Ice Road Truckers (2007) s03e12 Episode Script
Race for the Finish
Really dangerous.
narrator: There's just a Few days left.
[bleep.]
like this.
narrator: Truckers face Deadly springtime conditions sleet! Sleet! narrator:To haul the last Freight north hopefully we can get a few More in.
narrator: Before all the Ice roads melt away.
it's going to get really bad.
[horn honks.]
[aerosmith's living on the edge.]
living on the edge these are the truckers who Make their living on thin ice.
living on the edge you can't help yourself you can't help yourself we're living on the edge you can't help yourself from falling living on the edge yeah, yeah narrator: Spring's Unpredictable weather has Brought a sudden storm, and with It, high winds and thick, heavy Snow.
Debogorski and convoy partner Ron dubbs are pushing through, Hoping to reach coldfoot Tonight.
well, we've got 60 miles to Go, and it's been snowing for The last 15 minutes or so.
The snow is melting on the Ground and on the road Because we're right around the Freezing mark, and this is what Makes it kind of dangerous.
It's hard to see it, and it's Hard to tell what's happening.
narrator: As alex struggles To see the road, ron radios in With even bigger troubles.
oh! I'm leaking oil all over my Turbo.
That'sthat's what I'm Smelling.
It's spraying all the way up Here.
here, up here? yeah, it'sit's spraying Out.
back there.
it seems to be really getting It, so it's all over the place.
holy mackerel.
narrator: The leak is coming From a busted oil line.
they can't run it like that.
It'll just pump oil out all over The ground, and I'dI'd run Out of oil, even though we Only have 30 miles to coldfoot.
Can't even run it that far.
I need to get another abraded Line.
narrator: Repairing the truck Will have to wait until morning.
jack this thing in here, but Then I'll give you a ride into Coldfoot.
narrator: It's an unfortunate Setback that could cost alex one Of his last loads on the ice.
I don't know how long it'll Be, waiting for the part to Come.
Time is money and, uh, it'll Probably cost me some time too.
narrator: As day breaks in Fairbanks, lisa kelly has just Been assigned one of the last Top-dollar runs of the season.
I'm gonna go over and scale This and see how much I weigh, And then get out of town.
Just drive straight to prudhoe.
Let's just go.
[laughs.]
narrator: But as she prepares To take off it still hasn't stopped Making noise yet? narrator: Lisa discovers a Problem with her trailer.
why am I losing all my air? It's not narrator: Without air Pressure, the brakes won't Release and the trailer won't Budge.
[engine revs.]
I don't kno I don't get it.
One of those days, can you tell? It won't stop making air leak Sounds.
Please don't be frozen.
narrator: Lisa tries thawing Out the lines with methyl Hydrate, which acts like an Antifreeze.
I really just want to leave.
I'm gonna try this again.
It's dumping it out.
narrator:Ut the quick fix Isn't working, and lisa's Chances of getting another big Load this season are quickly Fading.
dp this one, get another Load.
But I don't know what they're Gonna give me that's gonna be Interesting.
narrator: She leaves the Broken trailer in the yard and Heads for dispatch.
hey, it's lisa.
bad mood, huh? I'm not in a bad mood.
ah! I'm just in aI'll be so Much happier when I'm rolling Down the road.
then you can be trucking.
I know.
okay.
give me a load.
Let's go.
Please.
how about a van with 45,000 Pounds of explosives? wha you've got to call the state Troopers and let them know You're on the road.
are you serious? oh, I'm quite serious.
You see the route plan? wow, I've never done that.
oh, yeah.
You've got a little map and Everything.
If you deviate from this route And you go boom, they'll be Really unhappy with you.
so you're counting on me to Actually keep it on the road Today? yes, that would be what we Were hoping.
[laughs.]
See ya.
have fun.
thanks.
That's cool, man.
We've got to call the state Troopers before I can leave to Let them know I'm on the road.
That's kind of scary.
They should know all the time When I'm on the road.
[beeping.]
Watch me hook up to it, and it Explodes as soon as I bang the Kingpin.
Kaboom.
End of my workday.
narrator: The critical load Of explosives will be used to Break new ground on the north Slope.
well, it didn't explode yet.
We're all right.
narrator: After several Impressive runs this season, Including a set of oversized Tires and a load of 80-foot Pipe, this run is another giant Step for lisa and one that will Earn her 1,700 bucks if Delivered on time and intact.
if the rest goes uneventful, We'll be good, but I just have This feeling that it won't.
[beeps.]
narrator: 500 miles north, in Deadhorse, hugh rowland hooks up To his 13th load.
yeah, I've got my load, I've got my paperwork, I'm Fueled up, and as usual, I'm Waiting on the phil-billy.
Let's rock 'n roll, phil-billy.
Yeah, let's blow it.
narrator: Once again, he's Pulled half a run ahead of his Rival alex, but it's a tight Race, and with the ice road Season in its final days, every Load could be their last.
you know, it's a friendly Rivalry between me and alex, but He, uhhe'll concede.
I know he's gonna concede to Me this year, 'cause he knows I Passed him a couple times.
[laughs.]
narrator: With alex stuck in Coldfoot, hugh might just get The chance he's looking for.
yeah, one more trip.
That's all we've got.
narrator: But with 500 miles Still ahead, anything could Happen.
okay, we're doing it.
ten-four.
[horn honks.]
Narrator: 250 miles south of Hugh, the leader of the load Count, jack jessee, is racing Back to fairbanks for his next Load.
what does the hill look like Up here? narrator: But first he must Climb atigun pass, the road's Deadliest stretch, with an Empty tanker.
good.
All right, well, I'm coming up.
Climbing the north side of the Pass, sitting back empty, it's Always a pretty big challenge to Get an empty tanker up this Hill without spinning out.
narrator: With little weight Over the drive axles, it's Extremely difficult to maintain Traction.
there's a lot of fluff going On here, and I don't know.
I actually might not make this One.
The problem is, is when you spin Out and slide backwards, that's When things get really DangerousYou know, because You may not be able to stop Going backwards, and that's Really bad.
Feel that spinning? That bouncing's 'cause we're Spinning.
Better gun it a little, but not Too much.
Oh, god.
narrator: Jack downshifts, Hoping a lower gear will stop Him from sliding.
sometimes you've got to take All the torque off the motor.
Oh, come on.
