Why the Crane Siblings Bella & Cason Are Built to Outlast on 'Race to Survive: Alaska'

In just the first two episodes of USA Network's competition reality series "Race to Survive: Alaska," we're seeing the strategy of certain teams come on strong. The elite competition follows eight teams of two for a 40-day, 100-mile extreme race through the Alaskan outback. Across six legs of elimination rounds, the terrain, the weather, and their own prowess are going to help determine who will be the last team standing, and the winners of $500,000.

One particularly savvy duo is brother and sister Cason Crane (29) and Bella Crane (25). Pegged as the "city slickers" by some of the other teams because of where they live and work in Brooklyn, New York, the pair have been pretty upfront about the skills they don't possess and how willing they are to learn from the other teams who don't yet consider them a threat. 

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They've already paired up to navigate and trade food with the father/son vegetarian team of Jeff and Hunter Leininger. And then when they arrived at Survival Camp, they were able to get some key advice on how to find protein in the mud flats so they didn't go hungry during the resting leg. The Cranes may not reside in the woods full-time but so far, they've proven crafty when it comes to being resourceful and looking more sympathetic rather than like a direct challenge.

What the other teams are underestimating is exactly how much experience these siblings have. In fact, they are following in the footsteps of their adventurer parents, particularly their mom, Isabella de la Houssaye. She's completed 50 marathons in 50 states and raced in the Ironman World Championships. Then in 2018, she was diagnosed at age 54 with stage IV lung cancer and proceeded to climb with then-22-year-old Bella to the top of Mount Aconcagua, the highest mountain in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres. 

The Crane kids were taught by example as their mom asked them to embrace life's challenges with her, and she's still fighting. Not long after her initial diagnosis, she set out to experience a singular adventure with each of her five children. In 2018, she and Cason ran a marathon together in Alaska. She followed that up with the summit peak with Bella. She's also encouraged Bella to complete a solo trek of the Pacific Crest Trail. Bella accomplished that with flying colors and it helped prepare her for "Race to Survive: Alaska." And then Cason made history by being the first LGBTQ mountaineer to plant the pride flag on all seven summits.

Clearly not quitters, it remains to be seen how far Cason and Bella get in the race. Even more interesting will be if they decide to share their family background with their fellow teams, and give away just how tough their stock really is. 

Root for the Cranes and your other favorite teams on “Race to Survive: Alaska,” Mondays at 11/10c on USA Network. You can catch more survival shows on Peacock now.