Ice Road Truckers (2007) s03e04 Episode Script
Blinding Whiteout
Because you can go up to 55 Miles an hour on it.
That's a lot of pie for me.
I mean, I getI can kick her Right in the ass.
narrator: And jack ventures Out over the arctic ocean.
get a little nervous.
You're going slower.
Your heart beats a little bit Faster.
narrator: At the top of the World [horn honks.]
There's a job only a few Would dare.
[horn honks.]
Just when you thought extreme Trucking couldn't get more Dangerous, ice road truckers Take on alaska.
[aerosmith's livin' on the edge.]
livin' on the edge narrator: These are the Truckers who make their living On thin ice.
livin' on the edge you can't help yourself you can't help yourself livin' on the edge you can't help yourself from falling livin' on the edge yeah, yeah narrator: It's just ten days Into alaska's new ice road Season, and a massive winter Storm is blasting the region From the arctic circle to Prudhoe bay.
It's a phase three whiteout, And no trucks are on the road, Except for one.
Dalton ace jack jessee is Navigating through the eye of The storm with a 50,000-pound, Of pipe rack.
the storm's moving in really Fast.
It's gonna get pretty intense Out here tonight.
I don't know what's gonna Happen, but I'm gonna keep Going.
narrator: Winds are gusting At 70 miles an hour, and Visibility is near zero.
I can't see anything.
I can't see the road.
So we just got to go really slow And take it easy.
So it's blowing really hard like This, and you're running only The most, it can make for a Really long night.
narrator: The only thing Guiding jack are three-foot tall Reflective posts placed 100 feet Apart.
you got to pay attention a Lot through this.
Not only to staying on the road, Seeing a delineator.
Right now the problem is there Are no delineators.
So I literallyI have to sit Up, look straight down, and find The road.
narrator: After 13 years on The dalton, jack knows this road Lies in wait for the smallest Driver error.
this road, just, it always Takes paying attention to.
You just can't relax on this Road.
It's a job.
And it's work all the way.
narrator: If jack stops now, He could become stranded in the Storm.
I'm doing, like, 20.
Just got to wait for the Reflectors to show back up.
narrator: He's just 50 miles From the safety of deadhorse this ain't gonna get any Better.
narrator: And has no choice But to push forward.
if you look directly into Your headlights driving this Stuff, you will drive right off The road.
You'll tend to just drive Whichever way the wind's Blowing.
You'll just steer it right off The road.
Mother nature does that to you.
Tricks you.
You got to ignore the Headlights, look through them, And find the road back behind You.
narrator: 160 miles south at Coldfoot More than 50 truckers, including George spears, tim freeman, and Lisa kelly, have taken refuge From the storm.
It's a heavy financial setback For all, as they wait for news About a break in the weather.
"blowing snow.
Drifting snow.
Icy patches.
" That part we knew.
"driving conditions difficult.
" That was a big help.
narrator: 500 miles to the South at the carlile fairbanks Terminal, hugh rowland arrives Before his rival, Alex debogorski.
I'll probably have to pass Him like usual a couple times A day.
While he's napping.
narrator: This will be hugh's First solo trip over the ice.
His first run north ended before It began.
Hugh was demoted to the Passenger seat after taking a Corner too fast.
Now he's given one more shot to Drive it.
He'll be following 12-year Veteran, phil kromm.
if everybody's ready, we can Head on up there.
yeah, you bet.
Everybody's ready to roll.
Everything's turning.
I'm loaded for bear.
Make way.
The polar bear's coming through.
[laughs.]
narrator: Near the entrance To the ice road, hugh and phil Get the last chance to fill Their tanks for 175 miles.
yeah, there's no service Stations up there now.
And I need full tanks to get up.
yeah, this one's about 375.
narrator: Topping off a big Rig costs upwards of $1,000.
okay, everybody ready? big 10-4.
Here we are.
We're full of motion lotion, And we're ready to rock and roll Down the dalton.
narrator: A few miles later, The pavement gives way to solid Ice.
Hugh has met alaska's ice road On his own for the first time.
I love rocking and rolling Down these dangerous roads.
I think it's pretty cool.
Not everybody gets to do this, And I'm doing it.
These highways here are known All over the world.
All over the world.
I'm making history every [bleep.]
Trip I make.
narrator: On the other end of The road, it's taking all of Jack's concentration just to Stay on the ice.
I can still feel the wind Trying to blow the truck over to The right.
I'm having to fight the wheel A little bit just to keep it in The center of the road.
narrator: He has just ten Miles left to go.
As he nears deadhorse The storm begins to clear.
prudhoe.
Just 50 miles.
Hours.
narrator: Jack finally Arrives at the carlile yard.
Once more, the ace has succeeded On a road few dare to tread.
I think we're here.
We're there.
We're done for the night.
Look forward to getting into bed And taking a big, long nap.
narrator: As a new day Begins [bird squawking.]
The storm has cleared, but the Dangers have increased.
An army of d.
O.
T.
Employees Work furiously to clear the Aftermath before excess snow and Ice put another trucker over the Edge.
fire! narrator: An avalanche crew Blasts snow off the Mountainside.
did you holler at me, mark? narrator: And ken bear is First over the ice to clear a Path with a high-speed plow.
the whole reason for the Dalton highway is it's a supply Line to the prudhoe bay oil Fields.
It's our job to keep it Maintained.
We clean up the center of the Road first, 'cause that's where All the traffic drives.
We don't want to over plow it, 'cause then when the traffic Passes each other, if they get Over too far, they'll catch the Edge, end up in the snowbank, And that's not a good thing.
narrator: At the coldfoot Truck stop, the stranded drivers Begin to move out.
The break in weather means Finally catching up on lost Cash.
ah.
The sun's creeping out.
Quit snowing.
It's not blowing as hard up on The pass.
North of the pass it's still Blowing a little bit.
Nothing like it was before, so We're gonna get up there and see If we can't get ourselves all The way from prudhoe today.
narrator: Rookie tim freeman Is taking his second load north On the ice.
During the first half of this Trip, he survived a harrowing Whiteout.
Still coming, george.
I can't see a [bleep.]
thing now.
narrator: Guiding him is Family friend, george spears.
hot damn.
narrator: This year, george Plans on retiring from the haul Road, but not before he's taught Tim enough to survive.
we're ready to go.
Get as much daylight as you can.
back on 19, george? yes, I am.
okay, narrow two on the big One.
narrator: They head north.
Each with nearly six tons of Construction supplies.
Up ahead, atigun pass, the Steepest and most dangerous part Of the dalton.
we'll be anticipating quite a Few drifting areas this morning.
The pass and the shelf will Probably be hard to get over.
Be a lot of snow up there.
