Ice Road Truckers (2007) s05e16 Episode Script

Tonight on the the season finale of Ice Road Truckers As the drivers hit the home stretch Rick and Hugh are pushed to the brink.
And I'm [Bleep.]
.
Narrator: The roads hit back.
Everybody gets in a hurry without thinking ahead.
Truck's finished.
It isn't goin' anywhere.
The last rookie standing faces the ultimate test.
OhMy God.
I'm so frigging scared right now.
And Lisa's road to redemption takes its final turn.
I hope I win the load count, because the season was even harder than I thought it was gonna be.
As time runs out on another season [Bleep.]
roads are melting.
We're running out of time here.
Truckers across the continent race to deliver their final loads before the ice roads disappear once more.
This is a great road for makin' butter.
You gotta keep [Bleep.]
trucking.
And in both Canada and Alaska We gots to go.
The dash for the cash Money in the bank.
Is still up for grabs.
For the first time, Alex Debogorski could best rival Hugh Rowland in the load count.
Ideally, I'd get more loads than Hugh and Rick combined, but then I mean, that's probably really wishful thinking.
And in Alaska, Lisa Kelly is trailing Dave Redmon by just a load.
But the current load count leader is no longer on the road.
Well, next stop Alabama.
In Dave Redmon's rookie season, he tallied 27 loads and almost as many blow-ups.
How am I supposed to drive on the most dangerous road in the world with no damn seat belt? I can't even turn into a [Bleep.]
parking lot without you over there.
You know, I'm not gonna sit and kiss your ass.
And just days before the winter's end, Dave got the ax.
We don't really have any choice but to part ways and - And move forward.
- Yep.
Just 'cause I don't play well with others doesn't, uh, have any effect on my ability to do a job.
If I'd have stayed, I've have won.
So I feel I prevailed.
Across town, Dave's season-long nemesis Tony Molesky is just hearing the news.
Dave's no longer part of us.
What? What do you mean? Don't know exactly what's going on.
I just know Lane came in here this morning and said, uh, before I sent Dave out, send him over to the office.
Wow.
Then I get a phone call, I don't know, a couple hours later.
Says have Dave fill out his last logs and turn in his paperwork.
I guess it was over.
That really doesn't surprise me.
I guess we gave him every chance we could, man.
What are you gonna do? The only thing I have to say about Dave is that he's disrespectful on the road, you know? And takes a respectful guy to drive up here and to be a part of this family.
- There you go.
- All right, Tony.
- Stay outta trouble, partner.
- We'll try.
Okay.
Thanks.
Looks like I got a load of pipe today.
From Prudhoe Bay.
We've got, uhNot much time to get the rest of these loads up to Prudhoe before the ice road's done, so It's, uh, pretty crucial that we truck and get this done.
ManIt's gotta be Not much time left.
But despite the warm weather, there's no time for Tony to let down his guard.
Dispatch was saying that they had calls from other drivers on the road saying that it was really, really slick.
You know, spring's coming and the ice pack that's been on the roadAll winter is starting to deteriorate.
Boy, it looks like somebody ran off into the ditch right there big time.
At the beginning of the winter and the end of the winter is usually when you run into slick spots in the road.
Ice is changing from daytime to nighttime.
It's probably the most tricky time to drive is during the transition times in the year.
450 miles north, just outside Prudhoe Bay It is the last day.
With Dave Redmon out of the picture, this run will put Lisa in a tie at the top of the load board.
I didn't run with Dave.
I never got the opportunity to.
So I don't know how he did up here, and it's unfortunate what happened, and I wish him the best.
While Lisa was able to avoid problems like Dave's, her own season had more than its share of ups and downs.
Poised to become one of the Dalton's top heavy-haul drivers Push trucking-- it's everything I've worked for.
Instead, she lost Carlile's trust And had to fight to win it back.
Heavy haul's not for everybody.
This is bull[Bleep.]
.
This year, I'm not a rookie anymore.
But I'm definitely not the veteran.
I'm just-- I'm kind of in that in between where I'm starting to get the hang of things and starting to get the way this works.
My goal this year is to get Lisa to the next level.
We want to get her into heavy haul full time, and we want that to be her career.
