Ice Road Truckers (2007) s04e13 Episode Script

Tonight, for the first time in ice road history The haul road's top drivers join together in the largest convoy the Dalton's ever seen Bringing supplies to a village about to be cut off from civilization.
So that's why we're trying to get out there as fast as we can.
They'll battle weather You okay, Alex? Can you see? No.
Thinning ice I heard about a guy dying out here a couple weeks ago.
And each other.
Are we supposed to be dragging our feet, Greg? I swear, the guy likes his own voice too damn much.
In a 570-mile journey that puts everything on the line.
I would rather die doing something I love doing than being too scared to live life.
Holy.
Livin' on the edge These are the truckers who make their living On thin ice.
Livin' on the edge You can't help yourself you can't help yourself livin' on the edge you can't help yourself from falling livin' on the edge yeah, yeah All right, Fairbanks kfar, 660 am.
Temperatures rising, ce road softening up.
Now's the time to get your trips in before it gets out from underneath you.
As the ice road season hits the home stretch, the window for moving loads north is closing fast.
At the Carlile yard, heavy hauler Jack Jessee's being sent on an important fuel delivery.
Well, we got a load of fuel going out to the village.
At the start of the season, Jack took the first load of fuel across the ice to Nuiqsut.
And now, he's taking the last.
Rising temperatures mean the ice is getting thin.
And when it's gone, the door to Nuiqsut will be shut.
With the ice road just days from closing, Jack's not alone.
Today the haul road's top drivers are being dispatched in a supersize convoy to make the final deliveries to the village before the ice road disappears.
So this will be kinda cool, getting to go out over the ice.
I think it's a village.
Population, I don't know.
Three? I don't know.
I guess I'll find out.
This will be fun to learn about the place.
Well, all looks good.
The best I can see, everything is a-okay.
First they'll face 500 Miles of the Dalton, with loads bound for the oil fields.
Once they reach Prudhoe, they'll pick up the last load of supplies bound for Nuiqsut, and head another 70 Miles across the Colville river.
Well, the ice road's usually only open for about two months.
Two and half months, if weather permits.
And in that span of time, we have to get everything out to the villages.
We got a short window to get this stuff done, so that's why we're trying to get out there as fast as we can.
Never been to Nuiqsut before, so that's a new lovely ball game for me over there.
You never know exactly what's gonna happen.
This is gonna be a load that needs to go to a lnupiat community, in a settlement which is actually cut off from the rest of civilization.
Ah, it'll actually be the first time I've actually really gone much outside of the Carlile yard in Prudhoe.
I don't know the ice road at all.
Just that we've prepared for the worst and hope for the best.
I gotta go north of Prudhoe three or four hours to get out to Nuiqsut, and probably across some rivers or something, I don't know.
I've never been out there, so it'll be a kind of a fun adventure to try it out.
First time I'll be crossing a frozen river.
I've been on an ocean and I've been on the tundra ice, but I've never been on river ice.
The journey's off to a strong start, but just ten Miles outside of Fairbanks So what's wrong with this trailer? All right.
Well, I'll be right back.
Okay.
My quickness out of town was now set just back farther than normal.
In the rush to get trucks on the road, Lisa was given the wrong trailer.
She's headed north, but her load should be going South to the city of Kenai.
Kenai's here, Anchorage is here, Fairbanks is here, Prudhoe is here.
I can't believe it got this far before they noticed that this doesn't even go here.
You know, as soon as you find out the freight's going the wrong direction, then any more minutes going the wrong direction is minutes wasted.
After returning to Fairbanks for a new load, Lisa will have to hustle to catch up with the convoy.
Again.
This day could get crappy really St.
While Lisa heads back, the rest of the pack forges ahead.
Greg Boadwine's pulled to the front of the line.
This might very well be the lightest load I've had this season.
Oh, yeah, it's nice to be this light.
Especially today, because the entire group is behind me.
I got see if I can remember the order here, I got Alex back there behind me, then Hugh, then ray, then Jack.
With his heavy load of fuel, Jack's dropped to the back.
And Greg's eating up the chance to lead the convoy.
They have to have somebody out in front to lead and get them through the scary spots.
I'm enjoying it.