And then there will be a lot of One-lane places between here and Prudhoe bay.
We'll have to be watchful for That.
[horn honks.]
narrator: Back at coldfoot, By mid morning most trucks have Left, but lisa kelly has waited Till last.
all the trucks are gone.
Hopefully all these guys will Break the trail up there for me, And we'll just walk right up it.
That's the idea, anyway, or else We're all gonna be stuck up the Road.
[laughs.]
We're ready.
we rolling? narrator: After almost two Years as a driver at carlile, This is lisa's first heavy haul Loadsix truck tires, 12-feet Wide and 14-feet high.
Anything oversized or overweight Brings in bigger bucks.
this year's goal, the only Goal I really have is doing, Like, oversizebigger stuff, Just because it's challenging, And then when you get all done You're like, "yay, look what I Just did.
" So The load's got to get there, and If I get stuck, there's nobody Else that's gonna do it for me.
I'm the only one who's gonna get It there.
So I better figure it out.
narrator: Lisa's next Challenge Atigun pass in a whiteout.
I can't see.
At all.
male narrator: 110 miles North of fairbanks, hugh and Phil are treading down a steep, Two-mile hill known as The beaver slide.
hugh's doing good.
Just kind of trucking along back There.
yeah, that's what they call Me.
[horn honks.]
narrator: Every mile north Brings more fresh snow from last Night's storm.
no matter what, if it's Blowing snow, it always makes The road icy.
Ice is ice, but I mean, you're Dealing with a 9% grade here, Two miles long.
That's thethat's the sticky Part of this.
narrator: Navigating slick, Downhill grades is one of the Biggest tests in mastering the Dalton.
Picking the right gear is vital To staying in control.
Sharp breaking could cause the Trailer to jackknife.
Hugh nears the bottom of the icy Hill.
And his truck picks up speed.
[suspenseful music.]
He has to downshift before It's too late.
you bitch.
[horn honks.]
[gears scraping.]
narrator: Finally he gets it Into gear, and his truck begins To slow.
yeah.
Yeah, that'sthat's something.
Yeah.
Yeah, you bet.
narrator: Hugh, the old hand, Has made a common rookie Mistake.
if you peak over a hill and You're going too fast, you'll Have to do what I did back there And just [bleep.]
get her into a Low gear before you get the mass Right.
If you're not aware of this road And you don't respect this road, You're taking your life into Your hands.
Maybe not even your own life.
It could be somebody else's Life.
narrator: Back in Fairbanks just checking the oil.
Check the antifreeze.
narrator: Alex debogorski Gears up for his first solo run Up the dalton Even though his truck was in the Shop yesterday for a full Service.
we got alex in when I had to Throw those diehard batteries in There for him.
almost turned this truck into An electric car with all those Cranking amps.
All we'll need to start the Engine is just turn the key, And it'll drive down the road Using all thoseall that Battery power.
narrator: Before he leaves, Alex does his own check.
well, I'm screwed anyway.
I got a broken spring.
That's the start of the day.
Good morning, fairbanks.
[laughing.]
narrator: So far, alex's time In alaska has been a bust.
[gear grinds.]
He missed a gear on his first RunAnd spent most of the trip In the passenger seat.
If alex is going to ever catch Hugh, he's got to get on the Road.
good morning.
morning, alex, how we doing? well, broken spring and a low Tire.
okay.
They're doing the Traders over in the new shop.
Spring's probably gonna take a While.
Why don't we try and get you a Different one? Then I'll give you this load of Pipe that's over in the mammoth Yard.
We'll check it out, and if it's Good, we'll let you take off With that oneThat way we're Not holding you up.
we're gonna drop this trailer Off where I found it.
Problems are part of the job, You know? You get a truckload of problems.
When you buy a truck, you buy Problems.
Then you go get the load, you Go to pick up a load of Problems.
Then we haul all our problems North to prudhoe bay, unload 'em, get another load of Problems, and haul 'em back.
narrator: Halfway between Coldfoot and atigun pass Lisa kelly is moving cautiously North with her first-ever wide Load.
Her pilot car ahead is keeping A close eye on southbound Traffic.
oh, okay.
Yeah, that'd be great.
When you have an oversized load, Usually it's a lot slower going Because it's so much heavier Than normal loads and a lot More careful 'cause of how wide You are.
I mean, you gotta be careful To not go in the ditch trying to Move over.
narrator: Lisa's goal is to Get to deadhorse by nightfall, But big loads take extra time To allow for oncoming traffic To pass.
She can't stop for every Southbound truck.
[honking.]
But she certainly doesn't want To end up in a ditch either.
you gotta be aware of what You're load's doing.
'cause it hangs so far over the Trailer, it's easier that it can Like tip and stuff.
Especial like top-heavy loads When they stick up high.
narrator: She's already had One close call with a pickup Truck yesterday.
holy crap.
OhGet over! Jeez! Whoo! narrator: Now, an oncoming he's just coming up the hill Now.
[honking.]
narrator: She moves over Just inches from the edge.
trying to stay out of the Ditch here.
[dramatic music.]
That first one, man, he was Flying.
all righty.
I'll keep trucking.
thanks.
[horn honking.]
gonna see if you can hit me Too, there, buddy? [honking.]
Where did the road go? [honking.]
I swear, I was like that close.
narrator: Just south of Atigun pass Tim and george chain up to Make sure they'll have some Extra bite in the dense snow Pack over the 4,700-foot brooks Range.
okay.
Tim, better pull your pants up, Buddy.
Your butt crack's showing.
[chuckling.]
you look like a plumber out Here.
didn't meav to give you A show.
narrator: The convoy heads up The steep incline, but the road Has been reduced to a narrow Single lane.
the place right in front Of you is kind of narrow there.
yep, I see it.
narrator: On this stretch, Tim takes his lead from the Veteran.
we're just starting up the Pass.
We're gonna check our visibility Up through here, make sure we're Not meeting anybody.
narrator: George gears down Until he feels the chains grab The ice.
ooh! Son of a [bleep.]
.
Timmy, you still coming? still coming, george.
narrator: After climbing Atigun literally thousands of Times, george knows how to ward Off the effects of altitude.
I always try to chew gum when I'm goin' over the pass, because It keeps your ears from poppin', SoThat helps a little bit.
narrator: After a slow 2-mile Climb, they finally reach the Top of the pass.
we successfully made it over The pass.
We actually did pretty good.
It was better visibility than What I anticipated.
narrator: But the descent Down the north slope is even More treacherous.
The drivers must use the lower Gears and the power of the Engine to keep the trucks under Control.
One missed gear can be Disastrous.
And braking can result in An uncontrollable jackknife.
As george and tim reach the Bottom of the slope, they see The remains of just such an Accident.
