Ice Road Truckers (2007) s07e11 Episode Script
The Wrecking Crew
Male narrator: Tonight on Ice Road Truckers - Hang on to your shorts.
Narrator: - The battle between VP Express and Polar races to an end.
Sharp corner, sharp corner, sharp corner! Narrator: It's a contest of monster loads [Crash.]
On melting roads - Oh, oh! Narrator: - And no one wants to - finish dead last.
- Oh, it's a terrible spot here on the ice! Look, see? Oh, my God.
[Rock music.]
Narrator: Throughout Manitoba [Horn honks.]
the ice road truckers are racing against time and temperature.
Definitely, it's warming up.
The roads are going to be closed here, like, everything, everywhere.
Narrator: And the window to bring in hauls is closing fast.
We've got so many loads we've got to get out.
I mean, we're running out of time here.
- I'm getting nervous.
Narrator: - With only days remaining [Horn honks.]
the rivals are locked in a load count fight that's too close to call.
I'm going to make some noise here.
[Laughter.]
Narrator: VP bosses Hugh Rowland and Vlad Pleskot are fired up.
Ready? [Siren wails.]
[Laughter.]
Narrator: The village of Wasagamack contracted VP to deliver a much-needed fire engine Hey, guys, quick! I hear there's an asshole trapped in a building down the street! Let's go! [Siren wails.]
Narrator: But before heading out on the mission, they put some heat on Polar owner Mark Kohaykewych.
Okay, enough of this crap already.
Hey, you're blocking my truck again.
Can you guys leave? You're blocking this again.
Now.
Let's go.
[Laughs.]
Go.
Go find-- [Siren wails.]
There is no, uh, no fire here? We're asking you to leave.
Time to go.
Narrator: Once again, a VP prank pushes Mark over the edge.
Hey, we just got another episode again, and this time they pulled in with a fire truck, sirens and everything else, and it's just harassment already.
Uh, there was something burning in Polar.
Smoke, you know, coming up, so-- We go over and say we seen a fire over at Polar.
We thought we'd better come over to lend a hand.
[Laughs.]
"You guys are not welcome here.
Please leave.
" Oh, man, that's hilarious.
I've had enough of their antics and their games, so they must be really bored over there, because they got nothing better to do but to try and slow us down.
Well, this is a fun load, yeah.
Every now and then, you get one of these.
Narrator: VP can make more money driving the fire truck to Wasagamack than hauling it, so the boss takes the wheel.
It's like new, this thing, and you don't want to wreck anything.
We'll have to go slow on them roads, that's for sure.
And them are pretty hard roads on anything, so guys are just going to have to take it cool.
Slow but steady.
[Siren wails.]
Narrator: While VP tries to rattle the competition, Polar's not backing down, and they're tackling their biggest - challenge of the season.
- We closed the deal on the airport move, we're ready to go.
This is a major project for - Polar Industries.
Narrator: - They're got to haul a $1/4 million modular building over 400 miles, from the airport in Red Sucker Lake to a construction site in Thompson, but with the late season sun cooking the winter roads, delivering the oversized load is anything but a sure bet.
The sun's out and the roads are melting.
We've got dangers of trucks breaking through the muskeg.
The swamps up there will suck a truck whole faster than - the lakes will.
- Another day in paradise.
This is a big move for Polar, and I need to have it go off without any glitches.
Narrator: The move requires Polar's A-team, so Mark - enlists Darrell Ward - Oh, well.
All right.
Narrator: And Lisa Kelly.
Spring suspension trailer, so this should be a bumpy ride.
Narrator: Lisa's hauling scaffolding for the project.
Time is of the essence.
The longer the sun's shining down on the snow is the less time we got.
Narrator: And Darrell's pulling the oversized monster.
It's going to be quite an adventure getting this thing out of here without putting any marks or nicks into it.
- One more try.
Narrator: - The Montana Legend's rig was nearly down for the count after a rescue mission - in Utik Lake.
- Everything's fucked.
I'm ready to get on the road and make some money.
Narrator: But now, with a patched-up truck, he's ready for - the run to Thompson.
- Ice is melting, ice is melting fast.
I need to go.
- I'm good to go.
- I'm good.
I got trees overhead that are going to scrape and shit.
Narrator: To help guide the narrow trail, Polar mechanic Joe Klepatz leads the convoy.
And these roads are just turning into soft mush on the surface there, so I got to get this thing out of here before these roads start giving way.
If not, then she's stuck in here until next year.
There's a lot of dirt on the road and not a lot of snow and ice on the ice roads.
Imagine as soon as this dirt gets soft, then you can't drive on it no more.
This is the longest and the widest load I've had on these winter roads.
It's going to be rough.
Narrator: As Polar heads north [Horn honks.]
This road is freaking nasty.
- I mean, absolutely just tore up.
Narrator: - VP Express rival Todd Dewey's gunning for Winnipeg.
Yeah, you know, I just left Wasagamack and, you know, my backhaul's not a very big backhaul.
Narrator: The lighter the load, the harder it is to gain traction, so he's got to find it where he can.
Oh, sharp corner, sharp corner, sharp corner, sharp corner, sharp corner! Jiminy Christmas! What happens when the temp goes up is, the road starts to melt.
The ice underneath is starting to get a little bit of water on the top of it, and it is slippery.
Narrator: To keep pace with Polar as the season closes - Ooh! Narrator: - The ice road rookie is doing all he can to get loads on the books for VP.
