Fortunately, they opt to share their lives with us by offering us a front-row seat to their experiences through their television reality show. Marty, daughter Misty, and Matt, are the main characters, with Matt being the ‘hunting specialist’ of the group. We discovered a great deal of intriguing information about Matt when we researched him, information that we were sure you would want to discover as well. Therefore, if you are a fan of the Raneys and ‘Homestead Rescue’ on any level, or a newcomer just starting to watch the series, you will appreciate what we have put together below. You guessed it – this ’10 Things’ list is all about Matt Raney. Sit back, relax, maybe have ‘Homestead Rescue’ playing in the background. Read on to find out more about another Raney family member.
Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Matt Raney:
1. Birth and Upbringing
32-year-old Matt Raney not only grew up in the wilds of Alaska, he was literally born there. Having known no other life, Matt is not only able to survive, and do so well, but is also adept at managing all facets of the homestead with great success. His education has been a combination of animal husbandry and farming, which he learned on a farm belonging to an uncle and aunt, as well as the in-depth business experience gained over the course of a lifetime – all of which have served to provide him and his three siblings with the finest education.
2. Personal Life
Marty and his wife, Katie, reside on the family homestead near Marty’s father’s home; they have one son. The couple lives in a home they consider temporary: a mechanics’ shop Marty bought and had moved to his father’s land. After being remodeled, the home now resembles a barn and has running well water and wood heat. The family will stay there while they focus on constructing a super-homestead on the land.
3. Privacy is the Best Policy
Matt and his family give utmost priority to keeping their private lives private. Not only does he choose not to discuss his education, he has also kept the name of his son and other details within the confines of their home. Another thing he has chosen to not divulge is the exact date of his birthday, though he was born in 1986. With that being said, we can’t narrow down any zodiac information on him, but we doubt he will miss it much anyway.
4. Social Media
Even though Matt and his family focus their energies on living a life of subsistence, he is still able to post to social media, which is almost necessary these days when it comes to business. Where he finds the time to do this is beyond us, but he gets the job done. You can find him on Instagram at @matt.raney, on Facebook at Matt Raney Alaska, or simply search Matt Raney. On Twitter he can be found at @mattraneyalsaska as well.
5. The Expert
While the entire family is skilled at all aspects of living off the land, Matt is the one who derives the most joy from it and has taken the deepest interest in learning everything he can. He makes sure, on a yearly basis, that the family freezers are full, packing them with moose, caribou and Dall sheep, and supplementing with halibut and salmon to the food supply as well. Had he been in it for the money, Matt would have been a millionaire a few times over by now.
6. The Brooks Mountain Range
For National Geographic’s ‘Ultimate Survival Alaska’, Matt, along with his father and others, embarked on an expedition through the Brooks Mountain range, which was divided into several travel segments, known as ‘legs’. Each leg was followed by a commentary from Matt, which included his reflections on the journey and his opinion on the day’s events. The Brooks Mountain Range is the highest range in the Arctic Circle. Videos of this expedition can be viewed on the Nat-Geo page.
7. Net Worth
Though they weren’t paying gigs, Matt had been involved in a variety of film projects with his family from an early age. As an adult, he has had a direct hand in ‘Homestead Rescue’, ‘Ultimate Survival Alaska’, and is now largely running the family’s stone and log home business. With all this taken into account, one might assume that the Raney family would have, shall we say, an abundance of wealth. However, we must remember that the Raneys focus on a life of subsistence. It is estimated that the net worth of Matt and his family for 2019 is around $1 million, though we suspect the figure is likely higher in reality.
8. Outdoors Background
What may seem like just a great love for the outdoors and natural living to you is likely based in a deep spirituality. Matt and the other Raney children were raised with Christian values by their parents, Martin and Mollee. The primary reason for their lifestyle is firmly rooted in these beliefs, and it extends to how they earn their money, raise their children, and the values they strive to uphold for the world to see. That is truly the point of letting the world see how they live, in the end.
9. Denali
Denali seems to be the focus of much of the public’s attention when it comes to Matt and his family. Matt is no stranger to Denali—not by a long shot. Formerly known as Mount McKinley, Denali is the highest peak in North America, bar none. Its summit towers more than 20,000 feet above sea level. The mountain’s inhabitants, the Koyukon people, have called it ‘Denali’ for centuries. Over 24,000 people have attempted to ascend the peak, with only half succeeding; more than 100 have perished in the process, eleven of which in 1992 alone. Matt, however, has successfully scaled Denali more than a dozen times.
10. Future Plans
Matt’s plans for the future are consistent and exactly what we have all likely expected. The Alaskan wilderness is their home, and he and his family have settled there with contentment. From what we can tell, Matt and his family will likely remain there for the rest of their lives, running the family business, hunting, climbing, and teaching others by leading expeditions and conducting training regarding living a life of subsistence. Because they are settled and adjusted, their lives in Alaska are exactly the way they want them to be, and we can’t blame them. We just need to remember that nothing worth having comes easily.
From the outside looking in, Matt Raney and his little family live an idyllic life, one that most of us daydream about, but are not willing to put the work into to have, and that’s just honest. Matt and the rest of his family live it, day after day, year after year, and the payoff is obvious. They are content with what their God has given them, and they put it to work for the best. With that being said, with or without television fame or followers on Facebook or Instagram, Matt knows a level of success most of us will never know, and we salute him for living a life that follows his heart. Kudos, Matt Raney and family.