It reminds george of his own Similar crash.
I looked back in the mirror, And I saw my trailer going off In the ditch.
Boom! Boom, boom! Went bounding over the hill.
Rolled over twice.
I walked out the windshield.
I don't care how good a driver You are.
If you don't have a good respect For that roadSooner or later, It'll reach out and grab you.
[ominous music.]
narrator: 8 miles behind George and tim brr! narrator: Lisa is next to Take on the treacherous atigun Pass.
the most challenging part of My job, uh, being little and Just not being able to have the Muscle that other people do.
Chaining up takes everything I have.
narrator: She throws her Entire 120 pounds into wrangling The heavy chains.
I think they're like 65 Pounds, I think.
I'm not sure.
And once again, I'm glad I Chained.
[laughs.]
Haven't regretted it yet.
narrator: As she heads for The summitThe weather takes A turn for the worse.
[wind buffeting truck.]
I can't seeAt all.
[wind whistling.]
[dramatic music.]
Fairbanks, lisa kelly is inching Up the ice towards atigun pass.
uh-oh.
All right, I just passed a Pullout here in the canyon, And, uh, it's starting to blow Pretty good down here.
narrator: With conditions Growing worse by the minute, She's forced to make an Emergency stop in the middle Of the road.
I'm putting on my big tricks.
I'm putting on a second set.
'cause it's horrible out there.
I'm getting out to chain up and Stuff.
If you can just sit in your Truck andMonitor the radio, Make sure no one comes around The corner and rear-ends me or Something.
okay.
You betcha.
Not a problem.
his job's hard.
He's gotta stay in his truck.
Holy crap.
Can't even open the door.
[laughing.]
narrator: Lisa's already Chained her front drive axle, But now she needs to chain the Rear one as wellOr else She'll never make it up the Steep slope.
these are really heavy.
These are the ones that weigh More than I do.
About 150 pounds.
These things wear me out.
And that's slack.
narrator: With added Traction, lisa resumes her Climb.
I haven't spun out on atigun Yet.
narrator: But minutes later, She's warned of a new obstacle.
yeah, keith, this is reid.
Uh, I just heard something on The cb about a truck over.
narrator: Department of Transportation officials are First on the scene.
you doing all right? yeah.
no injuries? no, no.
good, good.
ahI just kinda went Snow-blind right on there.
if you get too close to this Edge, you get sucked in, you Know? that was the wrong place.
you're gonna find that in A lot of places going up there.
I know.
I hooked on to it from here.
My locker's up.
We're just gonna drag him out.
narrator: The small grader Guns it, trying to pull more Than four times its weight from The ditch.
The dense snow holds the rig Like wet cement.
Inch by inch They manage to drag it out of The snow bank.
thanks, don.
hey, no problem, man.
I'm ready.
all righty.
narrator: With the road Cleared, lisa starts up the Steep grade toward the summit.
I must say that this is the Worst I've ever seen the pass.
I see a mountain up here, and I See a guard rail here and The rest is a guessing game.
narrator: Even with chains on Every drive wheel, lisa's truck Barely clings to the ice.
the problem is is what do you Do when you spin out fully Chained? I don't know.
narrator: While lisa's pilot Car driver scouts for oncoming Traffic, she struggles to stay On the road.
I already can't hardly see, And I'm barely moving here, So I'm goingyeah, I'm in the Middle.
maybe if I could shift narrator: Lisa considers Shifting to a lower gear for Added traction.
But one wrong move could send Her spinning over the edge.
I don't want to shift.
Oh, wow, it's deep.
[dramatic music.]
narrator: It's slow going All the way to the top.
okay, we made it over atigun.
We're alive.
We didn't hit anything or Anyone.
narrator: Lisa made the climb Intact.
But her pilot car was not so Lucky.
wellI lost a wheel Bearing.
And in the process of doing so, It took out one of the brake Calipers.
'cause I've got a wheel that's Now leaning.
SoUnfortunately, she won't Have a pilot from here on.
narrator: For the remaining Completely on her own.
Is stranded in deadhorse we're stuck in camp.
We can't go anywhere if we Wanted to.
narrator: Waiting for a break In the weather.
this is the safest place to Be right now till the wind Dies down.
Figure out when we can get out Of here, when we get the pilot Cars back into town.
The weather service has said, Uh, it's not gonna last too much Longer.
That way we can all get back to Our business and get this stuff Done.
narrator: Every hour jack is Delayed means lost money and Fewer loads delivered for Carlile.
Carlile trucking is a central Player in oil production in the State of alaska.
this winter, 2008, 2009 Winter's shaping up to Probably be one of the busiest We've seen the last ten years.
My brother and I started carlile Transportation in 1980.
Both of us were driving trucks.
About 1985, we started probably Our first call to prudhoe bay.
Carlile now is operating about A hundred class-a tractors Out of fairbanks here.
Routinel a full-time Prudhoe bay driver's can make Well over 100,000 a year.
narrator: At carlile Headquarters in fairbanks pissing around back there.
narrator: Alex is still Trying to make his first buck.
He's picking up a new trailer to Replace the one with the broken Spring.
[sighing.]
oh, lord.
Hi, mr.
Mccahan? hi, jack mccahan.
What's your name? alex debogorski.
alex? yes, sir.
okay.
narrator: Jack mccahan is a Veteran trucker who will lead Alex on his first solo run up The haul road with a this Pretty dangerous to haul.
See how slick it is? narrator: 50-foot lengths of Pipe are commonly used on oil Rigs, but transporting them can Be hazardous if they're not Properly anchored with straps.
If unsecured in a sudden stop, The pipes could pierce the cab And kill the driver.
I've tightened everything up.
We're ready to head north to Prudhoe bay now.
okay, alex, I'll meet you up At the hilltop.
okay, good enough.
narrator: Alex and jack Depart for the 500-mile journey, Where alex will face the biggest Challenge of his career.
you're always looking out for Surprises.
So they're good surprises if They don't turn into bad Surprises.
[laughing.]
narrator: 100 miles from FairbanksAlex is on his Virgin run up the ice road.
we're the new guys, you know.
We've only been here for a Couple days.
Like, this is only our second Trip.
I mean, these guys have made This road.
I think we still have to prove Ourselves.
narrator: On this trip, alex Is being led by a true haul road Veteran.
I am following another truck.
Uh, jack mccahanhe's about Alex is doing lovely.
He calls about once an hour to See whether I'm still breathing.
That's about the only thing I've Heard from jack.
[laughing.]
The ice on this road is Different than sea ice or river Ice or lake ice.
This is ice on a road, and it Can cause problems because of The steep grades and the Mountain's conditions and the Ditches, or cliffs, on the side Of the road.
narrator: Alex has navigated Over the roller coaster and down The long descent known as the Beaver slide.