My steer tires just want to slide toward the ditch.
You know, my driver tires, even with the chains on there, there's not much traction.
There's not a lot of weight back there.
Narrator: As Todd takes a beating Oh! That one hurt the butt bone.
Ow! Narrator: On the remote road out of Utik Lake Well, here we are now.
We're about halfway between Utik Lake and Oxford House.
We did get the load in there, and we're about halfway out of this.
Narrator: Polar driver Art Burke's also on his way back to Winnipeg, after completing his first solo run of the season.
I'll probably get back to Polar again.
So far, so good, eh? I find the people over there are way the fuck nicer.
Just some people and just some places, you just can't fucking work with, man.
Can you believe it? Look.
The problem with the truck, it's the exact same fucking problem we had yesterday.
It's losing all its power.
I got to keep priming it and priming it.
Narrator: On Art's haul to Utik Don't die here, baby.
Come on.
Come on, come on, come on, come on, you can do it.
Narrator: Problems with his fuel pump nearly derailed him.
I don't know what this has got to do with anything, but it seems to work.
Narrator: - And now - I'm going over the ice.
- We got to hope for the best.
Narrator: - He's got to face a mile-long ice crossing with a failing truck.
See that water squirting up? Probably somebody's hitting this too hard.
It is cracking.
Yes, it is.
It's cracking a lot.
Look at the color of it.
It's not good at all.
I don't like this ice very much.
[Beeping.]
It's getting worse.
It's like it's getting fuel to a couple cylinders or something, is what it feels like.
It's not sucking up the fuel.
I don't want to break down on this, that's for fucking sure.
I'm scared, though, she's gonna quit.
If you break down on the ice, man, it's not a good thing, eh? 'Cause you definitely You're guaranteed to go through it.
I don't know if it will slowly seep down or it will just get weak and fucking open up like a doortrap, or down you go, or-- I don't know.
I've never seen that happen, but I know it can happen.
I'm freezing up or something here, buddy.
She got no fucking power! This is terrible, bud.
Come on, baby, don't die on us here.
I don't fucking know, buddy.
I'm losing all my power and everything.
Oh, my God.
Narrator: - Coming up - Hang on.
Narrator: Fire on the ice.
Narrator: In the middle of a mile-long ice crossing Come on, baby, don't die on us here.
Narrator: Art Burke's been forced to break the first rule of ice road trucking-- never stop on the ice.
Oh, my God.
Narrator: When a truck's parked on the ice, the massive weight puts pressure on a single spot.
The longer it sits, the weaker the ice becomes.
It's not if the truck will go through, but when.
I'll be glad when I get off of this.
I'll try it without-- without fluid in there and see what happens.
Narrator: Art hopes priming the fuel filter will be enough to get him out of the potential deathtrap.
It's a terrible spot here on the ice! Look, see? Oh, for fucks sake.
Let's go! Okay, buddy, well, here we go.
Winnipeg, here we come at last, eh? All right.
Away we go again.
The power's back and everything's good again.
She gonna be a long trip home, boy.
Narrator: Art's made it off the ice, but he's still over In a truck yard 200 miles up the road Good-bye, Oxford House, maybe for the last time this year.
[Horn honks.]
Narrator: Fellow Polar driver Alex Debogorski has just picked up a construction trailer bound for Winnipeg.
What's that load doing back there? Pay attention.
This thing's a little top-heavy.
Narrator: The 40-year veteran needs to hustle.
The melting roads can be shut down any day, so each haul could be the difference between a load count win or a loss for Polar.
It's a little spooky here.
Got to be paying attention all the time.
You've got to be, like, hypervigilant.
That reminds me of when I was a kid.
I was only, you know, around 20, and we were hauling coal.
I swear, we went to work every day-- well, some of us went to work every day-- to die.
We killed a guy every six months.
We didn't think that was that bad.
The worst thing that could happen with a load of coal, go down the hill about 100 yards, down that first mountain, it's down, you got the cold wind blowing in the face, and all of a sudden, come off the top, wheels locked up, heart stops beating, 3,000 feet down is the river, the dust would be pouring off the back of the truck, the coal would be rolling off the top, the steering wheel would just be rattling like that, and your truck would be vibrating.
"Just this once, Lord.
Just this once, get me to the bottom.
I'll never do this again.
" [Laughs.]
That was one of the scariest rides of my life.
God has an infinite sense of humor, and he keeps some of us dummies around just because we make him laugh.
"Let's see what kind of stupid thing you're going to try next, Debogorski.
" [Laughs.]
Narrator: As Alex hammers down Taking this airport shack to Thompson.
Narrator: His teammates are convoying on their most ambitious mission of the season.
Keeping her between the ditches, and the trees, and the-- whatever else you find out here.
Narrator: Darrell Ward and Lisa Kelly are trying to bring in Polar's biggest load yet.
Darrell's right behind me.
I'm just here to help him out, 'cause he's got the tough load.
This is going to be rough.
Hang on.
[Thud and whooshing.]
I blew a tire! Well, there we go again.
- The rock bent a rim.
Narrator: - The bent rim is - allowing air to escape.
- Okay.
I got to beat the rim back, round again.
Narrator: If he can't fix it, the flat tire could leave the critical load stranded until next season.
Wish I had a bigger hammer.
- Darrell? - Oh, nice, Lisa.
- You're welcome.
- A chick with a big hammer.