I'm gonna do my best and see what I can get done.
Lisa rolls into Prudhoe yard with her 27th load of the season.
Now she's looking for a backhaul that could cement her win.
I hope I win the load count, because the season was even harder than I thought it was gonna be.
I bet you didn't guess I was coming in today.
- How you doing? - Good.
How are you? Good, good.
You got anything going back to Fairbanks? We're gonna be sending you the opposite direction.
You're not going South today.
You're going out to Nuiqsut.
Friggin' awesome.
You've got some electrical stuff for the school.
You got some furniture for somebody, a snow machine, and a dirt bike.
Ooh, I like the dirt bike part.
So if your truck breaks down, you have access to modes of transportation.
The run to Nuiqsut will put her at the top of the load board, but she'll have to travel 90 miles across the frozen Colvitle river delta.
It'll probably be a 3, 3 1/2-hour run just to get out there.
- Okay, thank you.
- All right, take care.
But in Canada Hugh Rowland is not as lucky as Lisa in his quest to up his load count.
And then they're 8-feet wide skids, aren't they? Yeah, I think they are eight.
Yeah, I don't think this is the right trailer.
We're supposed to have trombones for that.
Without a backhaul, the best he can hope for is a tie with rival Alex Debogorski.
Yeah, I love making money, and I'll haul anything anytime, but this definitely is not the right trailer.
That's top-heavy and, uh, that road's pretty rough with the ruts in it and stuff, and this just ain't the right trailer for that.
Not only will Hugh go home without a load, mother nature's packing a final punch.
Started out with sunshine all day long.
We're kinda thinking the road wasn't gonna last too long, and then, uhAll of a sudden, it [Bleep.]
storms right at the end.
Across town, Rick's also headed back to Winnipeg empty-handed.
I just about had another backhaul there, but they're not ready.
They don't have the stuff all loaded in.
It's really gonna suck 'cause I'm bobtailing out of here now.
It's gonna be ten times rougher.
I'm gonna have no traction.
There's no weight, so just You're all over the place.
Can't give it any gas and all you do spin.
It's just all around bad.
There's tons of trucks and trailers, everything stranded up here last year.
I'm not gonna get stuck up here.
I gotta get the hell outta here or I'm gonna end up being a resident of St.
Theresa, and I don't want that.
Running together the whole season We're lost! Rick and Hugh cut some corners I didn't sign up for this [Bleep.]
stupid [Bleep.]
.
Yeah, ya did.
Burned some bridges I'm finished with you guys.
I don't need you coming here and wrecking everything.
[Bleep.]
you.
And fattened their wallets.
Yep.
We got to run some good roads, made some money, had a little fun.
That's what it's all about.
You know what? When that check cashes in the bank at the end of the year, it always makes the pain go away a little better.
Yeah, you betcha.
Every year I look forward to getting started, but then I'm looking forward to getting home too, though.
But as Hugh and Rick begin their trip South, getting home may be harder than they think.
I'm gonna try to outrun this storm here.
She's supposed to be bad, blowing, snowing all day long.
So farther we make it down the road, the better off we are.
We'll get outta here one way or another, but we could be having an extra-long trip here.
Storming or not storming, we gotta do what we gotta do here.
Quickly the road disappears.
There's only one track on the road.
The sides are all drifted in.
You just got one track down the center now.
And that's bad.
If I meet other [Bleep.]
trucks and I gotta move over, the chances are I won't be able to get going again.
I gotta keep rolling no matter what.
You get deep snow like this, and it'll stop you dead.
Look at this [Bleep.]
[Bleep.]
.
Up ahead a double-wide is stuck in the middle of the road.
He thinks he's the only guy on the road, I guess.
We're gonna get around this guy one way or another.
And I'm [Bleep.]
.
Deep in the Canadian bush In an attempt to avoid hitting another truck Rick got stuck in the soft Shoulder.
And I'm [Bleep.]
.
[Bleep.]
Ricky, Ricky, Ricky With the snow piling up, Rick and Hugh will have to work quickly.
The only truck driver on the road, I guess.
I knew that was gonna happen.
Shouldn't have come up so far.
- What, you're getting stuck or-- - I'm stuck.