It's gonna give me some material to talk some crap about later.
But the Dalton's no place to get cocky.
10-4, thanks.
Yeah, they got a rollover on the 17-mile at the Dalton.
I don't know if it's a big rig, or just a pickup, or what's rolled over there.
But we're about 15 Miles away.
17-mile is a bunch of curves in there, who knows.
You know, it's just speculation.
We're just guessing right now.
We're gonna see when we get there.
Holy.
Fairbanks, a rig carrying a generator caught an edge And rolled into the ditch.
Holy.
Looks like somebody's in the ditch.
Ease on through here real Slow and gentle.
A nasty roll.
That's just yet another one of the wonderful hazards out here isThin road.
You can get too far over before you even come close to realizing it.
As soon as that steer tire gets in the ditch, you're screwed.
I mean, if it hits the snow, you're done.
I received the radio dispatch at 7:17 this morning.
And I made it on scene here at This morning, this gentleman was transporting a generator set, two skid steers, and a pallet of motor oil.
This guy had the whole road to himself this morning when this happened.
He didn't meet anybody, he didn't have any animals in front of him.
You know, good lighting conditions You know, this could happen to anybody with any experience.
Well, that definitely that wasn't a little bit in the ditch, that whole darn thing was in the ditch.
You know, and all he did was he got too close to the edge.
He thought that there was plenty of room on the shoulder, and there isn't shoulders up here.
You know, if you get too close, it gets sucked in.
Pfft, that's what happens.
The driver was taken to the hospital.
And the truck will have to be towed back to Fairbanks Once they can recover the load.
It's a grim reminder that any trip to Prudhoe bay could turn into a trip to the scrap yard.
Just glad that wasn't me.
That's a bad deal.
Nobody wants to get in that.
Seeing that definitely reminds you how dangerous it is, how much respect you have to have for this road.
You look away for a quarter second, you could end up on your side.
Why's it say Prudhoe on it then, if it doesn't go to Prudhoe? Lisa's back at dispatch after finding out her last load was headed in the wrong direction.
You have 1835.
I have 1835.
All right? Are you sure? I am.
Can I leave this time? You can leave.
But as a dispatcher, I reserve the right to recall you at any time.
Well, then I better get out of phone service before you do.
You should.
The other load isn't going to Prudhoe, so this one apparently is.
This time, Lisa's rig is loaded with a snowmobile bound directly for Nuiqsut.
That should be good.
Yep.
By 11:00 A.
M.
, she's back on the Dalton, racing to catch up with the rest of the fleet.
I'm telling you, it's raining on my parade today.
Weather's getting crappy, the loads are getting heavier and longer My clock is ticking, so we cannot wait.
Two hours ahead of her, the convoy pushes north with Greg still out in front.
Getting out ahead.
I hope to stay out ahead of everyone.
Probably be able to get out far enough ahead that I don't really have to worry about it.
After passing the wreck this morning, Greg's taking it slow as he navigates the taps a 55-mile stretch of road known for its hills and sharp corners.
Conditions I'm not liking.
Trying to make sure we keep traction everywhere and don't have any mishaps.
In about half a second flat, someone could spin out.
And I definitely hope it's not me.
But every decision Greg makes affects the other drivers.
Hey, boys Alex needs momentum to make it up the hills, and he's tired of Greg's pace.
Are we supposed to be dragging our feet, Greg? Oh, it's really rough.
He starts giving me "the Jack.
" Sounded like the Jack Jessee speech.
"Oh, yeah, the road's rough.
We gotta take it easy here.
" Yeah, give me a break.
He made up his own plan there for what he's gonna do.
Get in everybody's way.
Now we're gonna be right behind him unless he can To make it over the hills with his heavier load, Alex floors it.
I hope that's not Alex behind us.
If it is, he's dropping awful fast.
He shouldn't even be close to that.
He shouldn't be anywhere near that close to us.
He's coming down hard.
Pipe load's gonna snap that truck, if he keeps that up.
Grief.
Well, I gotta figure out, okay, this guy's gonna drive slow.
You know, so pretty soon I'll be putting up flack from the guy behind me is driving fast.
Just behind Alex is Hugh.
Out driving amid the hills again.
His truck goes a little faster, but he don't know how to use it.