- Yeah.
- Nice.
[Laughs.]
A lot better than the little one.
All right.
When you're running roads, it's just rough.
If you don't know how to fix it yourself, you better go into a different business, 'cause this - business ain't for you.
- So, he's going to spray ether around the edges and light it with a lighter, and it's going to go "poof," and then we're going to hook up the air line, and go and fill the tire up before it deflates again.
There it goes.
Perfect! Always put the boot to it, and it'll go.
- Okay.
Good? - Yup, that's good.
- Perfect.
- Okay.
All right.
Rock and roll, man, my tire's fixed.
At least I had Lisa to help me fix my tire.
It's a good thing she had a torch.
I had no fire.
I had to have a lighter to light - the ether on fire.
Narrator: - The tire's fully pressurized, but now Darrell has got to pass the narrowest bridge - on the trail.
- That is a very bad spot.
- You will not get by that.
Narrator: - And at 16 feet wide, the 15-foot load will be a tight squeeze.
Clear.
I need to get squared on this bridge and make that "L.
" Oh, this bridge is tight.
I got an inch on each side.
[Scraping.]
Narrator: Hauling Polar's widest load of the season I got an inch on each side.
[Scraping.]
Narrator: Darrell Ward's "too big for his bridges.
" Well, buddy, that ain't nothin' but a $100 air conditioner.
And I probably didn't even hurt it.
It's not really damaged.
You knocked the cover off it, and just fucked the little cover on the side of it.
That's fucking cool.
They said that bridge was I'm calling shit.
I'm calling shit.
Well, let's make a run for it.
All right, buddy.
Narrator: The building's only suffered minor scrapes to the A/C unit, so the convoy resumes their run.
I'm going to take this load as far as I can get it.
I'm going to take it to Thompson.
Narrator: - Traveling south - It's a pretty good feeling to be headed back after this long, hard push to Wasagamack.
Narrator: The slick roads are giving Todd Dewey all he can handle.
This is crazy.
Look at these roads.
It's absolutely beating the hell out of me and the truck here quite a bit.
Narrator: The rookie's racing to Winnipeg, trying to notch a load for VP, and get back out with another one before the - roads close for the season.
- These are the corners right here that'll get you.
It's a real sharp corner.
If you're going a little too fast, you'll take off sliding and you ain't going to be able to stop until you hit the bank and you're stuck, so guys got to pay attention, that's for damn sure.
You need to be looking way up ahead.
Oh, fuck! Hold on! Whoo-hoo! This guy's in the ditch.
Oh, he's pissed.
Hey, you want me to pull you - forward? - Yeah.
Probably bent his bumper up.
It looks like he pushed his whole bumper right into his fucking tire.
You know, I don't have a lot of freaking weight, so I'm hoping it pulls him out.
This is what I was talking about, how bad this road is and how slick it is.
You've really got to pay attention to corners.
Let me know when you're ready, buddy.
Yeah, go.
Keep going, keep going, keep going.
Keep going, keep going, keep going.
This ain't my first rodeo this year.
I've pulled a lot of guys out.
[Laughs.]
That just goes to show that these roads are in bad shape so, you know, these guys need to wake up and realize that this - isn't a joke out here.
Narrator: - As Todd tries to make up time My chances of making this are getting slimmer and slimmer and slimmer.
She's going to cut out, and then we're going to be fucked.
Narrator: The competition is not faring any better.
The problem with the truck is, it's losing all its power.
Like, right now, I got it right the boards here.
- She just keeps cutting out, eh? Narrator: - On the unregulated road out of Utik Lake, Art Burke's struggling to make it back to Polar headquarters.
He's still got over 400 miles to - go.
- Hang on.
[Grinding and squealing.]
What was that? That's not good.
"Check engine.
" Uh-oh.
That's it.
[Brakes squeal.]
She's just going, and that's all.
Weird.
What now? I got to get out and see what's going on.
What the fuck happened to that one? This here-- here is busted off, and it's not sending enough power to the computer to make the computer send the fuel in, and now we're fucked.
Un-fucking-believable.
I'm stuck on the road again.
The computer shut down the whole works.
That's that.
Narrator: With the truck undrivable, Art's stranded in - the Manitoba wilderness.
- What the fuck is going on here? This is-- this is fucking ridiculous.
Fuck! Narrator: - Coming up - This is not good.
Narrator: Alex is snow-plowed.
Oh, oh! [Groans.]
Narrator: In the remote backwoods of Manitoba - It doesn't look good.
Narrator: - Art Burke is stranded.
Once this quits, then the air is going to all run out, brakes is going to lock, everything is going to be fucked.
Narrator: His rig is idling, but the battery has lost connection to the truck's computer, making it impossible - for him to move.
- It's getting cold as fuck.
Once the sun goes down, it's going to be colder and colder.
- I don't know.
Narrator: - Shut down for three hours.
[Bird caws.]
Art desperately needs warm food while he waits for help from - a passing trucker.
- So, I can light a little fire here.
Trying to get it hot, boy.
See it bubble on the top, eh? Look at that.
Here's my spoon.
Got some hot fucking beans going on here.
Narrator: As Art fights off the cold We're going to just keep trouncing along.
Narrator: His fellow Polar drivers are looking to score big - for the company.
- It hasn't gotten too slippery yet, but there was some water on the road back there, so it's - definitely melting.
