Ice Road Truckers (2007) s10e02 Episode Script

Narrator: Now Alex: This looks sketchy.
Narrator: on Ice Road Truckers Whoa! Narrator: it's a nightmare for the drivers.
(Metal scraping) My motor just cut power.
She just cut half power on me.
Narrator: As the fight to keep moving Don't do this now.
- (Creaking) Lisa: - Easy, easy, easy, easy! Narrator: quickly goes downhill.
(Creaking) Whoa.
Oh shit! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! # # Narrator: Throughout the north El Niño's wrath is crippling the Ice Road Truckers.
The weather pattern is causing a severe heat wave that could result in the shortest season on record.
Many of the roads needed to deliver vital supplies have yet to open.
And those that have are already rapidly melting.
And deep in the Canadian wilderness, 300 miles from Winnipeg Art: Away we go again.
Narrator: Polar driver Art Burke's in the thick of it.
Racing back home after delivering his first haul of the season.
Nine hours of this, eh b'y.
Narrator: But the winter road out of remote Wasagamack is quickly deteriorating right out from under his wheels.
- (Thud) - Fuck! Hang on here.
Hang on here, hang on here.
Whoa! (Crash) Oh my God, my God, my God.
How the fuck am I gonna get out of this? I'm pretty much fucked.
(Truck engine hums) We ran into this.
I don't know how deep that is.
But my arse came that far off the seat when I hit it, so I assume it's about that deep.
And we were probably headed right into the swamp there.
So now, I gotta figure out how in the hell I'm gonna get out of this.
Narrator: Hundreds of miles from the nearest community there's no help coming by anytime soon.
Be all fucking week with this.
Narrator: So it'll be up to the company wild card to deal himself out of trouble.
I try my best not to panic at this racket, eh.
Fuck, and if we can't get it out we'll burn 'er.
(Door slams) Okay, b'y, keep your fingers crossed.
# # (Tires spinning) Okay, we gained about six inches there.
Every inch counts, buddy.
(Tires spinning) Fuck, we gained a foot or more there.
(Engine revs) (Tires spinning) One more time, this is the biggie.
(Tires spinning) Come on, come on, come on, come on! Come on! (Tires spinning) Nothing.
We're fucked.
Narrator: While Art's sidelined, back in Winnipeg at Polar headquarters How much longer you got on this trailer? We gotta get this thing out here quickly so.
Narrator: the boss is scrambling as roads are finally open, but the window of opportunity could close fast.
I've got loads piling up in my yard.
Customers are freaking, they're yelling.
Now that we've accepted a load it's our responsibility.
We gotta get them in.
We'll get this thing kicked out right away.
I've gotta get loads moving fast and I need all the drivers I can get.
Narrator: So now he's looking to expand the team.
- (Knock on door) - Come in.
Steph: - Mark? Mark: - Yep.
Hi I'm Steph.
Nice to meet you.
Have a seat.
Narrator: And 22-year-old hopeful, Steph Custance, is looking for a shot on the ice.
I'm a single mom, I'm 22, my son's five.
Whoa.
Son: Under ducking! Wee! After I had my son that's when I decided to go for my beginner's so I went and wrote the test and I passed it and then I literally just jumped in a semi and started driving.
You're looking to be a driver on the ice roads? Yeah, I'm hoping to be.
You got experience? Very new, very new.
Why ice road trucking? I like challenging myself.
I think this a good challenge for me and money's good.
You are coming to me at the right time.
I desperately need driver's right now but you're gonna die out there if you don't know what you're doing.
I'm not gonna kid you.
I can do this.
I know I can do this.
You know what? Um, I'm gonna have to see what you're capable of doing before I send you out there.
- For sure.
- Why don't you stick around and I'll see if I can find some time for you this afternoon.
- Sounds good.
Thank you.
- All right.
Nice meeting you.
Nice meeting you.
See you later.
Mark: I'm gonna put uh, Steph through some tests here and see what she's like behind the wheel.
We have a short window here and we need to capitalize on it.
Are you the Polar puppy? Are you gonna tell daddy to give me a job? Yeah? Yes, we're gonna hire you.
Narrator: As new blood hopes to break into the winter roads game, in remote Manitoba Alex: This stuff here sure doesn't look too good, does it? Narrator: an ice road's legend returns to help anchor the Polar squad.