Ah [radio.]
hey, mark, how are You doing, bud? look at that.
narrator: The truck shudders To a halt, leaving the dalton Ace barely clinging to the ice, Just 300 feet from the top.
come on.
Uhh! I'm almost to the top.
This is not my idea of fun.
narrator: Running an empty Tanker over atigun pass, jack Jessee completely lost traction.
that bouncing's 'cause we're Spinning.
narrator: And spun out 300 Feet from the top.
come on.
Uhh! I'm almost to the top.
Ugh! [bleep.]
! Hey, I didn't make it here, Guys.
The northbound lane is still Open.
You can get around if you need To.
okay.
narrator: He can't move Forward, and backing down Atigun is not an option.
this is not my idea of fun.
narrator: Fortunately, A d.
O.
T.
Plow is working the Road nearby.
Jack flags him down for a tow.
I've got a strap I'll pull Out.
okay.
uhh! Well, I'm gonna get a free tow Today.
The state's gonna tow me up the Hill.
narrator: Jack attaches a tow Pin to the frame of his truck And connects a heavy-duty tow Strap to the plow.
that way, we won't jerk Anything off when it goes "bam"! yeah.
[laughs.]
Okay, let's go do it.
ready? yep, let's go.
narrator: The plow drags jack All the way to the top of the Pass.
this is actually the steepest Part, and these guys, they Don't mind helping out when we Do this.
You know, I mean, they were Working the hill.
Well, if anybody has problems on The hill, it's definitely going To be an empty tanker.
Yeah, that ought to be good Here.
Now we'll just get out and put Everything back up, thank These guys a lot, and go on our Merry way.
I hope I don't get fired for This.
[both laugh.]
Thanks, I appreciate it.
Well, if I had to spin out, Today was a beautiful day to do It.
It's a whole lot better than the Wind blowing at 40 or 50 miles An hour and dealing with that.
All right, let's get back in The truck and get going.
This time of year, it's hard to Read the roads, and the empty Tankers, sometimes they're Really tough.
You can do it a little faster, But just like that, you hit a Hill, and you may not make it.
narrator: 250 miles south of Jack, lisa kelly drops onto the Ice road.
I've got some explosives on Board.
I'm not sure exactly what kind.
Just kinds that blow up, I Think.
The only thing that you can't do Around my load is smoke.
Nobody smoke around this load.
This is like the tightest and Windiest part of the whole road.
I'm really good with steep Hills.
I can go down a steep hill, up The steep hill.
narrator: Up ahead is lisa's Biggest challenge, one of the Steepest grades on the road, Known as 21/2 mile.
northbound, 21/2 mile.
Here's the hill that always gets Me, so we're gonna play a trick On the hill.
narrator: Last week, lisa Spun out on 21/2 mile hold on, guys, I spun out.
narrator:And had to back All the way down the slope.
that's one of those gears That I always miss, and if I Miss it, I spin.
narrator: Now she has a new Plan of attack.
She hopes to avoid spinning out By not shifting in the middle of The hill.
I am definitely not in the Right gear yet.
Got to put it in the right gear Here.
My foot's on it just enough for Me to climb it, but not all the Way to the floor.
It's just like, come on.
[indistinct radio dispatch.]
[lisa whistles.]
There.
I'm at that critical moment.
Did you see that? It was dropping, and I turned Off the fan, and now we're Picking up.
Okay, I think we've got it.
Real slow.
Here we go.
Oh, we made it.
That proved to be a little more Challenging than I anticipated.
narrator: Success on the ice Road is largely a matter of Knowing when and how to pull the Right gear, and this season, Lisa has triumphed over many Challenges.
stick it in fourth over and Climb up it.
That's the way she's done.
I think I'llo that every time.
narrator: 400 miles north, in Deadhorse, rookie tim freeman And veteran george spears are Beginning their return trip to Fairbanks.
it's about 10:00 here.
About 5 or 6 below zero.
Everything's going good.
george has got an empty, I've got an empty with just Some pallets in it, just to, uh, Get our trailers back to town so We can reload them and send them Back up.
narrator: Tim has been Running with george all season, But soon it will be time for him To strike out on his own.
tim's learning that truck.
It takes a while to get adjusted To a truck, to know, you know, What his boundaries are, and When it's gonna spin, when it's Not gonna spin, and as time goes By, he's doing a real good job.
He's getting it all figured out.
my confidence has been really Good the last three runs, but We'll see when we get another Storm just how comfortable I Really am.
narrator: The brutal weather This winter has been a tough Initiation for the rookie.
still coming, george.
I can't see a [bleep.]
thing, Though.
narrator: In less than ten Runs, he's been hit by four bad Storms.
just horrendous storms.
Oh, wow, look at this [bleep.]
, Man.
Holy cow! narrator: And the delays have Cost both tim and george serious Time and money.
heads up.
this trip here is gonna make Up for some of the real bad ones We've had in the last month or So.
Hopefully, we can get a few more In before the, uh, springtime Arrives.
so we'll just, uh, Roll up the road and take it as It comes.
narrator: 250 miles to the South, another spring storm is Blowing through.
it's nice and pleasant out Today.
narrator: And alex and ron Have returned to the side of the Road with parts to fix the oil Leak.
look at that.
Perfect.
we got the big hammer here in Case we can't get it with the Wrench.
the finishing hammer, yeah.
Yeah.
very tight down there.
narrator: They're pushing to Get back on the road before the Storm gets any worse.
truckers do the best work in Tight places.
narrator: Ron disconnects the Damaged line.
there's a little hole right Here, alex.
See this little, tiny hole right Here? well that little, tiny hole.
put 67 in this one.
yeah, let's make sure we've Got the right one.
Okay on that? Ah, let's see it here.
Let me tighten this one up a Little bit here on top, till we Get it almost snug.
start it up, and we'll see if It sprays in all directions.
all right, alex, ready? yeah, go ahead.
[engine starts.]
okay.
so far, so good.
that wasn't too bad.
narrator: Back on the road, They push through the storm, Eager to make up for lost time.
yeah, I think it's gonna get A little stormier before it'll Get better.
narrator: 160 miles south of Deadhorse Tim and george are racing back To fairbanks, hoping to pick up One of the last loads of the Season.
rick, you come across anybody Good? narrator: But the road ahead Is getting worse as today's Fierce storm gathers strength.