Narrator: - Lisa Kelly, Darrell Ward, and mechanic Joe Klepatz are convoying to Thompson, trying to deliver before the roads melt for good.
If we don't make it to Thompson, we got to sleep out here, and that's just one more day that the sun comes up and starts melting on this road more.
I'd really like to get off of it.
I just want to get off these ice roads before the sun starts beating down on them again and again.
[Beeping.]
[Groans.]
I don't know if my diff's getting hot or what's going on.
It ain't working worth a shit.
Narrator: Darrell's lost power to two of his drive wheels, forcing the convoy to pull over.
Darrell, you all right? Not at all.
I'm going to get out and check out my situation here.
I got a mess going on.
Oh, man.
Fuck! What is it? Front diff! It's hot.
I run it until it's destroyed and I'm sitting in the middle of - the road.
- So, what do you want to do? I want to get this shack to Thompson.
Hook on to Lisa's load, 'cause it's a third of the weight, and limp yours out of here, and let her take the shack - the rest of the way in.
- You ever pull anything like - this, Lisa? - Not this kind of trailer, but - a load like this, yeah.
- Well, there you go.
- I'll let you have it.
- All right.
Joe thinks he's got a better chance of making it if we, uh, - switch loads.
Narrator: - Team Polar swaps trailers.
Darrell grabs the scaffolding - Yes, sir! Narrator: - And Lisa hauls the - oversized monster.
- It's pinned.
Lisa's going to have her hands full with this trailer.
- Let's get out of here.
Narrator: - It's Lisa's first run with a heavy haul on the winter road.
We just thought we'd switch 'cause I've got more traction.
Now I've got this giant thing onboard, swaying around.
I've hauled stuff like this before.
It's not my first time.
The last time I hauled - a shack - Watch out, watch out! - Move over! - Shit! I went to move over 'cause this truck was hauling butt up to me, and it kind of just sucked me over in the ditch.
I don't want a repeat of last time, that's for sure, and there's a very good chance I could go in the ditch with this thing.
Narrator: On the melting road from Wasagamack It's been a pretty nerve-racking trip.
I've been pretty uptight.
This whole-- this whole ice road is frickin'-- it's pretty tore up.
Narrator: Todd Dewey's trying to bring in his back haul for VP - Express.
- It's bumps, ruts, deep holes.
It never ceases to amaze me, the whole time I've been up here, what this frickin' road will throw a guy's way.
It's absolutely nuts.
I mean, it is un-fricking-believable what the warm weather has done to this road.
I don't know what we got going on up here.
[Siren wailing.]
You know, it's late at night, and then DOT shows up, kinda make a guy nervous.
Narrator: Heading northbound, VP boss Hugh Rowland pulls over - his rookie driver.
- She's been a lot of fun.
[Laughter.]
How many times you get to play - with a fucking fire truck? - Yeah, not too often.
- Not too often.
- Road seems pretty rough up - there, is it? - It's just some fucking real bad rough spots.
I mean, it'll fucking bounce your front end, if you go too fast, three feet in the fucking air.
- Yeah.
- Really bad.
Good thing you got a lot of experience, 'cause fuck, anybody else would be in a world of fucking hurt.
- I ain't fucking with you.
- Well, we'll hit her and see how far we can make her.
We'll see what happens.
- Good luck, buddy.
- Thank you.
- Right on.
- We'll talk to you tomorrow.
You betcha.
[Siren wails.]
[Groaning.]
Earning our money tonight.
[Siren wails.]
Narrator: - 200 miles south - Look at this.
It looks terrible.
This thing here will slide over.
- This is a heavy-duty trailer.
Narrator: - Alex Debogorski races a construction trailer down the slick road Come on, come on.
Come on, sweetie, come on.
Narrator: Trying to reach Winnipeg by the morning.
Ooh, this is a twisty looking son of a gun.
Hang on to your shorts.
Oh, oh! This is not good.
[Groans.]
Narrator: Racing to deliver for Polar - Oh, oh! Narrator: - Alex Debogorski - has lost control.
- This is not good.
[Crash.]
[Groans.]
This is not good.
Here, we've got the road blocked, too.
Narrator: His mistake has the road shut down Who's that? Narrator: Preventing fellow drivers from bringing in their loads.
Sorry about that.
I guess I could have moved over a little bit when I hit the ditch.
I should be able to pull you out.
Okay.
Thank you.
Narrator: Desperate to get back on the road, the 40-year veteran hooks up for a tow.
Yeah, mine's good if yours is good.
How many wraps do you figure? Two? Three? I can't tell you how to hook up your own truck.
[Laughter.]
Yeah, it'll be fine.
- I'm ready any time you are.
- Okay, here I go.
That's good.
Well, I appreciate it.
Sorry for tying you up, eh? Yeah.
Back there, the road turned and I didn't, so I ended up off the road.
That's life in the fast lane.
[Laughs.]
Narrator: As Alex gets back underway [Siren wails.]
I didn't think it would happen, but it did.
Narrator: VP boss Hugh Rowland comes through for the town of Wasagamack.
Well, we made her to Wasagamack with the fire truck, and all in one piece.
I got to fly out in the morning, and it'll be pretty cool.
Here, I wore this all the way up here.
Oh, look at that.
[Laughter.]
- Good meeting you.
- Yeah.
Money in the bank.
Narrator: And as morning breaks I'm just finally rolling into Winnipeg here, just about to the shop.