Look there's crack through it without anybody even driving on it.
I don't know what drives me to keep doing it.
I guess to some degree it's helped keep me sane.
(Laughs) Narrator: Alex Debogorski has seen it all in his 40 years on the ice.
Alex: Hold on! Just about gone.
Just about.
(Wind gusts) Where am I? Whoa! Narrator: And through the chaos, the 62-year-olds faith Alex: - Did you lose some weight? - Nope.
- Are you wearing a corset? - No.
Narrator: and sense of humor have remained intact.
But now the grizzled vet faces a season unlike any other.
This ice road trucking season looks like a disaster.
You see the fresh crack through there? I see climate changing.
The temperature is too warm.
So it'll be a very challenging season.
Narrator: Alex's first big test, a newly opened crossing that's the gateway to the community of Little Grand Rapids.
I can't drive on this side.
This side's blocked.
That's why there's red signs there, which means there's a problem with the ice.
So I mean, that's a concern.
Narrator: But warming temperatures and a hot midday sun, have already taken their toll on the ice.
(Footsteps crunch in the snow) And now only a small section remains clear for travel.
It's a short season and these people need these loads and if the person doesn't get over the loads not gonna get delivered.
Narrator: Despite the risk I'm gonna drive over it.
Narrator: Alex will brave the ice with his 20 ton load of heating fuel that the village is depending on.
And we're gonna have the door open just in case.
When I say, "jump," I won't be here to say it a second time.
(Engine hums) (Ice cracking) Definitely making a decent amount of noise.
(Ice cracking) Oh, this looks sketchy.
Hope it holds.
(Ice cracking) Narrator: In remote Manitoba Oh, this looks sketchy.
Narrator: Alex Debogorski's looking to deliver a load of heating oil come hell or high water.
The ice looks really rough, you know, like it, like it's been melted.
Narrator: The two mile ice crossing to Little Grand Rapids is dissolving Alex: I hope it holds.
Narrator: and can barely sustain the weight from his 20 ton haul.
I think it might be a good idea to go and stand out on the running boards.
All this crunchy ice here.
Narrator: To navigate a safe path through the shattered ice, Alex deploys a veteran move.
(Engine hums) This is a good place to stand if you think there might be any problems, it's an easy way, quick way to leave the scene, the scene of the accident.
Narrator: Riding side saddle's dangerous, but could provide a life saving escape route if the truck breaks through.
(Ice cracking) Well, there's a little bit of water.
A little bit of water on the surface here.
(Ice cracking) (Ice cracking) We got about 100 feet to go.
(Engine hums) Sixty (Ice cracking) Forty (Ice cracking) Come on, baby.
We made it again.
We still have a truck and a trailer and I'm not wet so that's a good thing.
Got to Little Grand Rapids.
Narrator: The old pro arrives with his crucial haul safely in tow.
Now unload.
Narrator: While Alex offloads 50 miles to the east (Engine roars) Narrator: the competitions on the move.
The road is falling apart really fast.
Narrator: Lisa Kelly's scored a high price load of building supplies bound for distant Poplar Hill.
A 200 hundred miles trek over a rugged trail that's just opened.
Lisa: For being recently opened it's definitely been well used.
Which is good, meaning the communities are getting their things, but that's also bad because the quicker it wears out.
Narrator: Over the past 24 hours the race has been on to get supplies to the community before the route closes up.
I'm gonna be super on my guard.
Narrator: And in the mad dash the road's taken a beating.
Hold on.
(Engine roars) (Truck rumbles) I've always wanted whiplash.
(Laughs) Narrator: While Lisa pushes on, 100 miles to the northeast (Engine roars) Todd: Hang on.
(Truck rumbles) Definitely a bumpy road.
Narrator: Polar's got a live one.
Todd: Got an opportunity to get this load in to this new community called North Spirit.
Narrator: Todd Dewey's hauling a massive 30 ton load of building supplies to North Spirit Lake, the heaviest haul he's taken all season.
I tell ya what I don't like is actually seeing the temperature gauge and seeing how warm it is outside.
(Slush splashing) (Truck rumbles) You know it's gonna be a hard push.
The roads are only open for a brief second in time.