As they start the 4,700-foot Climb, visibility drops to less Than 20 feet.
tim, how's everything going Back there? There's some bad places where You can't see nothing, so spun a little bit, even with The chains on.
narrator: The storm grows More intense with every mile.
Qualifies georgie as the judge Over the rest of us guys.
I trust his decision.
I'm right behind him, whatever He thinks.
narrator: George decides to Push on towards the summit.
this winter has just been You can'tit's just beenyou Can't even predict what's gonna Happen.
Seen it like this a long time.
It's just really unpredictable.
narrator: On their descent, The snow lightens up and Visibility improves.
you're always taking a gamble On the weather up here.
You know, uh, it's just a gamble The whole way, just luck of The draw.
narrator: As tim prepares to Run alone, the unforgiving Weather has him wondering if It's all worth the effort.
no piece of freight's worth Your life, stuck out here in a Snowdrift somewhere, wondering When the blow's gonna happen.
narrator: 78 miles south at The coldfoot truck stop, two Canadian rivals are taking Shelter from the storm.
how have things been going? well, I can, uhthis Traveling is an issue, isn't it, A little bit? yeah, I didn't finish my Education program with you last Year.
[both laugh.]
yeah.
narrator: These two may be Old friends, but they're in Alaska to see who can turn the Most loads, and at the moment, Hugh is ahead, 12 loads to 11.
how many loads you got now? well, I can't tell you.
[both laugh.]
you can't tell me.
yeah, alex asked me how many Loads I have, and I said, "you Know I can't tell you that.
" I said, "you'll start losing Beauty sleep over that, and you Need your beauty sleep," so, You know, I just told him I Couldn't tell him that, for Sure.
you're still being trained.
yeah.
[both laugh.]
won't let me pass him on the Hills.
he won't let you pa him? no.
[laughs.]
so when do you start to lead? well, like he said, I led a Couple times and he couldn't Keep up, so [laughs.]
So I just stay behind now, and Then, that way, I stay out of Trouble.
I think hughie's getting Worse.
I'm not sure why he just can't Sit still at all.
He's got ants in his pants.
I don't know.
Oh, maybe he has a tapeworm.
I really don't know what's Driving him, you know? [laughs.]
anyway, I'm gonna get out of Here and make a mile today.
yeah, we've got to get going Too.
all right, talk to you later.
[indistinct.]
.
yeah.
narrator: As hugh and phil Push through the storm on their Way to fairbanks, alex and ron Brace themselves for a Treacherous run up atigun pass Where the summit is still being Pummeled by snow.
it's fairly slippery.
I don't think anybody's taking Any chances.
We're all chaining up.
Ok, other side.
narrator: Chaining up has Cost alex a lot of precious time This season, and caused one Driver to leave him behind.
But as this season comes to an End, it appears alex is becoming A pro.
all right.
This is great.
I guess we can leave any time You like there, ron.
all right, here we go.
well, we're chained up and in Gear.
We're approaching atigun pass Northbound.
This is sort of a new test for Us here because, like I say, It's snowing, the road is Ice-covered, uh, it's fairly Warm, and it's slippery, which Makes it hard to steer.
Beautiful day for a penguin.
[laughs.]
narrator: As alex begins the Climb, the weather closes in.
it's so white, you can't Hardly tell thetell whether It's snowing or not.
I think we've got a little bit Of snowfall.
It looks like, more like fog Now.
I think we're gonna get into Some fog going over the pass.
It's pretty bad.
What a mess.
The grader doesn't seem to have Been down here for a while, So [beeping.]
We only have one lane open, so We can't, uhif anybody comes Roaring up the hill, my right Side here hasn't been cleaned.
It looks like there's about six Inches of snow sitting there, So there's only one lane.
I don't like this.
It's hard to tell what's Happening.
narrator: As alex debogorski Climbs the infamous atigun pass, He's hit by a terrible spring Storm.
I don't like this.
is it one lane? yeah.
I don't know the road.
That's the problem.
If I knew the road, I'd just let It roll, but I'm not sure what's Around that corner.
[bleep.]
! Can't tell where we are on the Hill, if we're gonna make it To the top or not.
it's looking good going down The hill.
How are you doing there, alex? so far, so good.
yes narrator: He finally reaches The top, but his troubles are Far from over.
it's messy.
narrator: Conditions downhill Are even worse.
it's varying degrees of Slipperiness.
Don't want to apply the brakes Very hard or else go into Toboggan mode.
Let's not fall off the road Here.
narrator: At last, alex and Ron descend onto the north Slope.
well, that's been a real Workout.
Holy mackerel.
[horn honks.]
Narrator: 100 miles south of Alex [horn honks.]
Hugh and convoy partner phil Are making good time moving South through the storm sleet! Sleet! narrator:Until it turns Into a dangerous mixture of snow And sleet.
they're already saying There's four inches on the Beaver slide.
I think she's starting to stick Now a little bit.
In about two more degrees, this Little, wet drizzle and snow Will turn the [bleep.]
thing Into a sheet of ice.
And then the fun begins.
We're gonna end off on that side Of the cliff or against the Rocks on the side.
Ain't mother nature grand? I'll be surprised if we make It over the beaver slide without Getting killed.
narrator: The beaver slide is One of the most notorious slopes On the dalton.
Southbound, it's two miles Straight uphill.
Making it to the top.
[horn honks.]
Halfway up the climb, hugh hits The right gear, but he can't Find enough traction.
narrator: Hugh attempts a new Strategy.
zigzag up that hill just to Make her.
narrator: Snake back and Forth across both lanes in order To find something for his tires To grip.
come on, baby.
I need some snow.
Come on, come on.
I've got one wheel in the middle Where everybody hasn't been Driving and one wheel on the Outside.
Crests the top.
well, it just gives you some Traction, 'cause now you're not Pulling straight up.
The truck doesn't have to work So hard, and so you just [bleep.]
Get some snow off the side and Some off the middle and made her To the top.
Yeah, you betcha.
Not a problem.
Yee-haw! narrator: Back at the base of Atigun pass, lisa kelly is the Next to make the climb, and She's hauling 45,000 pounds of Explosives.
I'll try not to blow anything Up.
But we gotta get over atigun.
It's predictable that atigun's Very unpredictable.
If you want to venture a guess, Guess that atigun's gonna be Crazy.
[laughs.]
It's blowing down here, but not Too bad.
It should still be open, If down here is anything to go By up there, which it isn't.