Narrator: Todd Dewey adds another load to VP's growing total.
Doesn't matter if it's a big load or a little load.
Delivered.
[Horn honks.]
Narrator: But the competition's coming on strong.
Well, I ain't dead yet.
Doing all right.
Narrator: After switching out trailers with Darrell Ward Well, let's put her in the wind and head it toward - Thompson.
Narrator: - Lisa Kelly is bringing in Polar's biggest load of the season.
That corner might be pretty tight for you there, Lisa.
Yeah, ten-four.
Uh, I'm going to try it, though.
Yeah, it's kind of tight here.
All right, I'm around the corner.
This is awesome.
We're making our deliveries.
I'm going to back this trailer in.
It's been an adventure.
Pull over here, Lisa, and I'll - lock this thing up.
- Thank you.
- Got her! - Got her! Well, now we got to get this thing on the ground.
We'll hook it up to the pickup truck and pull it backwards.
- Okay.
- All right, cool.
Narrator: There's still one more hurdle before this job's - done.
- The plan is, we're going to drop the trailer so that Darrell can use his winch to get this off of here.
Narrator: By hooking his winch to one end of the building, Darrell can control the load, while Lisa uses the pickup to pull it off the trailer.
All right.
Just snug her up tight.
All right.
Let's see what this truck can do.
Narrator: It's a delicate balancing act, as the 30-ton load could tumble to the ground at any moment.
It's coming off straight from this end.
It's teetering.
[Loud bang.]
Boom! It hit the ground.
Narrator: With one end down, Darrell's got to ease out from the other side.
[Loud bang.]
Nice! On the ground! Pretty cool this truck pulled this whole shack right off of there.
Narrator: The modular building's in place, and Polar banks two loads.
Touchdown! I don't like running with convoys, Lisa, but you're strong.
- Thanks.
- If I ever run a convoy with anyone, I'd just as soon run the convoy with Lisa.
I'm very lucky that she was with me this trip.
- All right, see you later.
- All right, see you.
Narrator: Back in Winnipeg Okely-dokely.
I got to back up.
Narrator: Teammate Alex Debogorski keeps Polar on a roll [Horn honks.]
But there's still one trucker on the road.
I got emergency food for emergencies, and it's frozen solid-- every bit of it.
I got my own peanut butter.
[Bangs jar.]
Narrator: Polar driver Art Burke's endured a cold night in the bush, after his failing truck stopped him dead in his tracks.
My water's freezing up.
I'll be eating snow soon.
Narrator: There's been no sign of help for nearly a day, and Art's starting to run low on fuel.
I wonder, since I'm flying it on my fucking own, I might as well get started on something.
If I flatten the end of that, put it in there on it somehow, and then bolt it down so I catch the edge of that, then maybe we might be out of here yet.
I might be able to jam that on the other end and at least make - circulation.
Narrator: - Art tries to jerry-rig a connection to the battery.
Maybe I'll have better luck with this shit.
Narrator: With his improvised fix in place Eh? There.
Narrator: - He gives her a try.
- She's obviously revving good.
She's working good on the battery case.
Okay.
Away we go again, buddy.
"Check engine" light's off and - everything.
Narrator: - Back on the road, Art rumbles toward the town of Oxford House, the nearest site - for repairs.
- Come on, baby, just get us - out to Oxford House.
Narrator: - If he can manage the 50-mile trek, he'll be able to get the rig fixed and make - it to Winnipeg.
- Okay, buddy, hope for the best.
I'm not defeated yet.
Oh, you little darling! I jimmied up the battery cable there, and here we are, buddy.
[Laughs.]
Whoo-hoo! We fucking made her, boy! Narrator: Next time on the season finale of Ice Road Truckers Last trip! Hey! Narrator: The road's shutting down, and it's a mad dash to the finish Get that son of a bitch going.
Narrator: In the race for winter road supremacy Shake it till we break it.
Team Polar! Narrator: Not everyone Look, he's going to back into the ditch.
Narrator: Will make it to the end.
Narrator: - The battle between VP Express and Polar races to an end.
Sharp corner, sharp corner, sharp corner! Narrator: It's a contest of monster loads [Crash.]
On melting roads - Oh, oh! Narrator: - And no one wants to - finish dead last.
- Oh, it's a terrible spot here on the ice! Look, see? Oh, my God.
[Rock music.]
Narrator: Throughout Manitoba [Horn honks.]
the ice road truckers are racing against time and temperature.
Definitely, it's warming up.
The roads are going to be closed here, like, everything, everywhere.
Narrator: And the window to bring in hauls is closing fast.
We've got so many loads we've got to get out.
I mean, we're running out of time here.
- I'm getting nervous.
Narrator: - With only days remaining [Horn honks.]
the rivals are locked in a load count fight that's too close to call.
I'm going to make some noise here.
[Laughter.]
Narrator: VP bosses Hugh Rowland and Vlad Pleskot are fired up.
Ready? [Siren wails.]
[Laughter.]
Narrator: The village of Wasagamack contracted VP to deliver a much-needed fire engine Hey, guys, quick! I hear there's an asshole trapped in a building down the street! Let's go! [Siren wails.]
Narrator: But before heading out on the mission, they put some heat on Polar owner Mark Kohaykewych.
Okay, enough of this crap already.
Hey, you're blocking my truck again.
Can you guys leave? You're blocking this again.
Now.
Let's go.
[Laughs.]
Go.