We should've put that [Bleep.]
mirror in, we'd have both been outta there.
Everybody gets in a [Bleep.]
hurry without thinking ahead.
I've known Rick since he was 18 years old.
He's always in a hurry and just leaves something that's not quite good enough.
Buddy, you in here? Is there anyone even in it? No.
There's no one in there.
There's no one even in the [Bleep.]
.
Hey, you! See if you can move the thing.
Got chains on? Yep.
No one's in the [Bleep.]
thing.
- That didn't work.
- Nope.
All he had to do was move that mirror, and he'd have been through there.
With the roads deteriorating, Rick and Hugh will be lucky to get out before it's too late.
[Bleep.]
me.
All because of a [Bleep.]
mirror.
Alex Debogorski is on the road to Garden Hill.
Well, I'm hoping to finish this trip with no more mishaps.
But if we have any, then we'll deal with them as we come along.
Yesterday, Alex looked to be down for the count with a ruptured drive shaft.
This is a catastrophical failure.
Truck's finished.
It isn't going anywhere.
The run's finished until, uh, we get another truck.
But a replacement truck arrived And Alex is back in the race.
It's what this job's about.
It's about challenges.
There's a challenge around every corner and over each hill.
This season Holy mackerel! Alex ranged all over Manitoba Delivering loads to remote villages and help to stranded drivers.
Just get under there and [Indistinct.]
You make it over here? Ow.
If Alex can finish this run, he'll have a shot at beating Hugh in the load count.
Hugh's known for sleeping less hours, but I don't think Those guys aren't getting any healthier, and I don't think Hugh's-- I think every year, Hugh's health is getting a little worse.
Unless he gets to lose a little weight and starts changing his diet, I'm in better shape than he is.
So that means I can go long periods.
There's something going on here.
Oh, yeah, there he is in a snowbank.
Shoveling away.
That's good.
Gettin' some exercise.
But the competition suddenly takes a backseat.
Rip off.
I'll take it off for ya.
Just came around this corner way too fast.
The roads do get kinda slick and that and you just, uh, gotta maintain your speed.
Every trip there's always something going on on the winter road.
There's either somebody broke down or, you know, a family that needs help, you know.
That's the way the winter road works.
- So every day there's different situations up there.
- Thank you very much, Alex.
As the spring sun pounds the ice, Alex's run to catch Hugh is gonna be rough.
What do you mean by bumpy? Prudhoe Bay dispatch.
- Good morning.
- Hey, Maya.
- How you doing? - I'm good, how are you? Good.
Hoping for one last backhaul to end her rookie season strong.
Have you been up to any of the villages yet? No.
Okay.
Well, you're gonna get to go out today.
Gonna send you out to Nuiqsut.
Ooh! That's awesome.
So you're gonna have a flatbed, and I guess, uh, they may be running some other folks out there with you.
So at least there's safety in numbers.
Okay.
Awesome.
Thank you so much.
- Enjoy your trip.
- Thanks.
- Take care.
- See you later.
I'm gonna take pink.
Instead of a backhaul to Fairbanks, Maya will join Lisa on a run to Nuiqsut.
Well, this is a big day for me.
Today I'm gonna be driving over the ice.
I'm taking a flatbed out, and I'm gonna deliver some lumber to the school, some supplies that they need.
So this is crazy! I hope the ice doesn't crack.
Oh, my God.
I'm excited and I'm nervous.
Just a few months ago, Maya was struggling to learn the rules of the road.
She went up against mother nature This is the worst weather I've driven in yet.
And her fellow Dalton rookie.
Give me fucking enough room between us.
Now the rookie from New York has earned the chance to take on one of the most dangerous runs on the haul road.
It's awesome that they chose me to go out there and deliver over the ice.
I'm definitely up for the challenge.
- Got it? - Got it.
Pretty sweet-- We're gonna actually go across an ice road today.
- It's gonna be awesome.
- Oh, my God! I just wanna lay out a few rules on the field before we go out there.
You have to have your seatbelt on at all times.
You have to wear your safety glasses at all times.
You cannot talk on your cell phone at all.
If it rings, you have to ignore it.
So that's the rules out there.
You ready for this? - I'm ready.
- All right.
See ya.