[laughs.]
They're nothing alike.
narrator: As lisa begins the Ascent, the winds pick up and Snow starts to collect on the Road.
it's already built up along That guardrail.
It's almost over the edge of the Guardrail already.
It's really deep here.
You just can't see that well Down here.
It's gonna get really bad.
narrator: Snow on top of Slick ice is a deadly Combination that can easily send A trucker over the edge.
Yeah, keepkeep the traction.
You don't want to spin.
So far so good.
I haven't slipped yet.
And, uh, we're almost over.
Almost to the top.
Here we go.
Okay.
Northbound on the top.
Atigun's my last obstacle that I Have to jump just to get to Prudhoe.
[laughs.]
narrator: 195 miles south of Lisa, jack jessee is closing in On fairbanks.
you know, thisheading south On this road is actually Tougher than going north.
Unfortunately, I don't know how It works out.
You start from point "a" and you Go to point "b" and "b" back to "a", it should be the same Elevations, but the hills are Just longer and bigger heading South.
narrator: But one of the Biggest southbound challenges Is manmadethe steep, 6% grade Of the yukon river bridge.
that could be an issue today.
There won't be anybody to pull Me up that one, so narrator: The south end of The bridge is nearly 100 feet Higher than the north end.
With the snow that's been Falling all day, this is one of The most dangerous slopes on the Haul road.
got an empty tanker again.
Going up these long hills is Gonna be a little tough, so narrator: A spinout here Could launch jack's truck off The bridge and send him crashing Through the river ice over 100 Feet below.
southbound, yukon river Bridge.
It can get pretty slick Sometimes in the winter.
I remember when they first put This wooden decking they've got On this bridge here, it can get Pretty slick sometimes in the Winter.
narrator: Jack hits the Bridge at close to 55 miles per Hour, counting on momentum To get him across.
yeah, it's quite a stretch.
Aw! narrator: But almost Immediately, he loses traction.
whoo, there we go, spinning Already.
Spinning again.
This thing is slick.
Holy [bleep.]
! narrator: 136 miles north of Fairbanks whoo, there we go, spinning Already.
narrator: Jack jessee tries To keep his big rig from sliding Off the yukon river bridge.
spinning again.
This thing is slick.
Holy [bleep.]
! If it weren't for the momentum I Had, I don't think I would make It.
Son of a [bleep.]
! What the [bleep.]
? narrator: Jack downshifts And picks up some much-needed Traction.
wow! Be glad to get back on the ice.
Hell, there was more traction There.
And there we go.
Traction.
[laughs.]
Good thing I did hit that at a Decent speed.
If I'da hit that thing at a Slower speed, I wouldn't have Made it.
narrator: As night falls, Jack forges ahead to fairbanks With just 130 miles to go.
all you need to know is the Road's slick right now.
That's all you need to know.
I don't think winter's over Quite yet.
Even though we've all got spring Fever, I think winter's gonna be Around for a little bit longer.
narrator: Just outside of Deadhorse, lisa kelly wraps up One of her most dangerous runs Of the season.
yeah, we're stillwe're Still truckin'.
We haven't blown up.
narrator: She made it to the End of the haul road with a load Of explosives.
yeah, I was just being real Careful not to go off the road With it, not to hit anything Or get rear-ended or rear-end Someone.
Yep, didn't blow anything up.
[laughs.]
Oh! I feel oldAfter that trip.
I just aged ten years after that One.
narrator: But the season Isn't over yet.
Tomorrow, lisa will be gunning Again for another load.
the season's been so crazy This year.
No, there's no rest for me.
[laughs.]
narrator: The next day, tim And george are closing in on Fairbanks.
southbound and down.
tim's right behind me, and We're gonna be headed for Fairbanks here.
I'd love to get it.
narrator: After ten trips Together look at that [bleep.]
.
Man, holy cow.
narrator:Through the Season's worst weather [bleep.]
, I couldn't see Nothing there.
narrator: The time is near For the rookie to run solo.
tim keeps working his way up.
He's doing a great job.
And, uh, I really feel confident In him right now.
I just think he'll be ready to Go and get 'er done by himself.
I'll tell you, I'mI'm Confident.
If they want me to go alone, I Mean, I'll go alone, no problem, But, uh, until georgie kicks me Off, I'm gonna stick with him Just 'cause he's not gonna be up Here for much longer.
narrator: George plans on Retiring after this season.
I feel very fortunate.
I still wouldn't trade it for Anything.
You know, it's just, uh, time to Move on.
we're really gonna miss him, No doubt about it.
Everybody's uncle, georgie Spears.
[laughs.]
narrator: But george is Pushing for at least one more Run up the ice road before Cashing in for good.
it ain't over yet, boys.
We're gonna try to go again Tomorrow and make another good Trip.
narrator: As tim and george Pull into the carlile yard, They complete what could be Their last run together this Season.
george is a great teacher.
I'm just trying to soak up As much knowledge as I can from Him, uh, before I go out there On my own.
Uh, he's really been good, good To meet, a good teacher.
I couldn't have learned from Anybody better than george, Yeah.
narrator: 500 miles north, Alex and ron are nearing the end Of their latest trial.
well, the old ice road showed Some of its, uh, temperament Today.
We, uh, we had snow.
We had a little bit of wind.
We had ice.
Had a little bit of everything.
narrator: Alex pulls into Deadhorse with his 12th load of The season and high hopes of Getting in one last run before The ice roads all melt away.
we're gonna try to make it Back to fairbanks tomorrow, I Guess, eh? if we get out of here early, We've got a good shot at doing That.
narrator: For the moment, Alex has pulled even again with Rival hugh rowland, and with Mere days left on this road, Jack jessee is the clear Frontrunner.
But for the rest, it's a battle To the bitter end to see how Many loads they can claim On north america's deadliest Ice road.
I drop the load, grab one More, and that's the last one of The season.
Turn and burn, baby.
Turn and burn.
Whoo-hoo! [horn honks.]
Ka-ching, ka-ching.
Dash for the cash.
I'll bet you I made more money Than that one.
[bleep.]
! We have another complication.
my last winter, and it wants To kick my butt on the way out The door.
I knew the road was gonna get Rough, but it's rough.
It's a son of a [bleep.]
.
it feels kind of scary to Discover I didn't have brakes All of a sudden.
there is a bear in the way, And it has the ice road closed.
everything's about as [bleep.]