But he's still nervous about his Unfamiliar transmission.
well, this transmission's Called the super ten, and the Place I'm having trouble with it Is in coming from seventh back Into sixth.
So a person has to be actually A little extra cautious making That.
narrator: Missing a gear on The ice could cause him to lose Control of the truck.
son of a bitch.
narrator: It was a mistake he Already made on his first trip, And it landed him straight in The passenger seat.
I'm still moving, so we're Doing all right.
narrator: 183 miles north Hugh and phil have chained up For hugh's first attempt at Atigun pass.
well, if I got chains on, you Don't worry about nothing.
[horn honking.]
narrator: But atigun's long And narrow climb to 4,700 feet Is a challenge for even the most Experienced drivers.
And it takes all of hugh's Concentration to make the Ascent.
[rumbling.]
As he crests the summit He picks up speed And finds himself just where he Doesn't want to be.
right on phil's ass again.
I must've caught up to him here, 'cause I come around the corner And there he is on the way down.
well, damn it, just be Careful.
narrator: Braking on an icy Downhill means possibly losing All traction.
As he closes in on phil's truck, He makes a desperate downshift.
The gear engages Just in time.
if I would've missed a gear, I would've probably started [bleep.]
freewheeling down the Hill, so I didn't.
I got lucky.
[laughing.]
narrator: At the bottom of The pass, hugh and phil pull Over to remove their chains.
yeah, I come right up on you There.
yeah, you would've had Bragging rightssocking a fuel Tanker on the pass.
narrator: In no time, hugh is Back on the road, racing to Deadhorse.
if people push hard, they can Make three trips a week.
If you don't push hard, you're Gonna make two trips a week.
But you got to get the load from Point "a" to point "b" in such And such a time, or you're not Gonna make any money.
[horn honks.]
narrator: 75 miles south, Alex and jack pull into coldfoot To discuss their next move.
I don't know.
We got an awful late start out Of town.
Usually get a lot earlier.
I don't know.
What do you think about maybe Just hanging out here tonight And leaving here about 4:00 in The morning? 'cause then we leave here, Couple hours it'll be getting Daylight.
We're gonna have to chain for The big hill anyway.
narrator: Alex has no choice But to follow jack's lead, even Though staying in coldfoot means Falling further behind.
Lisa is passing through the Desolate arctic tundra known as The bluffs.
Lisa is without a pilot car and Battling a fierce snowstorm Alone.
crap.
narrator: The light from Lisa's powerful headlamps is Reflected back by the wall of Snow.
Any faster and she risks going Off the road.
Finally, the lights of deadhorse Are in sight.
this has been a pretty wild Triplots of chaining up, lots Of getting stuck, my first Oversized, first pilot car, First everything.
I would say it's all downhill From here, but I'm pretty sure It can get worse.
It's slow going, and it's Painful, and I have a headache, And I just want to go to bed.
And it's been days since I talked to my sweetie 'cause I've been stuck out here, but I made it.
narrator: After a treacherous Two days on the road it's all clear, tim.
We can put them around if you Want.
narrator: George and tim are Finally closing in on deadhorse.
we spent the night at Coldfoot rather than coming up Here, so we're a good 12 hours, Maybe a little more, behind.
be nice when we're finally There, and, um, got this load Dropped.
It'll be number two for me.
narrator: Tim has survived The haul road once again and put An extra 1,300 bucks in his Pocket.
I get paid by the trip, Of course, not by the hour or The day.
So I mean, if it takes a little Longer to make a trip, uh, it Costs me.
That's the part about driving up Here.
You can't just run through this Stuff.
A lot of guys do it, and a lot Of guys make it, but they got a Lot more experience than I do.
narrator: For george, this Trip is more than just another Job well done.
I've known tim's father for a Long time, and I've only known Tim here for probably ten years Or better, but I feel really Responsible, because it's a Friend of mine's boy, and I'm A little more cautious and Concerned because it's somebody I know.
oh, george is great.
I couldn't think of anybody else Better to follow.
I've known him since I was a Little kid.
So I mean, it's justjust makes It that much better.
You know, it's like following my Uncle around up here, you know? narrator: They pull into the Carlile terminal in deadhorse Half a day behind schedule but In one piece.
I believe that tim freeman Here is gonna do a great job.
He's got good common sense.
He was raised in a truck.
His dad taught him really well.
The biggest difference between Me and tim freeman is I know This road, every inch of it.
Now, he has to learn it yet.
narrator: Just after dawn we're here in prudhoe now.
narrator: Hugh successfully Completes his first solo trip on The dalton, and he's already Feeling like an old pro.
I think the ice scares a lot Of people away.
That's the biggest factor, isn't It? You got to love what you do.
If you don't love what you do, You're not gonna do this job, That's for damn sure.
We want to get out of here as Soon as possible before we get Snowed in up here.
Well, we're gonna try to get out Of here as soon as we can.
narrator: Hugh's not wasting Any time.
He plans to turn and burn.
there's my load waiting for Me.
There it is, ready to rock.
Hey, polar bear's got the right Of way in the north, always.
No matter if I'm in the [bleep.]
Northwest territories, inuvik, [bleep.]
alaska, polar bear's got The right of way.
Here we go.
I have to wait for security.
narrator: Jack jessee was Stranded in deadhorse for Now that it's let up, he's been Given one last mission before Heading back to fairbanks.
yeah, so we went in and Talked with dispatch, and they Called the people out in the oil Field, and they want this thing Right away.
narrator: A load of 80-foot Pipe needs to be delivered Offshore oil rig in the arctic Sea.
[ice creaking.]
[ice cracking.]
there's only so many days up Here in the wintertime to get Things done.
There's a limited amount of time To get everything with that oil Rig loaded up with things that They can't fly in in the summer.
They make the road every winter, And it's only open for a certain Amount of time.
So that particular point of the Road is more like those ice road Truckers in canada.
Narrator: 80,000 pounds Over just a few inches of ice.
The speed limit is ten miles per Hour.
Any faster and you risk breaking Through.
get a little nervous.
You're going slower.
Your heart beats a little bit Faster.
But we've got it here now.
The guys are gonna show me where They want me to drop it at.
[truck hisses.]
Probably be able to set this Thing tomorrow.
I think the wind's supposed to Die down.
And everybody will be happy.
narrator: After two weeks on The ice road, jack and george Are tied with three loads Apiece, and hugh rowland has Made personal history in America.
oh, what do you think so far? well, she's quite a haul Road, that's for sure.
I've heard about this road since I was a little kid, since I was A teenager.
I always wanted to come over and Try it.
Jeez, I made it to the dalton Game, so I'mI did pretty good.