I'm really excited.
This is something I can definitely say I've never done before.
OkayI'm good to go.
You can't get to Nuiqsut during the summertime, so the wintertime is the only time you can get to these remote places.
Because they build these ice roads, and then we can get all our deliveries done in the wintertime.
And then when it melts, it's gone, and that's it till next winter.
The rod is very slippery because the sun has been shining on it all day now, and it makes it slippery.
OhMy God.
I'm so freaking scared right now.
Oh, my God! In Canada Hugh and Rick are still stuck in the soft snow, trying to get by an abandoned rig.
All of this is because of that [Bleep.]
mirror.
Yep.
But I just [Bleep.]
missed it.
Finally, the missing driver returns with a second double-wide.
I got you [Bleep.]
stuck too, though.
We'll get my other guy to pull me out, then we'll get ya.
Okay, right on.
Just give me a couple minutes, we'll get you out.
Oh, okay.
With 20 tons of weight to give it traction And even out.
The first step is to move the stuck double-wide out of the way.
So he's gonna position it and get me a tug.
Yep.
He's gonna back up and get me going.
He's loose now.
I just want to get you guys so I can get passed, so I can get-- No, that's what he's doing.
I'm getting him to make a pass so he can pull me out of here.
- I got a lot more traction than he does.
- It's all good? Ready there, Hugh? Keep coming, keep coming, keep coming, keep coming.
Okay, go.
Let her rip.
Keep going.
Keep going.
Keep going, keep going.
With just inches to spare, Rick pulls Hugh's truck into the clear.
That's good enough.
Good enough, Rick.
That's good enough.
With both trucks back on the road again, Rick and Hugh push through the storm on their way home to Winnipeg.
I don't give a [Bleep.]
what anybody says.
Me and Rick, we make a good team.
We knew, between the two of us, we were gonna get out of any - situation that we were in.
- So, uh, you know, away we go.
barrels towards Garden Hill.
It's Getting rough, but I-- You know, we'll both find out for ourselves when we come out.
We want-- We want to get this load there in one piece.
Now the only thing standing between Alex and a tie in the load count with Hugh is five miles of thinning ice.
The sun's been up, so now I put chains on to make sure we don't get stuck.
First load, last load, trick is to get there without any problems.
When the weather heats up, lake ice melts from the edge first, making the shore the most dangerous part of any crossing.
If Alex's chains can't give him the traction he needs to climb up over the shore, he could break through the thin ice at the edge and lose his truck.
This'll do the job.
I think.
We are with the lake crossing, and, uh Season ends, the ice starts to weaken from the sun.
But you always have to be careful, 'cause I don't swim.
We finish this lake, we're done.
We're there.
It's up the hill, turn the corner, and we're there.
Alex finally pulls into Garden Hill.
Exhausted from the journey, but now in a tie with Hugh in the dash for the cash.
We got the load here.
Got the truck here.
We got the trailer here.
Me here.
Well, we don't know if we got here safely until we look inside the truck.
All that bouncing and shaking, and stuff kind of Looks okay when it gets here.
Only there's Bouncy, bouncy, bouncing.
There it is.
Looks like it's all in one piece again.
You guys don't have nothing backhaul? Something I can haul back? Well, weight.
Need some extra cash.
At last, Alex gets a break and snags a van-load of tools for a backhaul bound for Winnipeg.
For the first time, Alex has a shot at beating the Polar Bear.
If he can make it back to town with this load.
Above 0, above 32.
The roads are gonna be thawed.
Lakes are getting soft.
But he's barely gone before trouble strikes again.
That's the end of that.
I'm stopping.
We got an overheated engine.
Okay, I don't know what the problem is, but we've got a-- A leak.
Pretty big leak.
Alex needs to get the truck moving before it begins to stress the thinning ice.
Antifreeze to put in the engine.
We'll need more than this, but this'll be a start.
Yeah, I poured a gallon of antifreeze in.
I'm gonna try to get some antifreeze.
Alex has no option but to limp back to Garden Hill.
Don't like it, sitting on a lake, leaking antifreeze.
You're polluting the water, and, you know, doesn't do the ice any good.
Rather not have a broke-down truck on the lake.