Up as it can get.
Unless everything flies apart.
narrator: There's just a Few days left.
[bleep.]
like this.
narrator: Truckers face Deadly springtime conditions sleet! Sleet! narrator:To haul the last Freight north hopefully we can get a few More in.
narrator: Before all the Ice roads melt away.
it's going to get really bad.
[horn honks.]
[aerosmith's living on the edge.]
living on the edge these are the truckers who Make their living on thin ice.
living on the edge you can't help yourself you can't help yourself we're living on the edge you can't help yourself from falling living on the edge yeah, yeah narrator: Spring's Unpredictable weather has Brought a sudden storm, and with It, high winds and thick, heavy Snow.
Debogorski and convoy partner Ron dubbs are pushing through, Hoping to reach coldfoot Tonight.
well, we've got 60 miles to Go, and it's been snowing for The last 15 minutes or so.
The snow is melting on the Ground and on the road Because we're right around the Freezing mark, and this is what Makes it kind of dangerous.
It's hard to see it, and it's Hard to tell what's happening.
narrator: As alex struggles To see the road, ron radios in With even bigger troubles.
oh! I'm leaking oil all over my Turbo.
That'sthat's what I'm Smelling.
It's spraying all the way up Here.
here, up here? yeah, it'sit's spraying Out.
back there.
it seems to be really getting It, so it's all over the place.
holy mackerel.
narrator: The leak is coming From a busted oil line.
they can't run it like that.
It'll just pump oil out all over The ground, and I'dI'd run Out of oil, even though we Only have 30 miles to coldfoot.
Can't even run it that far.
I need to get another abraded Line.
narrator: Repairing the truck Will have to wait until morning.
jack this thing in here, but Then I'll give you a ride into Coldfoot.
narrator: It's an unfortunate Setback that could cost alex one Of his last loads on the ice.
I don't know how long it'll Be, waiting for the part to Come.
Time is money and, uh, it'll Probably cost me some time too.
narrator: As day breaks in Fairbanks, lisa kelly has just Been assigned one of the last Top-dollar runs of the season.
I'm gonna go over and scale This and see how much I weigh, And then get out of town.
Just drive straight to prudhoe.
Let's just go.
[laughs.]
narrator: But as she prepares To take off it still hasn't stopped Making noise yet? narrator: Lisa discovers a Problem with her trailer.
why am I losing all my air? It's not narrator: Without air Pressure, the brakes won't Release and the trailer won't Budge.
[engine revs.]
I don't kno I don't get it.
One of those days, can you tell? It won't stop making air leak Sounds.
Please don't be frozen.
narrator: Lisa tries thawing Out the lines with methyl Hydrate, which acts like an Antifreeze.
I really just want to leave.
I'm gonna try this again.
It's dumping it out.
narrator:Ut the quick fix Isn't working, and lisa's Chances of getting another big Load this season are quickly Fading.
dp this one, get another Load.
But I don't know what they're Gonna give me that's gonna be Interesting.
narrator: She leaves the Broken trailer in the yard and Heads for dispatch.
hey, it's lisa.
bad mood, huh? I'm not in a bad mood.
ah! I'm just in aI'll be so Much happier when I'm rolling Down the road.
then you can be trucking.
I know.
okay.
give me a load.
Let's go.
Please.
how about a van with 45,000 Pounds of explosives? wha you've got to call the state Troopers and let them know You're on the road.
are you serious? oh, I'm quite serious.
You see the route plan? wow, I've never done that.
oh, yeah.
You've got a little map and Everything.
If you deviate from this route And you go boom, they'll be Really unhappy with you.
so you're counting on me to Actually keep it on the road Today? yes, that would be what we Were hoping.
[laughs.]
See ya.
have fun.
thanks.
That's cool, man.
We've got to call the state Troopers before I can leave to Let them know I'm on the road.
That's kind of scary.
They should know all the time When I'm on the road.
[beeping.]
Watch me hook up to it, and it Explodes as soon as I bang the Kingpin.
Kaboom.
End of my workday.
narrator: The critical load Of explosives will be used to Break new ground on the north Slope.
well, it didn't explode yet.
We're all right.
narrator: After several Impressive runs this season, Including a set of oversized Tires and a load of 80-foot Pipe, this run is another giant Step for lisa and one that will Earn her 1,700 bucks if Delivered on time and intact.
if the rest goes uneventful, We'll be good, but I just have This feeling that it won't.
[beeps.]
narrator: 500 miles north, in Deadhorse, hugh rowland hooks up To his 13th load.
yeah, I've got my load, I've got my paperwork, I'm Fueled up, and as usual, I'm Waiting on the phil-billy.
Let's rock 'n roll, phil-billy.
Yeah, let's blow it.
narrator: Once again, he's Pulled half a run ahead of his Rival alex, but it's a tight Race, and with the ice road Season in its final days, every Load could be their last.
you know, it's a friendly Rivalry between me and alex, but He, uhhe'll concede.
I know he's gonna concede to Me this year, 'cause he knows I Passed him a couple times.
[laughs.]
narrator: With alex stuck in Coldfoot, hugh might just get The chance he's looking for.
yeah, one more trip.
That's all we've got.
narrator: But with 500 miles Still ahead, anything could Happen.
okay, we're doing it.
ten-four.
[horn honks.]
Narrator: 250 miles south of Hugh, the leader of the load Count, jack jessee, is racing Back to fairbanks for his next Load.
what does the hill look like Up here? narrator: But first he must Climb atigun pass, the road's Deadliest stretch, with an Empty tanker.
good.
All right, well, I'm coming up.
Climbing the north side of the Pass, sitting back empty, it's Always a pretty big challenge to Get an empty tanker up this Hill without spinning out.
narrator: With little weight Over the drive axles, it's Extremely difficult to maintain Traction.
there's a lot of fluff going On here, and I don't know.
I actually might not make this One.
The problem is, is when you spin Out and slide backwards, that's When things get really DangerousYou know, because You may not be able to stop Going backwards, and that's Really bad.
Feel that spinning? That bouncing's 'cause we're Spinning.
Better gun it a little, but not Too much.
Oh, god.
narrator: Jack downshifts, Hoping a lower gear will stop Him from sliding.
sometimes you've got to take All the torque off the motor.
Oh, come on.