(Truck beeping, sputtering) What the hell is going on here? The motor just cut power.
She just cut half power on me.
(Truck beeping) I've got her buried to the floor and it won't-- the turbo won't even spool up.
Narrator: The motor's losing power making it nearly impossible to pull the heavy haul.
Todd: The truck is just not running right.
The truck ain't dying but it's taking all the power I got away.
(Truck beeping) (Chains clink) (Truck sputters) Unbelievable.
(Truck beeping) (Truck honks) Don't know who it is.
Darrell: (on radio) What the fuck are you doing there, grandma? Did you spill your coffee in your lap or what? Todd: Son of a bitch that's Darrell.
Narrator: Darrell Ward's also on the trail to North Spirit Lake with a 15 ton trailer load of tanks.
I am having power issues.
I don't know if I've got a bad filter or what's going on, but I've got lights flashing, my turbo won't spool up and I'm having a hell of a time getting up the hills.
(Chains clink) (on radio) I gotta stop here just for a second here.
All right.
Fuck, Todd.
(Airbrakes hiss) Darrell: Strange seeing you out here, huh? - Where you going? Todd: - North Spirit.
Darrell: Same place I'm going.
Got a little problem, huh.
Yeah, the motor's shutting down on me.
I got flashing light, I got a sensor or something on the motor and it's telling the computer to shut down.
So basically I got idle speed but this weight I got on here I can't get up the fucking hills with the motor idle down.
Looks like you have a really light load on there, just all empty tanks.
You want me to trade loads with ya.
Yeah, pretty much.
Pretty much.
Todd's broke down and can't pull the load he's pulling because it's heavy, and I'm hauling just a load of plastic tanks.
(Laughs) I, I mean it's up to you it's your call.
I mean If you think it'll help.
I mean, I don't care what we need to do, Todd.
I got get up there and get this load off.
So do you.
Yeah, that'll definitely help me out, definitively.
The competition is Polar, it's Mark it's not Todd.
I come up here to haul these loads and get as many loads as I can.
Narrator: Ever since fighting over loads while working at Polar You're done, the door's right there.
Right on.
I'm out the door.
See you later.
See ya.
Narrator: Darrell's been at war with Mark.
All right, thanks.
Yep, bye.
(Beeps phone off) Stole another load from Polar.
Narrator: And two seasons ago the Rocky Mountain log hauler started up his own business, and took on his old boss.
You get the fuck off my truck I'm leaving.
Thanks for the load, Mark.
Here.
Narrator: But Darrell abides by the truckers code-- never leave a driver in the bush.
Darrell: I'll put the rivalry aside when a fellow trucker needs help and these communities need these supplies delivered.
Narrator: Both bound for the same location Keep my fingers crossed that this truck stays running now and get this load delivered.
Narrator: the two teams switch loads.
Come on, girl, just stay running.
Narrator: But whether Todd's truck will be able to pull the lighter haul is still a long shot.
That's a steep hill.
(on radio) Looks like a pretty long steep grade.
Narrator: And the first test is an 20% grade hill.
(on radio) You gonna be able to keep up? (on radio) I'll be right behind you, buddy.
Darrell: (on radio) All right I'm counting on ya.
I don't want to have to back up a mile to pick you up.
Todd: Here we go.
(Engine roars) (Truck beeping) Son of a bitch.
Not now, don't do this now.
(Chains clink, sputtering) Come on, come on, come on, make it, come on.
(Chains clink) Don't stop.
(Engine whines) Son of a bitch! I can't get up the hill.
Narrator: On the newly opened trail to North Spirit Lake Todd: Son of a bitch.
I got no power.
I don't know if I can get enough speed to make it up this hill in front of me.
Narrator: a loss of pulling power may have Polar driver, Todd Dewey, down for the count.
Todd: Son of a bitch! I can't get up the hill.
Narrator: Even after switching loads with rival Darrell Ward Keep my fingers crossed that this truck stays running now.
Narrator: the lighter weight may still be too much for his weakening engine.
Todd: Now, gear down to friggin' low range.
Narrator: As a last ditch effort Todd shifts to a lower gear hoping it'll be enough to get him over the top.
(Chains clink) - (Engine sputters) Todd: - That a girl.
Come on, come on.