Go find-- [Siren wails.]
There is no, uh, no fire here? We're asking you to leave.
Time to go.
Narrator: Once again, a VP prank pushes Mark over the edge.
Hey, we just got another episode again, and this time they pulled in with a fire truck, sirens and everything else, and it's just harassment already.
Uh, there was something burning in Polar.
Smoke, you know, coming up, so-- We go over and say we seen a fire over at Polar.
We thought we'd better come over to lend a hand.
[Laughs.]
"You guys are not welcome here.
Please leave.
" Oh, man, that's hilarious.
I've had enough of their antics and their games, so they must be really bored over there, because they got nothing better to do but to try and slow us down.
Well, this is a fun load, yeah.
Every now and then, you get one of these.
Narrator: VP can make more money driving the fire truck to Wasagamack than hauling it, so the boss takes the wheel.
It's like new, this thing, and you don't want to wreck anything.
We'll have to go slow on them roads, that's for sure.
And them are pretty hard roads on anything, so guys are just going to have to take it cool.
Slow but steady.
[Siren wails.]
Narrator: While VP tries to rattle the competition, Polar's not backing down, and they're tackling their biggest - challenge of the season.
- We closed the deal on the airport move, we're ready to go.
This is a major project for - Polar Industries.
Narrator: - They're got to haul a $1/4 million modular building over 400 miles, from the airport in Red Sucker Lake to a construction site in Thompson, but with the late season sun cooking the winter roads, delivering the oversized load is anything but a sure bet.
The sun's out and the roads are melting.
We've got dangers of trucks breaking through the muskeg.
The swamps up there will suck a truck whole faster than - the lakes will.
- Another day in paradise.
This is a big move for Polar, and I need to have it go off without any glitches.
Narrator: The move requires Polar's A-team, so Mark - enlists Darrell Ward - Oh, well.
All right.
Narrator: And Lisa Kelly.
Spring suspension trailer, so this should be a bumpy ride.
Narrator: Lisa's hauling scaffolding for the project.
Time is of the essence.
The longer the sun's shining down on the snow is the less time we got.
Narrator: And Darrell's pulling the oversized monster.
It's going to be quite an adventure getting this thing out of here without putting any marks or nicks into it.
- One more try.
Narrator: - The Montana Legend's rig was nearly down for the count after a rescue mission - in Utik Lake.
- Everything's fucked.
I'm ready to get on the road and make some money.
Narrator: But now, with a patched-up truck, he's ready for - the run to Thompson.
- Ice is melting, ice is melting fast.
I need to go.
- I'm good to go.
- I'm good.
I got trees overhead that are going to scrape and shit.
Narrator: To help guide the narrow trail, Polar mechanic Joe Klepatz leads the convoy.
And these roads are just turning into soft mush on the surface there, so I got to get this thing out of here before these roads start giving way.
If not, then she's stuck in here until next year.
There's a lot of dirt on the road and not a lot of snow and ice on the ice roads.
Imagine as soon as this dirt gets soft, then you can't drive on it no more.
This is the longest and the widest load I've had on these winter roads.
It's going to be rough.
Narrator: As Polar heads north [Horn honks.]
This road is freaking nasty.
- I mean, absolutely just tore up.
Narrator: - VP Express rival Todd Dewey's gunning for Winnipeg.
Yeah, you know, I just left Wasagamack and, you know, my backhaul's not a very big backhaul.
Narrator: The lighter the load, the harder it is to gain traction, so he's got to find it where he can.
Oh, sharp corner, sharp corner, sharp corner, sharp corner, sharp corner! Jiminy Christmas! What happens when the temp goes up is, the road starts to melt.
The ice underneath is starting to get a little bit of water on the top of it, and it is slippery.
Narrator: To keep pace with Polar as the season closes - Ooh! Narrator: - The ice road rookie is doing all he can to get loads on the books for VP.
My steer tires just want to slide toward the ditch.
You know, my driver tires, even with the chains on there, there's not much traction.
There's not a lot of weight back there.
Narrator: As Todd takes a beating Oh! That one hurt the butt bone.
Ow! Narrator: On the remote road out of Utik Lake Well, here we are now.
We're about halfway between Utik Lake and Oxford House.
We did get the load in there, and we're about halfway out of this.
Narrator: Polar driver Art Burke's also on his way back to Winnipeg, after completing his first solo run of the season.
I'll probably get back to Polar again.
So far, so good, eh? I find the people over there are way the fuck nicer.
Just some people and just some places, you just can't fucking work with, man.
Can you believe it? Look.
The problem with the truck, it's the exact same fucking problem we had yesterday.
It's losing all its power.
I got to keep priming it and priming it.
Narrator: On Art's haul to Utik Don't die here, baby.
Come on.
Come on, come on, come on, come on, you can do it.
Narrator: Problems with his fuel pump nearly derailed him.
I don't know what this has got to do with anything, but it seems to work.
Narrator: - And now - I'm going over the ice.
- We got to hope for the best.
Narrator: - He's got to face a mile-long ice crossing with a failing truck.
See that water squirting up? Probably somebody's hitting this too hard.
It is cracking.
Yes, it is.
It's cracking a lot.
Look at the color of it.
It's not good at all.
I don't like this ice very much.
[Beeping.]
It's getting worse.
It's like it's getting fuel to a couple cylinders or something, is what it feels like.
It's not sucking up the fuel.
I don't want to break down on this, that's for fucking sure.