Coming up It seems like this ice road is starting to really break up.
Maya faces her fear.
This is insane.
Oh, my God.
Just west of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska Lisa leads Maya on a run to the ice-locked village of Nuiqsut.
Kind of be in a position where I get to teach the things that I do know.
I've always been the one that's needed help, and now it's fun to finally be the one that is helping.
How was-- How was it back there? I was kind of wondering how you were doing back-- Back there.
Well, Lisa, it's pretty scary out here going over the ice, but I'm hanging in there.
For Maya, the run to Nuiqsut is a vote of confidence from the Carlile bosses.
It's really scary going around the turns, 'cause it just-- You just glide.
I'm listening to the ice if it's cracking, um That's an indication that It's a weak spot.
You have to really watch what's going on.
If Maya gets too close to Lisa, the combined weight of their convoy could create a wave underneath the ice.
In turn, that wave could break through, and plunge them into a watery grave.
Seems like this ice road is starting to really break up.
It's starting to get soft.
Think just knowing that I can fall through any second, that's nerve-racking.
Just thinking about it is scary.
I mean, everything about it is scary.
This is insane.
Oh, my God.
Cannot wait to get off this ice.
I made it over the ice without dying.
That is awesome.
After three hours, Lisa successfully leads Maya into the tiny village-- Population 430.
Hey, Maya.
We're off the ice now, getting into Nuiqsut, so welcome to Nuiqsut.
For Lisa, this Snowmobile is her 28th load, putting her one ahead of Dave Redmon, and in first place.
Man, I'm wishing it was me had a brand new bike.
All right, folks.
Y'all have a nice day.
See ya.
On the other side of the village, Maya has earned her place as an ice road trucker.
This is definitely a long way from New York.
Different world.
Everything's different out here.
At the start of the winter season, two rookies took to the wheel It's a big achievement, I mean, personally, to make this load up here.
It's huge.
It's a huge deal.
But only one has survived.
If I can do trucking in the city, if I can do trucking up in Alaska on the ice, I think I can go trucking pretty much anywhere.
An overheated engine has stranded Alex in Garden Hill His shot at beating Hugh hanging in the balance.
There's a hole in that heater hose.
Right there.
That's where the problem is.
On this trip, Alex has already swapped out one broken truck.
Now its replacement gushes antifreeze.
I don't know.
Do I shut it off or not? Finally, help arrives from the village.
If we had a splice for that hose-- There's a hole in the heater hose.
Like, there's a-- Yeah, there's a hole up in the heater hose down on the bottom.
It's running out down there.
This batch of hoses in here, they're all-- Most of them are covered up.
I'm gonna have to shut it off if I don't get something to put in there right away.
I haven't driven this truck before, so I'm scared to shut it off.
Holy mackerel.
Point of no return.
I'm almost ready for my third truck.
Dr.
Hook brought this truck to Pelican Landing yesterday.
- Took mine - Oh, yeah? 'Cause I threw the back drive shaft.
Least we got the load delivered.
So we had quite the trip already.
The mechanics fit the slippery hoses with a splice that stops the leak.
Okay, that's good? I can start it up then? You're good.
Yeah, go for it.
Okay, I'll fire it up.
Tell me good luck.
Hopefully you did such a fantastic job, I don't need good luck.
Good luck, Alex.
And as day breaks again Alex is back in the game.
Thank you for another beautiful day, lord.
Father, and the son, and the spirit, amen.
Going out this morning, I got concerns about the rough road.
I have chains on.
UhBecause the temperature's gonna go up, it's gonna be slippery.
A potential to have trouble on some of the hills.
Like the road probably doesn't have another trip left in it.
And the sooner we get off it, the better for us and the better for the road.
Authorities have already closed the winter roads to northbound traffic, but Alex can't call it quits until he's delivered his load.
I'm thinking we-- We'll probably make it.
Famous last words.
We'll probably make it.
Across the great white north, the ice roads have closed for the season.
Villages like Nuiqsut, Alaska, and Garden Hill, Manitoba, will have to wait until next winter for trucks to resupply them.
As for the truckers, it's time to head home.
I'm southbound.
I'm ready to go home, see my family, take a little break.
Tony finishes the season with a backhaul, racking up 25 loads.