I'm pretty proud of myself, Pretty honored.
[horn honking.]
That's a lot of pie for me.
I mean, I getI can kick her Right in the ass.
narrator: And jack ventures Out over the arctic ocean.
get a little nervous.
You're going slower.
Your heart beats a little bit Faster.
narrator: At the top of the World [horn honks.]
There's a job only a few Would dare.
[horn honks.]
Just when you thought extreme Trucking couldn't get more Dangerous, ice road truckers Take on alaska.
[aerosmith's livin' on the edge.]
livin' on the edge narrator: These are the Truckers who make their living On thin ice.
livin' on the edge you can't help yourself you can't help yourself livin' on the edge you can't help yourself from falling livin' on the edge yeah, yeah narrator: It's just ten days Into alaska's new ice road Season, and a massive winter Storm is blasting the region From the arctic circle to Prudhoe bay.
It's a phase three whiteout, And no trucks are on the road, Except for one.
Dalton ace jack jessee is Navigating through the eye of The storm with a 50,000-pound, Of pipe rack.
the storm's moving in really Fast.
It's gonna get pretty intense Out here tonight.
I don't know what's gonna Happen, but I'm gonna keep Going.
narrator: Winds are gusting At 70 miles an hour, and Visibility is near zero.
I can't see anything.
I can't see the road.
So we just got to go really slow And take it easy.
So it's blowing really hard like This, and you're running only The most, it can make for a Really long night.
narrator: The only thing Guiding jack are three-foot tall Reflective posts placed 100 feet Apart.
you got to pay attention a Lot through this.
Not only to staying on the road, Seeing a delineator.
Right now the problem is there Are no delineators.
So I literallyI have to sit Up, look straight down, and find The road.
narrator: After 13 years on The dalton, jack knows this road Lies in wait for the smallest Driver error.
this road, just, it always Takes paying attention to.
You just can't relax on this Road.
It's a job.
And it's work all the way.
narrator: If jack stops now, He could become stranded in the Storm.
I'm doing, like, 20.
Just got to wait for the Reflectors to show back up.
narrator: He's just 50 miles From the safety of deadhorse this ain't gonna get any Better.
narrator: And has no choice But to push forward.
if you look directly into Your headlights driving this Stuff, you will drive right off The road.
You'll tend to just drive Whichever way the wind's Blowing.
You'll just steer it right off The road.
Mother nature does that to you.
Tricks you.
You got to ignore the Headlights, look through them, And find the road back behind You.
narrator: 160 miles south at Coldfoot More than 50 truckers, including George spears, tim freeman, and Lisa kelly, have taken refuge From the storm.
It's a heavy financial setback For all, as they wait for news About a break in the weather.
"blowing snow.
Drifting snow.
Icy patches.
" That part we knew.
"driving conditions difficult.
" That was a big help.
narrator: 500 miles to the South at the carlile fairbanks Terminal, hugh rowland arrives Before his rival, Alex debogorski.
I'll probably have to pass Him like usual a couple times A day.
While he's napping.
narrator: This will be hugh's First solo trip over the ice.
His first run north ended before It began.
Hugh was demoted to the Passenger seat after taking a Corner too fast.
Now he's given one more shot to Drive it.
He'll be following 12-year Veteran, phil kromm.
if everybody's ready, we can Head on up there.
yeah, you bet.
Everybody's ready to roll.
Everything's turning.
I'm loaded for bear.
Make way.
The polar bear's coming through.
[laughs.]
narrator: Near the entrance To the ice road, hugh and phil Get the last chance to fill Their tanks for 175 miles.
yeah, there's no service Stations up there now.
And I need full tanks to get up.
yeah, this one's about 375.
narrator: Topping off a big Rig costs upwards of $1,000.
okay, everybody ready? big 10-4.
Here we are.
We're full of motion lotion, And we're ready to rock and roll Down the dalton.
narrator: A few miles later, The pavement gives way to solid Ice.
Hugh has met alaska's ice road On his own for the first time.
I love rocking and rolling Down these dangerous roads.
I think it's pretty cool.
Not everybody gets to do this, And I'm doing it.
These highways here are known All over the world.
All over the world.
I'm making history every [bleep.]
Trip I make.
narrator: On the other end of The road, it's taking all of Jack's concentration just to Stay on the ice.
I can still feel the wind Trying to blow the truck over to The right.
I'm having to fight the wheel A little bit just to keep it in The center of the road.
narrator: He has just ten Miles left to go.
As he nears deadhorse The storm begins to clear.
prudhoe.
Just 50 miles.
Hours.
narrator: Jack finally Arrives at the carlile yard.
Once more, the ace has succeeded On a road few dare to tread.
I think we're here.
We're there.
We're done for the night.
Look forward to getting into bed And taking a big, long nap.
narrator: As a new day Begins [bird squawking.]
The storm has cleared, but the Dangers have increased.
An army of d.
O.
T.
Employees Work furiously to clear the Aftermath before excess snow and Ice put another trucker over the Edge.
fire! narrator: An avalanche crew Blasts snow off the Mountainside.
did you holler at me, mark? narrator: And ken bear is First over the ice to clear a Path with a high-speed plow.
the whole reason for the Dalton highway is it's a supply Line to the prudhoe bay oil Fields.
It's our job to keep it Maintained.
We clean up the center of the Road first, 'cause that's where All the traffic drives.
We don't want to over plow it, 'cause then when the traffic Passes each other, if they get Over too far, they'll catch the Edge, end up in the snowbank, And that's not a good thing.
narrator: At the coldfoot Truck stop, the stranded drivers Begin to move out.
The break in weather means Finally catching up on lost Cash.
ah.
The sun's creeping out.
Quit snowing.
It's not blowing as hard up on The pass.
North of the pass it's still Blowing a little bit.
Nothing like it was before, so We're gonna get up there and see If we can't get ourselves all The way from prudhoe today.
narrator: Rookie tim freeman Is taking his second load north On the ice.
During the first half of this Trip, he survived a harrowing Whiteout.
Still coming, george.
I can't see a [bleep.]
thing now.
narrator: Guiding him is Family friend, george spears.
hot damn.
narrator: This year, george Plans on retiring from the haul Road, but not before he's taught Tim enough to survive.
we're ready to go.
Get as much daylight as you can.
back on 19, george? yes, I am.
okay, narrow two on the big One.
narrator: They head north.
Each with nearly six tons of Construction supplies.
Up ahead, atigun pass, the Steepest and most dangerous part Of the dalton.
we'll be anticipating quite a Few drifting areas this morning.
The pass and the shelf will Probably be hard to get over.
Be a lot of snow up there.
And then there will be a lot of One-lane places between here and Prudhoe bay.
We'll have to be watchful for That.