I'm scared, though, she's gonna quit.
If you break down on the ice, man, it's not a good thing, eh? 'Cause you definitely You're guaranteed to go through it.
I don't know if it will slowly seep down or it will just get weak and fucking open up like a doortrap, or down you go, or-- I don't know.
I've never seen that happen, but I know it can happen.
I'm freezing up or something here, buddy.
She got no fucking power! This is terrible, bud.
Come on, baby, don't die on us here.
I don't fucking know, buddy.
I'm losing all my power and everything.
Oh, my God.
Narrator: - Coming up - Hang on.
Narrator: Fire on the ice.
Narrator: In the middle of a mile-long ice crossing Come on, baby, don't die on us here.
Narrator: Art Burke's been forced to break the first rule of ice road trucking-- never stop on the ice.
Oh, my God.
Narrator: When a truck's parked on the ice, the massive weight puts pressure on a single spot.
The longer it sits, the weaker the ice becomes.
It's not if the truck will go through, but when.
I'll be glad when I get off of this.
I'll try it without-- without fluid in there and see what happens.
Narrator: Art hopes priming the fuel filter will be enough to get him out of the potential deathtrap.
It's a terrible spot here on the ice! Look, see? Oh, for fucks sake.
Let's go! Okay, buddy, well, here we go.
Winnipeg, here we come at last, eh? All right.
Away we go again.
The power's back and everything's good again.
She gonna be a long trip home, boy.
Narrator: Art's made it off the ice, but he's still over In a truck yard 200 miles up the road Good-bye, Oxford House, maybe for the last time this year.
[Horn honks.]
Narrator: Fellow Polar driver Alex Debogorski has just picked up a construction trailer bound for Winnipeg.
What's that load doing back there? Pay attention.
This thing's a little top-heavy.
Narrator: The 40-year veteran needs to hustle.
The melting roads can be shut down any day, so each haul could be the difference between a load count win or a loss for Polar.
It's a little spooky here.
Got to be paying attention all the time.
You've got to be, like, hypervigilant.
That reminds me of when I was a kid.
I was only, you know, around 20, and we were hauling coal.
I swear, we went to work every day-- well, some of us went to work every day-- to die.
We killed a guy every six months.
We didn't think that was that bad.
The worst thing that could happen with a load of coal, go down the hill about 100 yards, down that first mountain, it's down, you got the cold wind blowing in the face, and all of a sudden, come off the top, wheels locked up, heart stops beating, 3,000 feet down is the river, the dust would be pouring off the back of the truck, the coal would be rolling off the top, the steering wheel would just be rattling like that, and your truck would be vibrating.
"Just this once, Lord.
Just this once, get me to the bottom.
I'll never do this again.
" [Laughs.]
That was one of the scariest rides of my life.
God has an infinite sense of humor, and he keeps some of us dummies around just because we make him laugh.
"Let's see what kind of stupid thing you're going to try next, Debogorski.
" [Laughs.]
Narrator: As Alex hammers down Taking this airport shack to Thompson.
Narrator: His teammates are convoying on their most ambitious mission of the season.
Keeping her between the ditches, and the trees, and the-- whatever else you find out here.
Narrator: Darrell Ward and Lisa Kelly are trying to bring in Polar's biggest load yet.
Darrell's right behind me.
I'm just here to help him out, 'cause he's got the tough load.
This is going to be rough.
Hang on.
[Thud and whooshing.]
I blew a tire! Well, there we go again.
- The rock bent a rim.
Narrator: - The bent rim is - allowing air to escape.
- Okay.
I got to beat the rim back, round again.
Narrator: If he can't fix it, the flat tire could leave the critical load stranded until next season.
Wish I had a bigger hammer.
- Darrell? - Oh, nice, Lisa.
- You're welcome.
- A chick with a big hammer.
- Yeah.
- Nice.
[Laughs.]
A lot better than the little one.
All right.
When you're running roads, it's just rough.
If you don't know how to fix it yourself, you better go into a different business, 'cause this - business ain't for you.
- So, he's going to spray ether around the edges and light it with a lighter, and it's going to go "poof," and then we're going to hook up the air line, and go and fill the tire up before it deflates again.
There it goes.
Perfect! Always put the boot to it, and it'll go.
- Okay.
Good? - Yup, that's good.
- Perfect.
- Okay.
All right.
Rock and roll, man, my tire's fixed.
At least I had Lisa to help me fix my tire.
It's a good thing she had a torch.
I had no fire.
I had to have a lighter to light - the ether on fire.
Narrator: - The tire's fully pressurized, but now Darrell has got to pass the narrowest bridge - on the trail.
- That is a very bad spot.
- You will not get by that.
Narrator: - And at 16 feet wide, the 15-foot load will be a tight squeeze.
Clear.
I need to get squared on this bridge and make that "L.
" Oh, this bridge is tight.
I got an inch on each side.
[Scraping.]
Narrator: Hauling Polar's widest load of the season I got an inch on each side.
[Scraping.]
Narrator: Darrell Ward's "too big for his bridges.
" Well, buddy, that ain't nothin' but a $100 air conditioner.
And I probably didn't even hurt it.
It's not really damaged.
You knocked the cover off it, and just fucked the little cover on the side of it.
That's fucking cool.
They said that bridge was I'm calling shit.
I'm calling shit.
Well, let's make a run for it.
All right, buddy.