You know what? I do this job because I love it, man.
I'll look you right in the eye and tell you I love my job.
I love driving on the haul road.
It's what I do.
It's what I've done for half of my life.
It's what I'm gonna keep doing.
Maya rolls into Fairbanks With 22 loads under her belt.
The New York driver is a rookie no more.
It's been a really tough season, and really look back andI've really gone through a lot and done a lot to get to where I am now.
I'm a little bit sad, you know? It sucks leaving.
After being up in Alaska, I can confidently say I can drive anywhere in the world.
I can drive a truck.
Anywhere.
Hugh Rowland rolls back into Winnipeg with plenty of cash in his pockets.
Yeah, I grew up on the ice roads, and, uh, that's my passion.
And that's where I made all my money, always on the ice roads, and that's why I had to come back to Canada, so I could get back and fill my jeans back up with money.
One behind the Polar Bear in third place is Rick Yemm.
Oh, I'm very content and happy with the money I made here.
It was a-- It was a good deal.
And another few experiences of driving some pretty crazy roads.
And I'm pretty happy with how the season went.
- You boys had enough? - Yeah, we're heading out.
Yeah, you guys are all done? I'm burned out, man.
I had enough.
What's this? We all better square up, I guess.
You want to get paid now.
Well, we always square up before we head out.
- Holy mackerel.
- No use of me being halfway across Canada without getting any money.
I wasn't planning on meeting you halfway.
It's all about the money, man, it's all about the money.
- Right on, man.
- Safe travels.
You bet.
Thanks a lot.
Thanks for everything.
- Thank you, guys.
- Yeah.
As the sun sets over the winter roads, Alex finally nears the end of his marathon run.
What do we got around this corner here? Some more bouncy bounce.
After five days in the wilderness and two broken trucks, Alex's last run finally gives him a victory over his old friend and rival Hugh.
Woo-hoo! Just get up every day and go haul my loads, and, uh You know, it pays to have a steady pace.
Don't want to slow down too much, because This is deep enough to stop a guy.
I'm pretty happy to haul more than Hugh and Rick.
It pleases me to beat 'em.
While Alex celebrates his victory over Hugh, back in Alaska The load count champion rolls into the Carlile truck yard one last time.
But I've been faced with a lot of challenges, and I've done a lot of cool stuff this year, that's for sure.
With 28 loads this season, Lisa squeezes out a one-load victory.
Yeah, the season's done! Woo-hoo! With the dash for the cash settled, the Carlile truckers get together for a little end of the season celebration.
Throw a little bit of this homemade barbecue sauce on these baby back ribs.
Whether its with moose, caribou, any kind of game, we have a little bit of a variety of things going on here.
And, uh, that's how we roll.
While Tony grills the main course, Phil has one more lesson for Maya.
See? Now push the brown.
Like you're welding, you know what I'm saying? - Like that? - Yeah, yeah.
- Hey, what's up, Lisa? - You got her cooking, too? Quit messin' with her.
I got her busy now.
That's cool.
I just want to thank you guys for another season well done.
It was a pleasure to work with you guys, and new and old both.
No, I really appreciate all you've done to show-- You've showed me everything you could and then some, and I really appreciate it.
It's a very family-oriented-- Very family-oriented place to drive.
Oh, yeah, it's-- And-- Everybody knows everybody.
Yeah.
You have to respect, you know, the other people on the road and mother nature.
Back in Winnipeg, Rick, Alex, and Hugh also put their winter behind them.
It was great because we were on a bunch of different roads.
Different road all the time.
We had a different challenge all the time.
It makes for a good drive, at least the one season.
You made more [Bleep.]
money this year than you [Bleep.]
shake a stick at.
Remember, I gotta get paid yet, too.
Good seeing you, buddy.
Hey.
- Man, be safe up there.
- Thanks.
See you guys later.
- God bless you.
- You betcha.
Across the continent, the ice road truckers toast another successful season.
I'm gonna always be up here.
Always.
I'm in love with the road.
But it won't be long before the temperatures start to fall, the lakes turn to ice and the dash for the cash is on again.
Oh, it's been a great adventure.
It takes special kind of charachter to run these loads and survive.