- Come on! - (Radio static) Keep pulling, you son of a bitch.
(Chains clink) Come on, come on.
(Engine hums) Yee haw! Bam! Darrell: There's Todd right there.
You gonna be able to keep up? Oh yeah, yep.
Narrator: While two heavy hitters bear down, back at Polar headquarters in Winnipeg What I'm gonna get you to do is finish strapping down this load.
- Okay.
- I want to see how you do it.
I want to make sure you do it safely.
I wanna make sure you snug it out right.
Narrator: Boss, Mark Kohaykewych, is putting ice roads hopeful, Steph Custance, through the wringer.
Mark: Snug her down.
Good.
I've got to get loads moving fast and I need all the drivers I can get.
Steph: I really wanna be an ice road trucker.
I wanna get out on the winter roads so I'm really hoping that I make some sort of impression on him and it's good enough that he wants me to work for him.
Mark: Okay.
You know how important it is to stay away from that bar, right.
You start tying it down like this right, right? Common mistake.
That thing springs back it's gonna knock you right out.
You're out on the ice roads doing that, somebody doesn't find you for two, three hours, you're gonna die of hypothermia.
- Okay? - Okay.
- That a girl.
Good.
- 'Kay.
- All right.
- All right.
All right, let's get the next one.
I gotta make sure I'm not sending somebody out there with a complete lack of experience where she's gonna put others at risk as well as herself.
I'm gonna put you through a little obstacle course right here.
Stick between the cones and then we got a bit of an ice bridge there with a pretty good snow bank.
I want you to blow right through that and get into the next yard.
That's stuff you're gonna see on the ice roads, you're going to be going through drifts.
I want to make sure that stuff like that doesn't scare you.
All right? - All right.
- Okay, get at her.
(Door shuts) See how fun this will be.
Never pulled anything this long.
Narrator: On the winter roads a miscalculation by even a few inches could mean landing in a ditch.
No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- (Crunch) - Oh! Mark: Oh, that's not good.
Is it supposed to make that sound? Argh.
I ran over a cone and I'm just about to hit the fence.
Oh no.
She's not gonna make this.
Fuck.
Thank God.
(Sigh) Now I gotta break through that snow bank right there, eh.
(Shifting gears) Don't stop, baby.
Keep fucking going.
(Crash through snow) Ahh! That was awesome! (Honks horn) Mark: How was that? Fuck! Exhilarating! How do you think you did? Uh, all right, a little bit hairy but all right.
Well, you know you hit a few cones.
Yeah, I did.
You got time your turns a little bit better cause it's really tight out there.
You got a little bit to go with your experience and everything.
Let me think this over.
- Sounds good.
- All right.
- Thank you.
- Take care.
Thanks.
Yeah.
See you later.
Yeah, we'll see what happens.
I-I'm gonna have to give this some serious thought before I send her out.
Narrator: While a hopeful must wait to join the ice roads fight 300 miles from Winnipeg in Canadian back country (Wind howls) My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my.
Narrator: Polar's wild card is just hoping to get back on the road.
Happy days are here again, eh.
Narrator: On his way back from remote Wasagamack - (Crash) - Whoa! Narrator: Art crashed into a snow bank.
And despite hours of effort Nothing.
Narrator: he's been stranded ever since.
(Engine roars) What the hell is going on here? There's something here not right.
Oh, no, no, no.
It's got a flat.
Tire blew on the other side.
We're fucked.
The tire come off the rim and now it's sitting there in the swamp with the tire off the rim so even if we do get out here I can't go anyplace.
My only option at this point is just to sit in the truck and wait till somebody comes by.
I might be here till the morning.
Cause as far as I understand I was the first one to come up here.
Narrator: With a busted tire and night fall looming, Art's situation is becoming more desperate by the minute.
Holy fuck is all I can say about this.
Narrator: In northern Ontario (Truck clank) Pretty fucked road there, Todd.
Bumpy and slick, buddy, bumpy and slick.
Narrator: after switching loads Todd Dewey and Darrell Ward, have put rivalries aside and are closing in on North Spirit Lake.
Yeah, I got Todd right on my donkey, chalking his load for him.
Narrator: But whether Todd's truck with reduced pulling power will survive the last brutal stretch is anything but a sure bet.