It's tough giving Alex a little space, 'cause he's going so Slow.
He knows I'm coming, he always tells me to stay back.
Then I got a guy behind that wants to go fast.
So I'm going too slow for the guy behind, and too fast for the guy in front.
Of course, the guy in front, he can go and drag his butt because he's got half a load.
He just, he has no load on him.
Always a fun one.
Trying to get Alex back there to shut up so we can hear the radio long enough.
I swear, the guy likes his own voice too damn much.
It's getting old quick.
What a bunch of bologna.
By midday, the convoy's past coldfoot.
And thanks to Greg's slow driving, Lisa's able to catch up.
Hey, Lisa.
What's happening? Holy crap, look at that.
We are a convoy.
All right.
Hey, how's it up north? Is it storming pretty good? That's, like, most of the way.
The southbound driver warns the convoy that a storm is brewing up north.
I'm hearing on the radio that the weather's moving in, the temperature's dropping really fast.
What's going on is there's a blow up by Prudhoe.
Probably, like, 40 Miles or yeah, 40 Miles out of Prudhoe.
You know, it's winds that's picking up all the snow.
It's hard to see the road.
It's drifting and stuff like that.
And if it picks up a lot of snow, and visibility drops to nothing, we may not make it out there.
Coming up You okay, Alex? Can you see? No.
The convoy's driving blind.
Fairbanks, the convoy's headed through a phase two blow, meaning road conditions are poor and visibility is limited.
Looks very gusty.
Looks like it's blowing pretty good out there.
It's bad news for all the truckers, but it's especially dangerous for Lisa Kelly.
Unfortunately vans, which I'm hauling, does not do very well in wind.
Especially when it hits broadside.
But I'm pretty heavy, so I'm hoping it'll hold its ground.
To be honest, I'm glad I don't have Lisa's load.
That van is nothing but a big, old sail.
It's gonna be pushing her all around the place.
A sudden gust of wind could blow Lisa right off the road.
I'm just gonna keep pushing forward.
But strong winds aren't the only danger.
Are you back there, Jack? Or whoever's behind me? I'm behind you Alex.
I see you.
Tired of fighting the pack, Alex dropped to the back of the convoy.
And now Lisa is worried he can't see her.
Do my lights bother you or help you? No, that's good.
I just know where you are so I don't have to run you over.
That'll work.
With limited visibility, drivers won't know they're headed for a collision until it's too late.
We're just South of Prudhoe.
And I got Lisa in front of me, so I gotta make sure I don't run into her.
But the visibility has dropped to zero.
No.
Yeah I don't know if I'm ever gonna see her taillights.
Lisa, you gotta copy? As the sun sets, the convoy is forced to slow down.
I have no idea how far out of Prudhoe I am right now.
All they can do is inch forward Sounds like the blind are leading the blind.
And hope to avoid a disaster.
I can't see anything.
A lot can happen in the last ten Miles getting into Prudhoe.
The weather can really kill somebody out here.
I've seen trucks flipped over four Miles right from Prudhoe.
Where that poor guy probably thought, "whoa, I made it.
" And there it is, a truck flipped over in the middle of the road.
All of a sudden, the road comes up and bites you, and it's over.
And when it bites you, it's gonna put you off the road, on your top, or whatever.
You don't want that to happen.
Cost you your life.
Finally, light breaks through the darkness.
Here comes all the other guys, right behind us.
The convoy's made it to Prudhoe bay.
But the adventure has just begun as they pick up new loads bound for Nuiqsut.
Well, I'll let the landing gear down.
See how bad that's frozen up.
Lisa heads in for a weather report.
"The winds have increased to" difficult.
Two inches of fresh snow, causing zero visibility.
"Travel is not advised.
" A phase three blow means all roads are shut down.
If the storm continues, we're certainly not gonna be able to go out to Nuiqsut tonight.
But try again in the morning, dispatch gets in, and see what they have to say about the weather and going out there, so.
It's blowing at about a phase three right now.
And it really, really sucks.
So here, we're stuck.
And that's it, I'm going to bed.
And maybe when I wake up in the morning it'll be bright blue skies.
Camera's at 100% yard yet, or what's going on? The next morning, the weather's gone from bad to worse.
