Erik Salitan From Life Below Zero? Age, Wife, Net Worth

Erik Salitan, who was born on February 9, 1984, ditched the city life to dive into the world of reality TV survival and guiding.

You might know him from his work on “Life Below Zero,” where he’s made a name for himself by tackling Alaska’s tough, unpredictable terrain.

Along with his wife, Martha Mae, a whiz at fishing, and their son Lucas, his leap from the urban hustle to TV stardom tells one of hell of a story.

Here’s everything that you need to know about him.

Erik Salitan Quick Facts

Erik Salitan Bio, Age, Parents

February 9, 1984, saw the birth of reality TV celebrity and survivalist Erik Salitan in New York, USA.

Erik is 42 years old, and he’s an Aquarius. He’s proudly American and comes from a Caucasian background.

Sadly, Erik hasn’t shared his parents’ names.

Fans have noticed that on TV, he really comes off as a family guy, always taking great care of his parents.

After growing up in New York, Erik eventually moved to Alaska and made it his home.

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Erik Salitan Relationship, Engagement

Erik met Martha Mae Salitan sometime in the 2000s, and they started dating soon after.

There’s a fun snapshot of them together labeled “Erik and his wife Mae” (from Erik’s Facebook).

Erik is a top-notch hunter, and Martha is just as skilled when it comes to fishing.

In one of those unaired, deleted scenes from “Life Below Zero,” Erik recounted how he proposed to Martha—by attaching the engagement ring to the end of her fishing rod.

Martha noticed the ring, he popped the question, and she said yes.

Apparently, it took three tries: on the first, Martha got distracted chasing an Arctic Hare.

The second, she accidentally tossed the tip-up with the ring onto the ice; finally, on the third try, after Erik shined a light over it, Martha finally realized what it was all about.

Erik said,

“That ring was burning a hole in my pocket for like weeks. Finally, I baited you in the ice-fishing.”

Salitan further said,

“I went and rigged the whole thing the third time, set the flag over, and made her come with me over to check it. Then you pulled it up right in front of me, and you’re like there’s no fish. And then I shined the light right on the right, and it sparkled, and then you went like ‘Oh.’”

Erik revealed that he almost chickened out both on the first and second attempts at the proposal.

You can watch the video here.

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Erik Salitan and Martha Married, Family

After getting engaged in the mid-2000s, Erik and Martha began planning a wedding that was far from over-the-top.

They preferred a low-key celebration over a huge ceremony.

Their love story brought them a son in 2010, named Lucas Salitan.

Lucas is 16 years old today.

Lucas seems to be following in his folks’ footsteps, he often tags along with them, and he loves fishing just as much as they do.

Erik and Martha are really hands-on in his life, making sure he feels all the love and support.

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Who Is Erik’s Wife, Martha Mae Salitan?

While most “Life Below Zero” fans know Martha as Erik’s wife, she’s very much her own person.

Martha was born in 1986 in Iliamna, Alaska, USA, and she’s 40 years old.

Even though everyone calls her Martha Mae Salitan now, her real name is Martha M Baechler, she took Erik’s last name after they got married.

Martha was raised by American Native parents in Alaska, and her family had deep roots in the fishing business.

She became a second-generation sport fishing operator, even working at her parents’ fishing lodge while growing up.

Besides being a fishing whiz, Martha’s an avid hunter too, she even has a thing for Arctic Hare, as Erik mentioned during his proposal story.

Nowadays, she manages the family lodge and keeps everyone, including Erik, on track.

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Erik Salitan Career

Born in New York, Erik eventually found his way to Alaska where he embraced the wild from a young age.

He started out training as a guide and later picked up piloting, officially working as both.

After moving to Alaska, marrying Martha, and starting a family, Erik got his big break on TV.

In 2013, BBC Worldwide launched “Life Below Zero,” a show that showcased his life surviving Alaska’s harsh conditions.

He and Martha appeared on the show for three years, which aired on the National Geographic Channel.

Then in 2016, they decided to call it quits on the show, leaving many viewers scratching their heads.

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Why Did Erik and Martha Leave Life Below Zero?

About three years into “Life Below Zero,” Erik and Martha decided it was time to move on.

No one really got a clear explanation from them or the production about why they left.

Some fans speculated that Erik wasn’t happy with the producers, but privacy concerns seem to have been the real issue.

Both of them aren’t exactly fans of having cameras in their personal lives and business.

So in 2016, they opted to step away from the spotlight.

Many thought the show would soon end without them, but Nat Geo introduced Ricko DeWilde, an Alaskan Athabaskan, who now appears on the series with his family.

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Where Is Erik Salitan Today?

Since leaving “Life Below Zero” in 2016, Erik and Martha have shifted their focus to their local businesses.

They run Bushwhack Alaska Guiding and Outfitting along with Talarik Creek Lodge, catering to hunting enthusiasts and earning a good living in the process.

Together, the couple has built a net worth of over $1 million, and they continue to thrive away from the TV cameras.