[horn honks.]
narrator: Back at coldfoot, By mid morning most trucks have Left, but lisa kelly has waited Till last.
all the trucks are gone.
Hopefully all these guys will Break the trail up there for me, And we'll just walk right up it.
That's the idea, anyway, or else We're all gonna be stuck up the Road.
[laughs.]
We're ready.
we rolling? narrator: After almost two Years as a driver at carlile, This is lisa's first heavy haul Loadsix truck tires, 12-feet Wide and 14-feet high.
Anything oversized or overweight Brings in bigger bucks.
this year's goal, the only Goal I really have is doing, Like, oversizebigger stuff, Just because it's challenging, And then when you get all done You're like, "yay, look what I Just did.
" So The load's got to get there, and If I get stuck, there's nobody Else that's gonna do it for me.
I'm the only one who's gonna get It there.
So I better figure it out.
narrator: Lisa's next Challenge Atigun pass in a whiteout.
I can't see.
At all.
male narrator: 110 miles North of fairbanks, hugh and Phil are treading down a steep, Two-mile hill known as The beaver slide.
hugh's doing good.
Just kind of trucking along back There.
yeah, that's what they call Me.
[horn honks.]
narrator: Every mile north Brings more fresh snow from last Night's storm.
no matter what, if it's Blowing snow, it always makes The road icy.
Ice is ice, but I mean, you're Dealing with a 9% grade here, Two miles long.
That's thethat's the sticky Part of this.
narrator: Navigating slick, Downhill grades is one of the Biggest tests in mastering the Dalton.
Picking the right gear is vital To staying in control.
Sharp breaking could cause the Trailer to jackknife.
Hugh nears the bottom of the icy Hill.
And his truck picks up speed.
[suspenseful music.]
He has to downshift before It's too late.
you bitch.
[horn honks.]
[gears scraping.]
narrator: Finally he gets it Into gear, and his truck begins To slow.
yeah.
Yeah, that'sthat's something.
Yeah.
Yeah, you bet.
narrator: Hugh, the old hand, Has made a common rookie Mistake.
if you peak over a hill and You're going too fast, you'll Have to do what I did back there And just [bleep.]
get her into a Low gear before you get the mass Right.
If you're not aware of this road And you don't respect this road, You're taking your life into Your hands.
Maybe not even your own life.
It could be somebody else's Life.
narrator: Back in Fairbanks just checking the oil.
Check the antifreeze.
narrator: Alex debogorski Gears up for his first solo run Up the dalton Even though his truck was in the Shop yesterday for a full Service.
we got alex in when I had to Throw those diehard batteries in There for him.
almost turned this truck into An electric car with all those Cranking amps.
All we'll need to start the Engine is just turn the key, And it'll drive down the road Using all thoseall that Battery power.
narrator: Before he leaves, Alex does his own check.
well, I'm screwed anyway.
I got a broken spring.
That's the start of the day.
Good morning, fairbanks.
[laughing.]
narrator: So far, alex's time In alaska has been a bust.
[gear grinds.]
He missed a gear on his first RunAnd spent most of the trip In the passenger seat.
If alex is going to ever catch Hugh, he's got to get on the Road.
good morning.
morning, alex, how we doing? well, broken spring and a low Tire.
okay.
They're doing the Traders over in the new shop.
Spring's probably gonna take a While.
Why don't we try and get you a Different one? Then I'll give you this load of Pipe that's over in the mammoth Yard.
We'll check it out, and if it's Good, we'll let you take off With that oneThat way we're Not holding you up.
we're gonna drop this trailer Off where I found it.
Problems are part of the job, You know? You get a truckload of problems.
When you buy a truck, you buy Problems.
Then you go get the load, you Go to pick up a load of Problems.
Then we haul all our problems North to prudhoe bay, unload 'em, get another load of Problems, and haul 'em back.
narrator: Halfway between Coldfoot and atigun pass Lisa kelly is moving cautiously North with her first-ever wide Load.
Her pilot car ahead is keeping A close eye on southbound Traffic.
oh, okay.
Yeah, that'd be great.
When you have an oversized load, Usually it's a lot slower going Because it's so much heavier Than normal loads and a lot More careful 'cause of how wide You are.
I mean, you gotta be careful To not go in the ditch trying to Move over.
narrator: Lisa's goal is to Get to deadhorse by nightfall, But big loads take extra time To allow for oncoming traffic To pass.
She can't stop for every Southbound truck.
[honking.]
But she certainly doesn't want To end up in a ditch either.
you gotta be aware of what You're load's doing.
'cause it hangs so far over the Trailer, it's easier that it can Like tip and stuff.
Especial like top-heavy loads When they stick up high.
narrator: She's already had One close call with a pickup Truck yesterday.
holy crap.
OhGet over! Jeez! Whoo! narrator: Now, an oncoming he's just coming up the hill Now.
[honking.]
narrator: She moves over Just inches from the edge.
trying to stay out of the Ditch here.
[dramatic music.]
That first one, man, he was Flying.
all righty.
I'll keep trucking.
thanks.
[horn honking.]
gonna see if you can hit me Too, there, buddy? [honking.]
Where did the road go? [honking.]
I swear, I was like that close.
narrator: Just south of Atigun pass Tim and george chain up to Make sure they'll have some Extra bite in the dense snow Pack over the 4,700-foot brooks Range.
okay.
Tim, better pull your pants up, Buddy.
Your butt crack's showing.
[chuckling.]
you look like a plumber out Here.
didn't meav to give you A show.
narrator: The convoy heads up The steep incline, but the road Has been reduced to a narrow Single lane.
the place right in front Of you is kind of narrow there.
yep, I see it.
narrator: On this stretch, Tim takes his lead from the Veteran.
we're just starting up the Pass.
We're gonna check our visibility Up through here, make sure we're Not meeting anybody.
narrator: George gears down Until he feels the chains grab The ice.
ooh! Son of a [bleep.]
.
Timmy, you still coming? still coming, george.
narrator: After climbing Atigun literally thousands of Times, george knows how to ward Off the effects of altitude.
I always try to chew gum when I'm goin' over the pass, because It keeps your ears from poppin', SoThat helps a little bit.
narrator: After a slow 2-mile Climb, they finally reach the Top of the pass.
we successfully made it over The pass.
We actually did pretty good.
It was better visibility than What I anticipated.
narrator: But the descent Down the north slope is even More treacherous.
The drivers must use the lower Gears and the power of the Engine to keep the trucks under Control.
One missed gear can be Disastrous.
And braking can result in An uncontrollable jackknife.
As george and tim reach the Bottom of the slope, they see The remains of just such an Accident.
It reminds george of his own Similar crash.
