Kate Bassich no longer lives in Alaska! Where is she now?
Life is an adventure for those who believe in the blessing of nature and tend to relish the beauty beneath every blade of grass or feel the adrenaline rush within the hardship of remote life and mountains. While this might not go hand in hand with everyone, there are people like Kate Rorke who have seen and lived the term “Living Close to Nature” in the face of adversity. Kate Bassich can be described as a woman of courage and adventure who once lived in the remote Alaskan wilderness with her ex-husband Andy Bassich and their 25 sled dogs. She was a co-star of the popular National Geographic show Life Below Zero which documented her daily struggles and joys of surviving in the harsh and beautiful environment. She met Andy in 2003 when she was a tourist in Dawson City and fell in love with him and Alaska. They married and ran a survival school near the Yukon River for many years until their divorce in 2016. Kate left the show and Alaska after alleging that Andy abused her physically and mentally during their marriage. She moved to Canada where she enjoys a warmer climate and reconnects with her family. She also keeps in touch with her fans through her Facebook page where she shares updates on her health and happiness. Kate is an inspiration to many people who admire her strength, resilience and spirit.
Who indeed is Kate Bassich?
Kate Bassich is a Canadian reality television personality, homesteader, outdoorswoman, sled dog breeder, and ex-wife of Andy Bassich. She made appearances in the reality television show “Life Below Zero” from 2013 to 2015. Kate did not win any kind of awards or nominations during her time as a reality television actor meanwhile Life Below Zero has been nominated for several awards and won eight Primetime Emmy Awards.
Early Life:
Kate was born in 1956 in Canada, the birthdate makes her 66 years old. She is the daughter of Jack who passed away some years ago. Reminiscing her moment from childhood with her father, Kate shared she would take a close watch as Jack tried to master the art of “cut-out dolls.” Growing up in Canada, Kate kept in close touch with her cousins. Regarding her education, Kate enrolled in a local high school.
Moving to Alaska & Homesteading:
Kate is from a Candian household and was well familiar with the urban lifestyle. It was in her late 40s that she completely switched her ways of living. She turned to homestead life after meeting Andy Bassich in 2003. Supported by her husband, Kate lived in a cabin home by the Yukon River in Calico Buff, Alaska with no access to the road, and neighbors who lived were far far away. In the quest for survival, she would grow & gather food, raise many sled dogs for mushing & trapping purposes, and help Andy Bassich prepare for sub-zero temperatures year around. Impressed by the lifestyle, Life Below Zero showrunners approached the pair for a part in the show.
Life Below Zero
Kate joined the cast of Life Below Zero in 2013 making her debut in season 1 episode 1 titled “End of the Road.” She regularly appeared until 2015 making 43 episodes appearances. Thereafter, she didn’t make appearances in any of the following seasons. It was because Kate had left Alaska following her split with Andy Bassich. Kate no longer lives a self-sufficient life and currently resides in Carbonear, NL, Canada according to her Facebook.
On November 15, 2022, Life Below Zero season 20 premiered retaining her ex-husband as a cast member while Kate is listed as a former cast member. It is highly unlikely for Kate to return back to Life Below Zero. Over the years other big names such as Glenn Villeneuve, and Salitan couple: Eric and Martha Mae also left the show. Some of the current cast members are Sue Aikens, Agnes hailstone, Chip Hailstone, Jessie Holmes, Ricko DeWilde, and James Franzo.
Net Worth
Kate is one of those who got paid for living a lifestyle that she would have done anyway however the only difference was camera crews were there to document her day-to-day living. Kate earned a significant amount of money as a reality television actor for the reality television show Life Below Zero. She also ran a dog mushing school while she was married to Andy Baasich. As of now, Kate has a net worth of $100,000.
Personal Life
First husband & Children: Kate has a daughter from her first husband who is a Canadian man. She gave birth to Amy Rorke on January 11, 1978. The mystery man has kept himself away media spotlight and neither Kate has given out anything about her ex. It is likely Kate inherits the surname “Rorke” from her first husband which her daughters use too. Like most information, we do not know how the long relationship lasted.
Meeting Andy Bassich and Second Marriage: Andy Bassich is her second husband. The pair met him in Dawson City in 2003 when she was there as a tourist while he was working as a riverboat captain. The pair quickly hit it off and made a living together in Alaska. In the years together as a married couple, the pair did not give birth to any children.
Divorce: The hard-working couple complimented each other in terms of lifestyle and marriage seemed perfect in so many ways. However, after 11 years of the relationship, Kate and Andy went their separate ways. She left her home in Calico Bluff in January 2015 and returned to Canada. Allegedly, Andy was verbally and emotionally abusive toward her. In an interview with dailytwocents.com since deleted, Kate opened up about her time with Andy:
“The hardest part is understanding why I stayed so long in an abusive relationship. I do know I love the land, I loved the lifestyle but I could not love the man he really is. I lived in a fairytale belief that someday he would become a kind, faithful, loving person. That fairytale was not to be mine.”
Their divorce was finalized in 2016. Following divorce, Kate has been vocal about abusive relationships and even made a blog post titled “Truth” where she has posted a picture saying there is help available for people in an abusive relationship.
Measurement & Other Traits
Kate has a stature of 5 feet 5 inches approx. Embodying natural blue eyes, Kate has curly grey & light brown hair. Her other measurements like her bust, waist-hip, and shoe size are not known. For now, her zodiac is not available and if ethnicity is concerned, Kate comes from a family line traced to Europe.
Wiki/Bio Facts
Name | Kate Bassich |
Other Name | Kate Rorke |
Birthdate | 1956 |
Age | About 67 years old |
Birthplace | Canada |
Resident | Carbonear, NL, Canada |
Nationality | Canadian |
Ethnicity | Caucasian |
Religion | Christian |
Mother | N/A |
Father | Jack |
High School | Local High School |
Profession | Television Personality, Homesteader, Outdoorswoman |
Net Worth | $100,000 |
Gender | Female |
Sexuality | Straight |
Relationship Status | Single |
Marital Status | Divorced |
Boyfriend/Partner | None |
First Husband | N/A (surname Rorke) |
Second Husband | Andy Bassich |
Children | Amy Rorke |
Height | 5 feet 5 inches (approx) |
Eye Color | Blue |
Hair Color | Grey/Light Brown |
Zodiac | N/A |