Ah [radio.]
hey, mark, how are You doing, bud? look at that.
narrator: The truck shudders To a halt, leaving the dalton Ace barely clinging to the ice, Just 300 feet from the top.
come on.
Uhh! I'm almost to the top.
This is not my idea of fun.
narrator: Running an empty Tanker over atigun pass, jack Jessee completely lost traction.
that bouncing's 'cause we're Spinning.
narrator: And spun out 300 Feet from the top.
come on.
Uhh! I'm almost to the top.
Ugh! [bleep.]
! Hey, I didn't make it here, Guys.
The northbound lane is still Open.
You can get around if you need To.
okay.
narrator: He can't move Forward, and backing down Atigun is not an option.
this is not my idea of fun.
narrator: Fortunately, A d.
O.
T.
Plow is working the Road nearby.
Jack flags him down for a tow.
I've got a strap I'll pull Out.
okay.
uhh! Well, I'm gonna get a free tow Today.
The state's gonna tow me up the Hill.
narrator: Jack attaches a tow Pin to the frame of his truck And connects a heavy-duty tow Strap to the plow.
that way, we won't jerk Anything off when it goes "bam"! yeah.
[laughs.]
Okay, let's go do it.
ready? yep, let's go.
narrator: The plow drags jack All the way to the top of the Pass.
this is actually the steepest Part, and these guys, they Don't mind helping out when we Do this.
You know, I mean, they were Working the hill.
Well, if anybody has problems on The hill, it's definitely going To be an empty tanker.
Yeah, that ought to be good Here.
Now we'll just get out and put Everything back up, thank These guys a lot, and go on our Merry way.
I hope I don't get fired for This.
[both laugh.]
Thanks, I appreciate it.
Well, if I had to spin out, Today was a beautiful day to do It.
It's a whole lot better than the Wind blowing at 40 or 50 miles An hour and dealing with that.
All right, let's get back in The truck and get going.
This time of year, it's hard to Read the roads, and the empty Tankers, sometimes they're Really tough.
You can do it a little faster, But just like that, you hit a Hill, and you may not make it.
narrator: 250 miles south of Jack, lisa kelly drops onto the Ice road.
I've got some explosives on Board.
I'm not sure exactly what kind.
Just kinds that blow up, I Think.
The only thing that you can't do Around my load is smoke.
Nobody smoke around this load.
This is like the tightest and Windiest part of the whole road.
I'm really good with steep Hills.
I can go down a steep hill, up The steep hill.
narrator: Up ahead is lisa's Biggest challenge, one of the Steepest grades on the road, Known as 21/2 mile.
northbound, 21/2 mile.
Here's the hill that always gets Me, so we're gonna play a trick On the hill.
narrator: Last week, lisa Spun out on 21/2 mile hold on, guys, I spun out.
narrator:And had to back All the way down the slope.
that's one of those gears That I always miss, and if I Miss it, I spin.
narrator: Now she has a new Plan of attack.
She hopes to avoid spinning out By not shifting in the middle of The hill.
I am definitely not in the Right gear yet.
Got to put it in the right gear Here.
My foot's on it just enough for Me to climb it, but not all the Way to the floor.
It's just like, come on.
[indistinct radio dispatch.]
[lisa whistles.]
There.
I'm at that critical moment.
Did you see that? It was dropping, and I turned Off the fan, and now we're Picking up.
Okay, I think we've got it.
Real slow.
Here we go.
Oh, we made it.
That proved to be a little more Challenging than I anticipated.
narrator: Success on the ice Road is largely a matter of Knowing when and how to pull the Right gear, and this season, Lisa has triumphed over many Challenges.
stick it in fourth over and Climb up it.
That's the way she's done.
I think I'llo that every time.
narrator: 400 miles north, in Deadhorse, rookie tim freeman And veteran george spears are Beginning their return trip to Fairbanks.
it's about 10:00 here.
About 5 or 6 below zero.
Everything's going good.
george has got an empty, I've got an empty with just Some pallets in it, just to, uh, Get our trailers back to town so We can reload them and send them Back up.
narrator: Tim has been Running with george all season, But soon it will be time for him To strike out on his own.
tim's learning that truck.
It takes a while to get adjusted To a truck, to know, you know, What his boundaries are, and When it's gonna spin, when it's Not gonna spin, and as time goes By, he's doing a real good job.
He's getting it all figured out.
my confidence has been really Good the last three runs, but We'll see when we get another Storm just how comfortable I Really am.
narrator: The brutal weather This winter has been a tough Initiation for the rookie.
still coming, george.
I can't see a [bleep.]
thing, Though.
narrator: In less than ten Runs, he's been hit by four bad Storms.
just horrendous storms.
Oh, wow, look at this [bleep.]
, Man.
Holy cow! narrator: And the delays have Cost both tim and george serious Time and money.
heads up.
this trip here is gonna make Up for some of the real bad ones We've had in the last month or So.
Hopefully, we can get a few more In before the, uh, springtime Arrives.
so we'll just, uh, Roll up the road and take it as It comes.
narrator: 250 miles to the South, another spring storm is Blowing through.
it's nice and pleasant out Today.
narrator: And alex and ron Have returned to the side of the Road with parts to fix the oil Leak.
look at that.
Perfect.
we got the big hammer here in Case we can't get it with the Wrench.
the finishing hammer, yeah.
Yeah.
very tight down there.
narrator: They're pushing to Get back on the road before the Storm gets any worse.
truckers do the best work in Tight places.
narrator: Ron disconnects the Damaged line.
there's a little hole right Here, alex.
See this little, tiny hole right Here? well that little, tiny hole.
put 67 in this one.
yeah, let's make sure we've Got the right one.
Okay on that? Ah, let's see it here.
Let me tighten this one up a Little bit here on top, till we Get it almost snug.
start it up, and we'll see if It sprays in all directions.
all right, alex, ready? yeah, go ahead.
[engine starts.]
okay.
so far, so good.
that wasn't too bad.
narrator: Back on the road, They push through the storm, Eager to make up for lost time.
yeah, I think it's gonna get A little stormier before it'll Get better.
narrator: 160 miles south of Deadhorse Tim and george are racing back To fairbanks, hoping to pick up One of the last loads of the Season.
rick, you come across anybody Good? narrator: But the road ahead Is getting worse as today's Fierce storm gathers strength.
As they start the 4,700-foot Climb, visibility drops to less Than 20 feet.
tim, how's everything going Back there? There's some bad places where You can't see nothing, so spun a little bit, even with The chains on.
narrator: The storm grows More intense with every mile.