- (Truck rattles) Darrell: - Whoa! Holy fucking rough road.
(on radio) Take it easy.
All right, truck, stay running, you got a light load on.
(Truck rattling) Todd: Yee Haw! Narrator: Finally Rock 'n' roll, man.
So we're in North Spirit.
My truck actually made it.
Narrator: they arrive with the first two loads of the season for the distant community.
Go give Darrell a hand to get this uh, trailer unloaded and hope we get out of here quick.
Todd, good working with ya.
- Thanks, buddy, I appreciate your help today.
- Absolutely.
We got the shit delivered.
That's all that matters.
With a season like this you have to throw the rivalry aside to get these communities what they need.
All I gotta do now is just limp this son of a bitch of a truck back down and get her plugged in and figure out what's going on.
I won't get too far ahead.
Right on.
Let's go.
Narrator: While Darrell and Todd hit the road back to Winnipeg 50 miles to the southwest Woo, made it.
All right.
Narrator: another ice road trucker's coming through for a community in need.
'Kay, I'm just getting to my delivery point.
Narrator: Lisa Kelly, pulls into Poplar Hill with her high price haul.
(Machine whirring) Even just the last stretch of road is start-- you could tell the road was starting to fall apart so I need to get out of here.
All right, about time, starting to get dark.
All right, here we go again.
(Engine roars) Race against time right now.
This road is falling apart so fast I can barely hang on.
(Chains clink) I gotta get out of here before the roads completely falls apart, man.
Narrator: As night falls Narrator: a heavy snow flurry is making for a slick surface on the road.
I'm coming up to Suicide Hill.
Narrator: And as Lisa approaches a steep incline, nicknamed Suicide Hill Lisa: Nice and slicked up by snow here.
Narrator: it'll be like trying to gun it straight up an ice rink.
This gonna be a rough ride.
Hope that I can just make it.
(Engine roars) Not good.
Aghh, there she goes.
- (Engine whines) - Ahh, just spinning.
Narrator: 300 miles from Winnipeg (Wind howls) Narrator: an ice road trucker is stuck dead in his tracks.
Big fucking capital letters-- You're fucked.
They were right on today.
Narrator: For nearly 20 hours Isn't this wonderful? Narrator: Art Burke's been stranded.
- (Door shuts) - Brrr.
Narrator: And all he can do is burn what's left of his precious fuel to keep him warm until help arrives or not.
I'm definitely stuck here for the night.
(Laughs) And I don't know how many nights to tell you the truth, eh.
Till somebody comes along.
(Wind howls) I got three quarters of a tank and diesel.
I got four, five cans of beans back there.
Half a cold cup of coffee, Wonder bread, jug of milk.
Lots, whole box of matches that they gave me.
(Wind howls) I'm gonna give that a little rub, man.
I was given this to keep me safe.
You watch, something to come.
What do you do, b'y, just sit here and wait (Honk in distance) What do we got going on over here b'y? Ooh, just a second there while I check this out.
Narrator: Finally a potential lifeline.
Art: Hey, hey, hey, hey.
This looks good, eh.
This looks really good.
See, I tell you, b'y, I know I wasn't gonna freeze to death.
(Door slams) I've been waiting to see you all day long my friend.
I'm so happy to see you, man.
I'll tell ya.
Narrator: A passing crew maintaining the road could be Art's last chance at freedom.
You get her? Good man, buddy.
Hook some chains on her and see if we can't yank it out of the fucking swamp.
So we're all set? I hope this works.
(Engine roars, truck creaks) Narrator: The team tries to pull Art out with a loader.
(Creaking) Art: Come on, come on, come on! Narrator: But the big rig ain't leaving the snow bank without a fight.
(Beeping) (Engine revs) Art: Come on! (Creaking) (Tire spinning) There we go, b'y.
(Rim scraping) Narrator: Art may be out of the snow That-that there rim is ruined now.
Narrator: but his troubles are far from over.
The cocksucker hit too fucking hard and bent the fucking rim and all the air come out and that helped drive me into the fucking woods.
No.
I don't have a fucking nut or a wrench or nothing.
Narrator: There's no way to go anywhere without a tire on the front axle.
If he can't find a solution soon he'll have to abandon his truck and trailer and Polar will take a financial hit that could be crippling.
