skyler continue working on a seasonal camp upriver from Noorvik, which they access via boat in summer or snow machine in winter. The cabin project reflects ongoing efforts to expand the family’s self-reliant lifestyle.

She remains closely involved with the broader Hailstone family and frequently spends time with her nephew Sebastian. These interactions reflect the extended family’s strong communal bonds and continued reliance on intergenerational cooperation.

Hailstone Sisters

Carolyne is one of five daughters: Tinmiaq, Iriqtaq, Mary, Qutan (also known as Cen), and herself. Each daughter is independently pursuing career paths while maintaining ties to traditional life. As of early 2025:

Tinmiaq, the oldest of Chip and Agnes Hailstone’s five daughters, resides in Point Hope, Alaska, where she is raising her two sons—Sebastian, and Ryder—with her partner Keith Tuzroyluk. In addition to her family life, she is actively involved in traditional crafts, sewing and selling handmade slippers and mittens made from seal skin, beaver fur, and other natural materials. 

Sebastian is Tinmiaq’s elder son and turned 4 years old in November 2023. He has already taken part in youth snowmachine races and enjoys receiving toys like remote-controlled snow machines. He is frequently featured in family posts and is actively growing up immersed in both modern activities and traditional values. Ryder, her younger son, was born at the end of 2024 and is still an infant, seen bonding with both Tinmiaq and Keith in shared family moments.

Mary lives in Ambler and works in healthcare, managing high fuel costs while supporting her household. She is raising two daughters and, despite the economic pressures of remote village life, maintains stability with a steady job and support from family members.

Iriqtaq completed training in heavy equipment operation and diesel mechanics in early 2025 and is back in Noorvik. She now holds certificates in flagging, road grader operation, and diesel technology, with aspirations to work in infrastructure and transport services.

Qutan, the youngest daughter, enjoys traveling and is pursuing her passport while attending concerts and festivals across Alaska and the Lower 48. She is actively exploring creative and artistic interests and maintains connections to home while experiencing broader cultural influences.

Chip Hailstone is currently developing a small business, “Our Ulu Factory,” to manufacture handcrafted Ulu knives using locally designed tools and CNC machines. His goal is to produce high-quality traditional knives and offer local employment. Agnes continues to engage in fur processing, child-rearing, and seasonal food preservation, while also working to preserve Inupiaq language and customs. As a grandmother, she is helping outfit her grandchildren with traditional clothing and supporting the continuation of cultural skills like sewing and subsistence practices.

Life in Noorvik and Environmental Observations

Noorvik remains the Hailstone family’s year-round base. Located above the Arctic Circle, the village is accessible primarily by snow machine, boat, or small plane. While Chip limits travel to larger cities, younger family members frequently travel to Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Kotzebue for work, education, or shopping.

The Hailstones continue to hunt caribou and geese, fish for sheefish and pike, and gather berries and greens. Carolyne has a preference for spring goose hunts and community trapping efforts. The family notes that berry patches, animal migrations, and fish spawning patterns have shifted significantly, which they attribute to visible effects of climate change.

Traditional foods like seal, uguk (bearded seal), whitefish eggs, and caribou fat remain important sources of nutrition. Carolyne has also learned to make traditional dishes like Eskimo ice cream and seal oil-dipped meats. Commercial foods are scarce and expensive, so hunting and gathering remain essential.

Cultural Preservation and Modern Engagement

In addition to their television work, the Hailstone family is increasingly active online. Carolyne maintains a public Facebook profile where she posts wilderness photography, updates from camp, and family stories. Other family members are developing small enterprises in skin sewing, painting, fur clothing, and handcrafted jewelry.

They also plan to launch a digital storefront, “Hailstone Enterprises,” offering traditional items and possibly future guided tours for visitors interested in Inupiaq culture. These tours will be passive in nature—focused on fishing, photography, and observation rather than active hunting.

As of 2025, the Hailstone family continues to adapt their traditions to changing times while remaining anchored in their cultural identity and deep relationship with the Arctic environment.