Qualifies georgie as the judge Over the rest of us guys.
I trust his decision.
I'm right behind him, whatever He thinks.
narrator: George decides to Push on towards the summit.
this winter has just been You can'tit's just beenyou Can't even predict what's gonna Happen.
Seen it like this a long time.
It's just really unpredictable.
narrator: On their descent, The snow lightens up and Visibility improves.
you're always taking a gamble On the weather up here.
You know, uh, it's just a gamble The whole way, just luck of The draw.
narrator: As tim prepares to Run alone, the unforgiving Weather has him wondering if It's all worth the effort.
no piece of freight's worth Your life, stuck out here in a Snowdrift somewhere, wondering When the blow's gonna happen.
narrator: 78 miles south at The coldfoot truck stop, two Canadian rivals are taking Shelter from the storm.
how have things been going? well, I can, uhthis Traveling is an issue, isn't it, A little bit? yeah, I didn't finish my Education program with you last Year.
[both laugh.]
yeah.
narrator: These two may be Old friends, but they're in Alaska to see who can turn the Most loads, and at the moment, Hugh is ahead, 12 loads to 11.
how many loads you got now? well, I can't tell you.
[both laugh.]
you can't tell me.
yeah, alex asked me how many Loads I have, and I said, "you Know I can't tell you that.
" I said, "you'll start losing Beauty sleep over that, and you Need your beauty sleep," so, You know, I just told him I Couldn't tell him that, for Sure.
you're still being trained.
yeah.
[both laugh.]
won't let me pass him on the Hills.
he won't let you pa him? no.
[laughs.]
so when do you start to lead? well, like he said, I led a Couple times and he couldn't Keep up, so [laughs.]
So I just stay behind now, and Then, that way, I stay out of Trouble.
I think hughie's getting Worse.
I'm not sure why he just can't Sit still at all.
He's got ants in his pants.
I don't know.
Oh, maybe he has a tapeworm.
I really don't know what's Driving him, you know? [laughs.]
anyway, I'm gonna get out of Here and make a mile today.
yeah, we've got to get going Too.
all right, talk to you later.
[indistinct.]
.
yeah.
narrator: As hugh and phil Push through the storm on their Way to fairbanks, alex and ron Brace themselves for a Treacherous run up atigun pass Where the summit is still being Pummeled by snow.
it's fairly slippery.
I don't think anybody's taking Any chances.
We're all chaining up.
Ok, other side.
narrator: Chaining up has Cost alex a lot of precious time This season, and caused one Driver to leave him behind.
But as this season comes to an End, it appears alex is becoming A pro.
all right.
This is great.
I guess we can leave any time You like there, ron.
all right, here we go.
well, we're chained up and in Gear.
We're approaching atigun pass Northbound.
This is sort of a new test for Us here because, like I say, It's snowing, the road is Ice-covered, uh, it's fairly Warm, and it's slippery, which Makes it hard to steer.
Beautiful day for a penguin.
[laughs.]
narrator: As alex begins the Climb, the weather closes in.
it's so white, you can't Hardly tell thetell whether It's snowing or not.
I think we've got a little bit Of snowfall.
It looks like, more like fog Now.
I think we're gonna get into Some fog going over the pass.
It's pretty bad.
What a mess.
The grader doesn't seem to have Been down here for a while, So [beeping.]
We only have one lane open, so We can't, uhif anybody comes Roaring up the hill, my right Side here hasn't been cleaned.
It looks like there's about six Inches of snow sitting there, So there's only one lane.
I don't like this.
It's hard to tell what's Happening.
narrator: As alex debogorski Climbs the infamous atigun pass, He's hit by a terrible spring Storm.
I don't like this.
is it one lane? yeah.
I don't know the road.
That's the problem.
If I knew the road, I'd just let It roll, but I'm not sure what's Around that corner.
[bleep.]
! Can't tell where we are on the Hill, if we're gonna make it To the top or not.
it's looking good going down The hill.
How are you doing there, alex? so far, so good.
yes narrator: He finally reaches The top, but his troubles are Far from over.
it's messy.
narrator: Conditions downhill Are even worse.
it's varying degrees of Slipperiness.
Don't want to apply the brakes Very hard or else go into Toboggan mode.
Let's not fall off the road Here.
narrator: At last, alex and Ron descend onto the north Slope.
well, that's been a real Workout.
Holy mackerel.
[horn honks.]
Narrator: 100 miles south of Alex [horn honks.]
Hugh and convoy partner phil Are making good time moving South through the storm sleet! Sleet! narrator:Until it turns Into a dangerous mixture of snow And sleet.
they're already saying There's four inches on the Beaver slide.
I think she's starting to stick Now a little bit.
In about two more degrees, this Little, wet drizzle and snow Will turn the [bleep.]
thing Into a sheet of ice.
And then the fun begins.
We're gonna end off on that side Of the cliff or against the Rocks on the side.
Ain't mother nature grand? I'll be surprised if we make It over the beaver slide without Getting killed.
narrator: The beaver slide is One of the most notorious slopes On the dalton.
Southbound, it's two miles Straight uphill.
Making it to the top.
[horn honks.]
Halfway up the climb, hugh hits The right gear, but he can't Find enough traction.
narrator: Hugh attempts a new Strategy.
zigzag up that hill just to Make her.
narrator: Snake back and Forth across both lanes in order To find something for his tires To grip.
come on, baby.
I need some snow.
Come on, come on.
I've got one wheel in the middle Where everybody hasn't been Driving and one wheel on the Outside.
Crests the top.
well, it just gives you some Traction, 'cause now you're not Pulling straight up.
The truck doesn't have to work So hard, and so you just [bleep.]
Get some snow off the side and Some off the middle and made her To the top.
Yeah, you betcha.
Not a problem.
Yee-haw! narrator: Back at the base of Atigun pass, lisa kelly is the Next to make the climb, and She's hauling 45,000 pounds of Explosives.
I'll try not to blow anything Up.
But we gotta get over atigun.
It's predictable that atigun's Very unpredictable.
If you want to venture a guess, Guess that atigun's gonna be Crazy.
[laughs.]
It's blowing down here, but not Too bad.
It should still be open, If down here is anything to go By up there, which it isn't.
[laughs.]