I looked back in the mirror, And I saw my trailer going off In the ditch.
Boom! Boom, boom! Went bounding over the hill.
Rolled over twice.
I walked out the windshield.
I don't care how good a driver You are.
If you don't have a good respect For that roadSooner or later, It'll reach out and grab you.
[ominous music.]
narrator: 8 miles behind George and tim brr! narrator: Lisa is next to Take on the treacherous atigun Pass.
the most challenging part of My job, uh, being little and Just not being able to have the Muscle that other people do.
Chaining up takes everything I have.
narrator: She throws her Entire 120 pounds into wrangling The heavy chains.
I think they're like 65 Pounds, I think.
I'm not sure.
And once again, I'm glad I Chained.
[laughs.]
Haven't regretted it yet.
narrator: As she heads for The summitThe weather takes A turn for the worse.
[wind buffeting truck.]
I can't seeAt all.
[wind whistling.]
[dramatic music.]
Fairbanks, lisa kelly is inching Up the ice towards atigun pass.
uh-oh.
All right, I just passed a Pullout here in the canyon, And, uh, it's starting to blow Pretty good down here.
narrator: With conditions Growing worse by the minute, She's forced to make an Emergency stop in the middle Of the road.
I'm putting on my big tricks.
I'm putting on a second set.
'cause it's horrible out there.
I'm getting out to chain up and Stuff.
If you can just sit in your Truck andMonitor the radio, Make sure no one comes around The corner and rear-ends me or Something.
okay.
You betcha.
Not a problem.
his job's hard.
He's gotta stay in his truck.
Holy crap.
Can't even open the door.
[laughing.]
narrator: Lisa's already Chained her front drive axle, But now she needs to chain the Rear one as wellOr else She'll never make it up the Steep slope.
these are really heavy.
These are the ones that weigh More than I do.
About 150 pounds.
These things wear me out.
And that's slack.
narrator: With added Traction, lisa resumes her Climb.
I haven't spun out on atigun Yet.
narrator: But minutes later, She's warned of a new obstacle.
yeah, keith, this is reid.
Uh, I just heard something on The cb about a truck over.
narrator: Department of Transportation officials are First on the scene.
you doing all right? yeah.
no injuries? no, no.
good, good.
ahI just kinda went Snow-blind right on there.
if you get too close to this Edge, you get sucked in, you Know? that was the wrong place.
you're gonna find that in A lot of places going up there.
I know.
I hooked on to it from here.
My locker's up.
We're just gonna drag him out.
narrator: The small grader Guns it, trying to pull more Than four times its weight from The ditch.
The dense snow holds the rig Like wet cement.
Inch by inch They manage to drag it out of The snow bank.
thanks, don.
hey, no problem, man.
I'm ready.
all righty.
narrator: With the road Cleared, lisa starts up the Steep grade toward the summit.
I must say that this is the Worst I've ever seen the pass.
I see a mountain up here, and I See a guard rail here and The rest is a guessing game.
narrator: Even with chains on Every drive wheel, lisa's truck Barely clings to the ice.
the problem is is what do you Do when you spin out fully Chained? I don't know.
narrator: While lisa's pilot Car driver scouts for oncoming Traffic, she struggles to stay On the road.
I already can't hardly see, And I'm barely moving here, So I'm goingyeah, I'm in the Middle.
maybe if I could shift narrator: Lisa considers Shifting to a lower gear for Added traction.
But one wrong move could send Her spinning over the edge.
I don't want to shift.
Oh, wow, it's deep.
[dramatic music.]
narrator: It's slow going All the way to the top.
okay, we made it over atigun.
We're alive.
We didn't hit anything or Anyone.
narrator: Lisa made the climb Intact.
But her pilot car was not so Lucky.
wellI lost a wheel Bearing.
And in the process of doing so, It took out one of the brake Calipers.
'cause I've got a wheel that's Now leaning.
SoUnfortunately, she won't Have a pilot from here on.
narrator: For the remaining Completely on her own.
Is stranded in deadhorse we're stuck in camp.
We can't go anywhere if we Wanted to.
narrator: Waiting for a break In the weather.
this is the safest place to Be right now till the wind Dies down.
Figure out when we can get out Of here, when we get the pilot Cars back into town.
The weather service has said, Uh, it's not gonna last too much Longer.
That way we can all get back to Our business and get this stuff Done.
narrator: Every hour jack is Delayed means lost money and Fewer loads delivered for Carlile.
Carlile trucking is a central Player in oil production in the State of alaska.
this winter, 2008, 2009 Winter's shaping up to Probably be one of the busiest We've seen the last ten years.
My brother and I started carlile Transportation in 1980.
Both of us were driving trucks.
About 1985, we started probably Our first call to prudhoe bay.
Carlile now is operating about A hundred class-a tractors Out of fairbanks here.
Routinel a full-time Prudhoe bay driver's can make Well over 100,000 a year.
narrator: At carlile Headquarters in fairbanks pissing around back there.
narrator: Alex is still Trying to make his first buck.
He's picking up a new trailer to Replace the one with the broken Spring.
[sighing.]
oh, lord.
Hi, mr.
Mccahan? hi, jack mccahan.
What's your name? alex debogorski.
alex? yes, sir.
okay.
narrator: Jack mccahan is a Veteran trucker who will lead Alex on his first solo run up The haul road with a this Pretty dangerous to haul.
See how slick it is? narrator: 50-foot lengths of Pipe are commonly used on oil Rigs, but transporting them can Be hazardous if they're not Properly anchored with straps.
If unsecured in a sudden stop, The pipes could pierce the cab And kill the driver.
I've tightened everything up.
We're ready to head north to Prudhoe bay now.
okay, alex, I'll meet you up At the hilltop.
okay, good enough.
narrator: Alex and jack Depart for the 500-mile journey, Where alex will face the biggest Challenge of his career.
you're always looking out for Surprises.
So they're good surprises if They don't turn into bad Surprises.
[laughing.]
narrator: 100 miles from FairbanksAlex is on his Virgin run up the ice road.
we're the new guys, you know.
We've only been here for a Couple days.
Like, this is only our second Trip.
I mean, these guys have made This road.
I think we still have to prove Ourselves.
narrator: On this trip, alex Is being led by a true haul road Veteran.
I am following another truck.
Uh, jack mccahanhe's about Alex is doing lovely.
He calls about once an hour to See whether I'm still breathing.
That's about the only thing I've Heard from jack.
[laughing.]
The ice on this road is Different than sea ice or river Ice or lake ice.
This is ice on a road, and it Can cause problems because of The steep grades and the Mountain's conditions and the Ditches, or cliffs, on the side Of the road.
narrator: Alex has navigated Over the roller coaster and down The long descent known as the Beaver slide.