Well, we got up here to Prudhoe last night here.
And [Bleep.]
, we're coming into dodge, we get a blow about 40 Miles out.
So we got in here, and dropped the load off here, and today was supposed to go out to Nuiqsut.
And we can't get out there today.
It's worse out there yet.
It's phase two down here, and supposedly phase three out there.
The convoy's stranded while they wait out the storm.
Jack Jessee's taking advantage of the downtime by heading to the shop for a little maintenance.
We're gonna change the air cleaner real quick.
Lisa's gonna give me a hand.
Sometimes it takes a couple people.
And Lisa's using the time to learn a skill that could mean the difference between life and death.
This is a little different design air cleaner than you've got, Lisa.
Okay.
But the SIM the principal's still the same.
Oh, wow.
There's lots of snow in there.
Yeah, it just sucks it up, then it gets wedged in there.
In a blow, snow is drawn into the air intake and clogs the filter.
As the blockage builds, the engine's deprived of air until it shuts down Leaving the driver to be buried alive.
What I mean, if this plugs up, your engine doesn't run anymore, right? Yeah, if this thing plugs up, your motor won't get any air.
See all that snow packed in there? Wow, that's really hard-packed, too.
Yeah.
That's why it wasn't getting any air.
I can see it.
You know, slide in like that.
Put it in straight? There you go.
Now, see if that cover will go on just like that.
Go in here.
Let's close the hood up.
That worked out good.
Hopefully I needed the help, she needed a little more experience learning that too.
There's so much stuff to learn up here, you can't expect somebody to learn it all.
As the storm rages on, the truckers take a rare opportunity to have a meal together.
Hey, Jack.
It's still blowing.
Yeah? I don't think it's gonna let up for I haven't seen the weather forecast, but it this one looks like it's gonna be here for a day or so.
Yeah, we're gonna be here for another day, I think.
I wouldn't wanna be out there in this kind of weather.
She's hard on the pocketbook.
Yeah.
Yeah, it is, so.
Hopefully we can get out there tomorrow and make some money.
I hope so.
Otherwise gonna be watching tv, playing crib, and sleeping.
Yeah.
Well, you can get caught up on your beauty sleep.
We know how much you need it.
Yeah, since you're so good-looking already, you won't need the sleep at all, will you? Probably not.
I'll just go.
I don't know, I think maybe both of you could use a couple more hours.
That's just my opinion.
Yeah.
ButAnyway, I'm gonna get outta here, I think.
Got any movies? Nope.
You wouldn't wanna see the movies he has, anyway.
Yeah.
I'm just saying, I got a few that you can borrow.
Clean ones.
Yeah.
Well, that's the best kind.
I wipe the dust off of them every time.
Yeah, keep them well-oiled.
I'm gonna go call the wife, sit in the truck, and maybe even watch a movie.
Yeah.
All right, guys.
Yep.
Sit in here too long, you'll get fat.
With nowhere to go, they do what they can to pass the time.
I have ice road truckers.
So I can study and learn from my mistakes from last year.
It's more of homework than it is pleasure.
I got cleaning supplies up here.
Like, floor cleaner, glass cleaner, dash cleaner.
I got I keep my cereal up here.
I got, like, my pajamas and my workout stuff.
This is a bigger sleeper than most people have.
I mean, it's still pretty tight living quarters, but it's comfortable for me.
'Cause I gotta live here full-time.
I'm stuck in the blow here.
And from what I can see, it looks like there's a blizzard warning until Saturday.
It's "with whiteout conditions at times.
" After 24 hours, the truckers are getting restless.
It's blowing till Monday.
Might get to leave Tuesday.
Coming up I heard about a guy dying out here a couple weeks ago.
A final run across thin ice.
Fairbanks, and 36 hours after the truckers arrived in Prudhoe The storm's cleared and the ice road is en.
Morning, boss.
Mr.
Boadwine.
So have you ever been to Nuiqsut? Only in my imagination.
We're gonna have you go to the school to drop off some school stuff for them.
First time on the ice road.
Oh, gosh.
Got books Pencils, paper More books.
Any load that doesn't make it to the village now will have to wait another year.
But delivering the critical supplies means taking the ice.