They're nothing alike.
narrator: As lisa begins the Ascent, the winds pick up and Snow starts to collect on the Road.
it's already built up along That guardrail.
It's almost over the edge of the Guardrail already.
It's really deep here.
You just can't see that well Down here.
It's gonna get really bad.
narrator: Snow on top of Slick ice is a deadly Combination that can easily send A trucker over the edge.
Yeah, keepkeep the traction.
You don't want to spin.
So far so good.
I haven't slipped yet.
And, uh, we're almost over.
Almost to the top.
Here we go.
Okay.
Northbound on the top.
Atigun's my last obstacle that I Have to jump just to get to Prudhoe.
[laughs.]
narrator: 195 miles south of Lisa, jack jessee is closing in On fairbanks.
you know, thisheading south On this road is actually Tougher than going north.
Unfortunately, I don't know how It works out.
You start from point "a" and you Go to point "b" and "b" back to "a", it should be the same Elevations, but the hills are Just longer and bigger heading South.
narrator: But one of the Biggest southbound challenges Is manmadethe steep, 6% grade Of the yukon river bridge.
that could be an issue today.
There won't be anybody to pull Me up that one, so narrator: The south end of The bridge is nearly 100 feet Higher than the north end.
With the snow that's been Falling all day, this is one of The most dangerous slopes on the Haul road.
got an empty tanker again.
Going up these long hills is Gonna be a little tough, so narrator: A spinout here Could launch jack's truck off The bridge and send him crashing Through the river ice over 100 Feet below.
southbound, yukon river Bridge.
It can get pretty slick Sometimes in the winter.
I remember when they first put This wooden decking they've got On this bridge here, it can get Pretty slick sometimes in the Winter.
narrator: Jack hits the Bridge at close to 55 miles per Hour, counting on momentum To get him across.
yeah, it's quite a stretch.
Aw! narrator: But almost Immediately, he loses traction.
whoo, there we go, spinning Already.
Spinning again.
This thing is slick.
Holy [bleep.]
! narrator: 136 miles north of Fairbanks whoo, there we go, spinning Already.
narrator: Jack jessee tries To keep his big rig from sliding Off the yukon river bridge.
spinning again.
This thing is slick.
Holy [bleep.]
! If it weren't for the momentum I Had, I don't think I would make It.
Son of a [bleep.]
! What the [bleep.]
? narrator: Jack downshifts And picks up some much-needed Traction.
wow! Be glad to get back on the ice.
Hell, there was more traction There.
And there we go.
Traction.
[laughs.]
Good thing I did hit that at a Decent speed.
If I'da hit that thing at a Slower speed, I wouldn't have Made it.
narrator: As night falls, Jack forges ahead to fairbanks With just 130 miles to go.
all you need to know is the Road's slick right now.
That's all you need to know.
I don't think winter's over Quite yet.
Even though we've all got spring Fever, I think winter's gonna be Around for a little bit longer.
narrator: Just outside of Deadhorse, lisa kelly wraps up One of her most dangerous runs Of the season.
yeah, we're stillwe're Still truckin'.
We haven't blown up.
narrator: She made it to the End of the haul road with a load Of explosives.
yeah, I was just being real Careful not to go off the road With it, not to hit anything Or get rear-ended or rear-end Someone.
Yep, didn't blow anything up.
[laughs.]
Oh! I feel oldAfter that trip.
I just aged ten years after that One.
narrator: But the season Isn't over yet.
Tomorrow, lisa will be gunning Again for another load.
the season's been so crazy This year.
No, there's no rest for me.
[laughs.]
narrator: The next day, tim And george are closing in on Fairbanks.
southbound and down.
tim's right behind me, and We're gonna be headed for Fairbanks here.
I'd love to get it.
narrator: After ten trips Together look at that [bleep.]
.
Man, holy cow.
narrator:Through the Season's worst weather [bleep.]
, I couldn't see Nothing there.
narrator: The time is near For the rookie to run solo.
tim keeps working his way up.
He's doing a great job.
And, uh, I really feel confident In him right now.
I just think he'll be ready to Go and get 'er done by himself.
I'll tell you, I'mI'm Confident.
If they want me to go alone, I Mean, I'll go alone, no problem, But, uh, until georgie kicks me Off, I'm gonna stick with him Just 'cause he's not gonna be up Here for much longer.
narrator: George plans on Retiring after this season.
I feel very fortunate.
I still wouldn't trade it for Anything.
You know, it's just, uh, time to Move on.
we're really gonna miss him, No doubt about it.
Everybody's uncle, georgie Spears.
[laughs.]
narrator: But george is Pushing for at least one more Run up the ice road before Cashing in for good.
it ain't over yet, boys.
We're gonna try to go again Tomorrow and make another good Trip.
narrator: As tim and george Pull into the carlile yard, They complete what could be Their last run together this Season.
george is a great teacher.
I'm just trying to soak up As much knowledge as I can from Him, uh, before I go out there On my own.
Uh, he's really been good, good To meet, a good teacher.
I couldn't have learned from Anybody better than george, Yeah.
narrator: 500 miles north, Alex and ron are nearing the end Of their latest trial.
well, the old ice road showed Some of its, uh, temperament Today.
We, uh, we had snow.
We had a little bit of wind.
We had ice.
Had a little bit of everything.
narrator: Alex pulls into Deadhorse with his 12th load of The season and high hopes of Getting in one last run before The ice roads all melt away.
we're gonna try to make it Back to fairbanks tomorrow, I Guess, eh? if we get out of here early, We've got a good shot at doing That.
narrator: For the moment, Alex has pulled even again with Rival hugh rowland, and with Mere days left on this road, Jack jessee is the clear Frontrunner.
But for the rest, it's a battle To the bitter end to see how Many loads they can claim On north america's deadliest Ice road.
I drop the load, grab one More, and that's the last one of The season.
Turn and burn, baby.
Turn and burn.
Whoo-hoo! [horn honks.]
Ka-ching, ka-ching.
Dash for the cash.
I'll bet you I made more money Than that one.
[bleep.]
! We have another complication.
my last winter, and it wants To kick my butt on the way out The door.
I knew the road was gonna get Rough, but it's rough.
It's a son of a [bleep.]
.
it feels kind of scary to Discover I didn't have brakes All of a sudden.
there is a bear in the way, And it has the ice road closed.
everything's about as [bleep.]
Up as it can get.
Unless everything flies apart.