But he's still nervous about his Unfamiliar transmission.
well, this transmission's Called the super ten, and the Place I'm having trouble with it Is in coming from seventh back Into sixth.
So a person has to be actually A little extra cautious making That.
narrator: Missing a gear on The ice could cause him to lose Control of the truck.
son of a bitch.
narrator: It was a mistake he Already made on his first trip, And it landed him straight in The passenger seat.
I'm still moving, so we're Doing all right.
narrator: 183 miles north Hugh and phil have chained up For hugh's first attempt at Atigun pass.
well, if I got chains on, you Don't worry about nothing.
[horn honking.]
narrator: But atigun's long And narrow climb to 4,700 feet Is a challenge for even the most Experienced drivers.
And it takes all of hugh's Concentration to make the Ascent.
[rumbling.]
As he crests the summit He picks up speed And finds himself just where he Doesn't want to be.
right on phil's ass again.
I must've caught up to him here, 'cause I come around the corner And there he is on the way down.
well, damn it, just be Careful.
narrator: Braking on an icy Downhill means possibly losing All traction.
As he closes in on phil's truck, He makes a desperate downshift.
The gear engages Just in time.
if I would've missed a gear, I would've probably started [bleep.]
freewheeling down the Hill, so I didn't.
I got lucky.
[laughing.]
narrator: At the bottom of The pass, hugh and phil pull Over to remove their chains.
yeah, I come right up on you There.
yeah, you would've had Bragging rightssocking a fuel Tanker on the pass.
narrator: In no time, hugh is Back on the road, racing to Deadhorse.
if people push hard, they can Make three trips a week.
If you don't push hard, you're Gonna make two trips a week.
But you got to get the load from Point "a" to point "b" in such And such a time, or you're not Gonna make any money.
[horn honks.]
narrator: 75 miles south, Alex and jack pull into coldfoot To discuss their next move.
I don't know.
We got an awful late start out Of town.
Usually get a lot earlier.
I don't know.
What do you think about maybe Just hanging out here tonight And leaving here about 4:00 in The morning? 'cause then we leave here, Couple hours it'll be getting Daylight.
We're gonna have to chain for The big hill anyway.
narrator: Alex has no choice But to follow jack's lead, even Though staying in coldfoot means Falling further behind.
Lisa is passing through the Desolate arctic tundra known as The bluffs.
Lisa is without a pilot car and Battling a fierce snowstorm Alone.
crap.
narrator: The light from Lisa's powerful headlamps is Reflected back by the wall of Snow.
Any faster and she risks going Off the road.
Finally, the lights of deadhorse Are in sight.
this has been a pretty wild Triplots of chaining up, lots Of getting stuck, my first Oversized, first pilot car, First everything.
I would say it's all downhill From here, but I'm pretty sure It can get worse.
It's slow going, and it's Painful, and I have a headache, And I just want to go to bed.
And it's been days since I talked to my sweetie 'cause I've been stuck out here, but I made it.
narrator: After a treacherous Two days on the road it's all clear, tim.
We can put them around if you Want.
narrator: George and tim are Finally closing in on deadhorse.
we spent the night at Coldfoot rather than coming up Here, so we're a good 12 hours, Maybe a little more, behind.
be nice when we're finally There, and, um, got this load Dropped.
It'll be number two for me.
narrator: Tim has survived The haul road once again and put An extra 1,300 bucks in his Pocket.
I get paid by the trip, Of course, not by the hour or The day.
So I mean, if it takes a little Longer to make a trip, uh, it Costs me.
That's the part about driving up Here.
You can't just run through this Stuff.
A lot of guys do it, and a lot Of guys make it, but they got a Lot more experience than I do.
narrator: For george, this Trip is more than just another Job well done.
I've known tim's father for a Long time, and I've only known Tim here for probably ten years Or better, but I feel really Responsible, because it's a Friend of mine's boy, and I'm A little more cautious and Concerned because it's somebody I know.
oh, george is great.
I couldn't think of anybody else Better to follow.
I've known him since I was a Little kid.
So I mean, it's justjust makes It that much better.
You know, it's like following my Uncle around up here, you know? narrator: They pull into the Carlile terminal in deadhorse Half a day behind schedule but In one piece.
I believe that tim freeman Here is gonna do a great job.
He's got good common sense.
He was raised in a truck.
His dad taught him really well.
The biggest difference between Me and tim freeman is I know This road, every inch of it.
Now, he has to learn it yet.
narrator: Just after dawn we're here in prudhoe now.
narrator: Hugh successfully Completes his first solo trip on The dalton, and he's already Feeling like an old pro.
I think the ice scares a lot Of people away.
That's the biggest factor, isn't It? You got to love what you do.
If you don't love what you do, You're not gonna do this job, That's for damn sure.
We want to get out of here as Soon as possible before we get Snowed in up here.
Well, we're gonna try to get out Of here as soon as we can.
narrator: Hugh's not wasting Any time.
He plans to turn and burn.
there's my load waiting for Me.
There it is, ready to rock.
Hey, polar bear's got the right Of way in the north, always.
No matter if I'm in the [bleep.]
Northwest territories, inuvik, [bleep.]
alaska, polar bear's got The right of way.
Here we go.
I have to wait for security.
narrator: Jack jessee was Stranded in deadhorse for Now that it's let up, he's been Given one last mission before Heading back to fairbanks.
yeah, so we went in and Talked with dispatch, and they Called the people out in the oil Field, and they want this thing Right away.
narrator: A load of 80-foot Pipe needs to be delivered Offshore oil rig in the arctic Sea.
[ice creaking.]
[ice cracking.]
there's only so many days up Here in the wintertime to get Things done.
There's a limited amount of time To get everything with that oil Rig loaded up with things that They can't fly in in the summer.
They make the road every winter, And it's only open for a certain Amount of time.
So that particular point of the Road is more like those ice road Truckers in canada.
Narrator: 80,000 pounds Over just a few inches of ice.
The speed limit is ten miles per Hour.
Any faster and you risk breaking Through.
get a little nervous.
You're going slower.
Your heart beats a little bit Faster.
But we've got it here now.
The guys are gonna show me where They want me to drop it at.
[truck hisses.]
Probably be able to set this Thing tomorrow.
I think the wind's supposed to Die down.
And everybody will be happy.
narrator: After two weeks on The ice road, jack and george Are tied with three loads Apiece, and hugh rowland has Made personal history in America.
oh, what do you think so far? well, she's quite a haul Road, that's for sure.
I've heard about this road since I was a little kid, since I was A teenager.
I always wanted to come over and Try it.
Jeez, I made it to the dalton Game, so I'mI did pretty good.
I'm pretty proud of myself, Pretty honored.
[horn honking.]