"Excited" might not be the right word.
"Leery" is definitely the right word for going out on a new road, especially a new ice road.
I'll get excited once I get back here and know I made it both ways.
Then it'll be more of an excitement feeling, instead of nerves.
We got a boat motor, and some furniture, and some trim.
Yeah, a little different from the routine, but we'll get this done.
Yeah, this load's going to Nuiqsut.
Looks like a bundle of two by fours and a riverboat.
I'm doing delivering chairs, paint, and some tables to a presbyterian church.
I've never been to Nuiqsut before, so I'm not quite sure what to expect.
And this is kind of a taste of a different culture right in my own state.
Well, we finally made it out to the ice road.
As the convoy rolls out, the only thing separating them from a watery grave is the crackling ice.
It ain't safe, but I mean, this is living life up here.
Out on the road, and There's so many different ways to die.
Hey, I would rather die doing something I love doing than being too scared to live life.
I sound like a regular philosopher.
Lisa, the philosopher slash truck driver.
Just ahead of Lisa, Greg's on the ice for the first time.
Oh, it's a completely different animal.
It's all reasonably flat.
But it's slicker than snot.
I don't even know what to really compare it to.
It's literally like trying to drive a car on a hockey rink.
It's real slick, so you gotta watch your ass.
Speed limit out here is 35, on the ice.
You don't go over it, period.
And most of the time I'm going under it.
Especi well, there I'm drifting out of that corner right now, and that was 30.
The weight of the convoy causes thinning ice to bow, creating a wake under the surface that presses back on the ice.
The faster the trucks go, the stronger the wake becomes.
Go too fast, and the wake gets strong enough to burst through the ice.
You know, the new people just need to learn to go slow.
Because you're not driving a car, you're not on the interstate.
You know, you're driving on ice.
Normally, it's in good shape, it's in good conditions.
ButYou know, you got to know when that line is.
But realize that you could slide right off the road in a heartbeat.
I heard about a guy dying out here a couple weeks ago.
I don't know.
I don't exactly know what happened.
I think he went out on the tundra or something like that, or maybe fell through the ice.
I don't know what it was.
You just gotta be real careful, do everything nice and smooth.
Despite the danger, there's no place the veterans of the Canadian ice roads would rather be.
Oh, yeah.
Like, as soon as I pulled on here, I said, "hey, Alex, doesn't it feel like home to "you?" He said, "it even looks like home.
" So yeah, we're pretty happy to be out here.
Hard to slow down when we got this road, because it reminds me of home.
I enjoy the look and the variety, with all that ice and then the tundra.
And you look way out, it's like the big sky country.
It's horizon in all directions.
After almost three days and 570 grueling Miles, the convoy's made it to Nuiqsut.
Pulling into Nuiqsut here, and gonna have my first look at the little village here.
And people out here, they're pretty excited.
The whole town was coming down to see us.
Coming up The ice road truckers cut loose.
In Nuiqsut, Alaska, the convoy's pulling off the ice to deliver the final supplies of the season.
I am Lisa with Carlile, and I have a delivery of a snow machine.
And I need to be able to find your place to deliver this.
So if you could call me back, that'd be great.
Thank you.
But in the town of of room to get lost.
It's the blue house down the street.
Is there any way you could lead me there? Because I don't know this town at all.
Yeah, um This is my first time ever here.
I'll bring you there.
Do I gotta turn that way? Yeah.
Okay, I gotta move over then to make a wide turn, so.
And I'm not even sure Who this person is.
Or how they know where I'm going.
This is a stop, right? Go see what's up, what's up.
So, uhHow the hell we get this off here? I think it survived.
That's good.
That's how I usually take it out, anyways.
Maybe that's why it's broken.
Just joking.
And there's your copy.
And I'll back up for you.
All right.
I'm very thankful that you brought my snow machine for me.
You're welcome.
Thanks.
Have a good day.
You too.
Thank you.
Yeah, thank you.
See you later.
The guy I delivered the snow machine to looked very happy to have it back.
Across town, Greg's hauling a van with a year's worth of school supplies.
Gotta make a delivery to the school today.
And I don't know when the last time all the kids saw a big truck pull up, but it might get kind of entertaining.