What do you think? Hey, whatever works, buddy.
So now we're gonna take the tire off the back and put it on the fucking front and see if that works, eh.
Narrator: The team will try to grab a tire from the trailer and install it up front.
But trailer and truck tires are different sizes.
So the plan is sketchy at best.
(Nut clanks) Hopefully, hopefully, it will get me the fuck out of here.
Sometime this week.
There we go, b'y.
Good people here, man.
Very good people here.
And they know what they're doing too, eh.
Obviously.
Men: Good to go.
Narrator: Art's back in business So I guess I'm off, thanks again, man.
I'm gonna get back in the truck ride down the road and just see what the fuck is gonna happen next.
Narrator: and will hammer down the final 300 miles back to Winnipeg.
Art: (Laughs) Thank you.
(Honks horn) What a fucking shit show.
Narrator: While Art's finally won his battle, 100 miles to the south (Wind gusts) (Tires spinning) Spinning it to death.
Narrator: rival business owner Lisa Kelly's facing a fight of her own.
Fuck, man.
I can't make it up this hill.
Narrator: A steep incline nicknamed Suicide Hill has proven too much to overcome.
Try to back down.
Try to go at it again.
Narrator: Maneuvering the trailer backwards down the slick surface could be a recipe for disaster.
Okay, don't slide, you stupid piece of shit.
Easy, easy, easy, easy! Okay, why is everything sliding? Whoa.
It's getting out of control.
Whoa! Oh shit! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop! Whoa, whoa, whoa! (Crash) Boom into the ditch.
Now I'm fucked.
Now I'm fucked.
Narrator: In the remote Canadian wilderness Oh shit! Narrator: Lisa Kelley's slid into trouble.
Lisa: Stop, stop! Whoa, whoa, whoa! (Crash, beeping) Boom into the ditch.
Now I'm fucked.
Now I'm fucked.
Can't go forward, can't go backwards.
Narrator: Backing down a slick hill, she's crashed into a snow bank and now in the dead of night, she's hopelessly stuck.
I'm never gonna make it up this thing.
(Wind howls) (Horn honks) Narrator: But there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
Lisa: I am completely blocking the entire road 'cause they can't get past me.
They need to pull the ass-end of my trailer around is what they have to do.
Then maybe I can get off this hill.
One of you guys wanna pull the ass-end of my trailer straight? Cause that's the only reason I can't get down it's because my trailer slid that way.
If we could pull this that way I'd be good.
If they give it a good jerk, they should be able to pull it around.
Cause then I could back down.
Man: Come on back.
All right, let's give her a shot I guess.
(Tires spinning) You might have to get a run at it.
(Engine whines) All right.
Okay, okay, okay.
That's not happening.
Well, can I drive your truck? I-I'll be gentle.
If you don't like it make me stop.
(Tires spinning) (Groaning) Woo.
Made it.
Thank you for the use of your truck.
(Horn honks) Narrator: Lisa's back on the road Lisa: I just don't wanna fuck this up.
I want to get off this hill.
Narrator: but she's still got to back up and try to make it over Suicide Hill.
Try to take it slow.
Oh.
Oh, come on.
(Tires crunch on snow) I've got it.
(Chains clink) Yay! Narrator: Finally at the bottom, now it's time to try and conquer the beast.
All right, here I go.
Now I gotta focus here so we can fucking make this.
All about momentum I'm hoping.
This gonna be a rough ride.
Hold on! (Engine roars) Oh my gosh, I made it! Narrator: Lisa's beaten her nemesis.
Oh my gosh.
Dude, I've never drifted that much on a hill before in my life.
It was just like coming up, going around the corner I'm just like shoooo, bounce off this ditch I'm like, errr-errr, Then it still made it up to the top.
This season is absolutely crazy.
I am out of here.
(Wind gusts) Narrator: Next time on Ice Road Truckers Wow.
Holy fuck, eh.
Narrator: the winter roads fight back.
Darrell: I have myself in a fucking jam.
Whoa! (Crash) Lisa: What the heck was that? I can't turn the wheel at all.
This is gonna be bad.
Narrator: And for one driver John, can you hear me, for fucking sakes? Narrator: it could be the breaking point.
Get the fuck off from me!