Well, from what I understand, if they had had to fly all this material out to the site here, we just saved them over $1 million out of a $5 million budget.
It's nice to see the loads all the way to where they go.
Morning.
Oh, hi.
How are you? I'm Greg with Carlile.
I'm good, yourself? Hi, glad to meet you.
Yeah.
But it's even better to see all the people at the load help us out.
Oh, this one looks fun.
Hi, I'm Greg.
I'm Joyce ray.
Here comes superman and spiderman.
Look! Look.
Yeah.
Hi.
How was school today, guys? Good.
Yeah? Having fun? Mm-hmm.
Learning? You learn.
The kids in there were fantastic.
You can see the culture even in the children.
I mean, everyone here is extremely welcoming.
It's absolutely amazing.
Thank you very much, ma'am.
Thank you so much.
It's nice to meet you.
Have a good day, kids.
Y'all take care, okay? Oh, yes, ma'am.
Time to go back to oh.
Oh, how sweet.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Bye, spiderman.
I always end up delivering to major companies.
It's not personal at all, it's just part of the day.
So actually being able to see some of the faces, and it's just something I never get to do.
With two deliveries down, the rest of the convoy pulls in to drop off the last supplies of the season.
Well, you sign one of these and sign one of those.
You get to keep one, and I get ready? One, two, three, go.
There! All right.
I just [Bleep.]
In my pants.
Well, we finally made it to the village.
Come down here and open some valves.
Get this fuel going.
Where are you, Alex? Hi, sweetheart.
How are you? Thank you very much.
Nice parka.
Thank you.
Once the ice road closes, we have to wait for big items like this probably until next December or January.
This is a church, you'll make it.
Might knock the roof off doing it, but.
Attendant God, we come before you and thank you for the safe travel for Alex, and for the material that has arrived.
We're very thankful that we have a means to get things up here.
And they're very thankful for the drivers that push through in all kinds of weather to get here.
Bye there, fellas.
With the deliveries complete, Jack and Lisa head back to Fairbanks While the rest of the convoy stops by the community center for a surprise from the village.
The truckers are special guests at a Potlatch ceremony.
Meaning "to give away" in chinook jargon, Potlatch ceremonies have been held for hundreds of years by the indigenous peoples of the pacific northwest.
Traditionally, the hosts of the Potlatch lavish guests with gifts, and this generosity would bring honor to the host.
In the late 19th century, Potlatches were banned in the U.
S.
and Canada, as missionaries viewed the religious ceremonies as contrary to civilized values.
It wasn't until the mid-20th century that the bans were lifted and the Potlatch could again be celebrated openly.
And tonight's Potlatch features a traditional menu of caribou stir fry, whale, and walrus.
That must be the meat of the walrus.
That's what's between the meat and skin of the walrus.
And me and Greg are gonna share this piece here.
It just surprised him.
It's not bad.
It's different.
It's kinda like meat and fish, all at the same time.
The walrus.
There's your surf and turf.
Dude, you gotta try the walrus.
Not gonna happen.
Look at my kid.
That's how many kids I got.
Oh, for real, you do? Yeah, I got 11.
That's see my wife? She's still kicking.
And for the last dance of the night, the ice road truckers join in.
Got out there and showed them some moves.
I think they picked up on some of those moves, and it'll go on a long way.
Pretty big dance for us.
We all danced, and we had a good time.
We had a blast here.
Yeah, it was a real honor to be here.
While the melting ice road will soon close Nuiqsut to the rest of the world, the community and its traditions will carry on thanks, in part, to the truckers who live their lives on thin ice.
Everyone chalks up two runs for the trip across the ice.
Next, on ice road truckers I'm chasing you, buddy.
Keep running.
A rivalry between friends heats up the haul road.
Hey, Greg, that was some dumb ass [Bleep.]
You did there.
At least you pulled into a driveway instead of into a ditch.
Alex has a run-in with the law.
Got it "on-duty not driving," when it should've been "driving.
" Whoops.
That was kind of a screw-up there.
Greg is getting restless.
If you're not gonna stay on the road, go ahead and get off the road, period.
Lisa takes on the season's last mega-haul.
Next thing you know, it's thrown out the window.
We may need to stop, it's not looking too good.