Narrator: The building's only suffered minor scrapes to the A/C unit, so the convoy resumes their run.
I'm going to take this load as far as I can get it.
I'm going to take it to Thompson.
Narrator: - Traveling south - It's a pretty good feeling to be headed back after this long, hard push to Wasagamack.
Narrator: The slick roads are giving Todd Dewey all he can handle.
This is crazy.
Look at these roads.
It's absolutely beating the hell out of me and the truck here quite a bit.
Narrator: The rookie's racing to Winnipeg, trying to notch a load for VP, and get back out with another one before the - roads close for the season.
- These are the corners right here that'll get you.
It's a real sharp corner.
If you're going a little too fast, you'll take off sliding and you ain't going to be able to stop until you hit the bank and you're stuck, so guys got to pay attention, that's for damn sure.
You need to be looking way up ahead.
Oh, fuck! Hold on! Whoo-hoo! This guy's in the ditch.
Oh, he's pissed.
Hey, you want me to pull you - forward? - Yeah.
Probably bent his bumper up.
It looks like he pushed his whole bumper right into his fucking tire.
You know, I don't have a lot of freaking weight, so I'm hoping it pulls him out.
This is what I was talking about, how bad this road is and how slick it is.
You've really got to pay attention to corners.
Let me know when you're ready, buddy.
Yeah, go.
Keep going, keep going, keep going.
Keep going, keep going, keep going.
This ain't my first rodeo this year.
I've pulled a lot of guys out.
[Laughs.]
That just goes to show that these roads are in bad shape so, you know, these guys need to wake up and realize that this - isn't a joke out here.
Narrator: - As Todd tries to make up time My chances of making this are getting slimmer and slimmer and slimmer.
She's going to cut out, and then we're going to be fucked.
Narrator: The competition is not faring any better.
The problem with the truck is, it's losing all its power.
Like, right now, I got it right the boards here.
- She just keeps cutting out, eh? Narrator: - On the unregulated road out of Utik Lake, Art Burke's struggling to make it back to Polar headquarters.
He's still got over 400 miles to - go.
- Hang on.
[Grinding and squealing.]
What was that? That's not good.
"Check engine.
" Uh-oh.
That's it.
[Brakes squeal.]
She's just going, and that's all.
Weird.
What now? I got to get out and see what's going on.
What the fuck happened to that one? This here-- here is busted off, and it's not sending enough power to the computer to make the computer send the fuel in, and now we're fucked.
Un-fucking-believable.
I'm stuck on the road again.
The computer shut down the whole works.
That's that.
Narrator: With the truck undrivable, Art's stranded in - the Manitoba wilderness.
- What the fuck is going on here? This is-- this is fucking ridiculous.
Fuck! Narrator: - Coming up - This is not good.
Narrator: Alex is snow-plowed.
Oh, oh! [Groans.]
Narrator: In the remote backwoods of Manitoba - It doesn't look good.
Narrator: - Art Burke is stranded.
Once this quits, then the air is going to all run out, brakes is going to lock, everything is going to be fucked.
Narrator: His rig is idling, but the battery has lost connection to the truck's computer, making it impossible - for him to move.
- It's getting cold as fuck.
Once the sun goes down, it's going to be colder and colder.
- I don't know.
Narrator: - Shut down for three hours.
[Bird caws.]
Art desperately needs warm food while he waits for help from - a passing trucker.
- So, I can light a little fire here.
Trying to get it hot, boy.
See it bubble on the top, eh? Look at that.
Here's my spoon.
Got some hot fucking beans going on here.
Narrator: As Art fights off the cold We're going to just keep trouncing along.
Narrator: His fellow Polar drivers are looking to score big - for the company.
- It hasn't gotten too slippery yet, but there was some water on the road back there, so it's - definitely melting.
Narrator: - Lisa Kelly, Darrell Ward, and mechanic Joe Klepatz are convoying to Thompson, trying to deliver before the roads melt for good.
If we don't make it to Thompson, we got to sleep out here, and that's just one more day that the sun comes up and starts melting on this road more.
I'd really like to get off of it.
I just want to get off these ice roads before the sun starts beating down on them again and again.
[Beeping.]
[Groans.]
I don't know if my diff's getting hot or what's going on.
It ain't working worth a shit.
Narrator: Darrell's lost power to two of his drive wheels, forcing the convoy to pull over.
Darrell, you all right? Not at all.
I'm going to get out and check out my situation here.
I got a mess going on.
Oh, man.
Fuck! What is it? Front diff! It's hot.
I run it until it's destroyed and I'm sitting in the middle of - the road.
- So, what do you want to do? I want to get this shack to Thompson.
Hook on to Lisa's load, 'cause it's a third of the weight, and limp yours out of here, and let her take the shack - the rest of the way in.
- You ever pull anything like - this, Lisa? - Not this kind of trailer, but - a load like this, yeah.
- Well, there you go.
- I'll let you have it.
- All right.
Joe thinks he's got a better chance of making it if we, uh, - switch loads.
Narrator: - Team Polar swaps trailers.
Darrell grabs the scaffolding - Yes, sir! Narrator: - And Lisa hauls the - oversized monster.
- It's pinned.
Lisa's going to have her hands full with this trailer.
- Let's get out of here.
Narrator: - It's Lisa's first run with a heavy haul on the winter road.
We just thought we'd switch 'cause I've got more traction.
Now I've got this giant thing onboard, swaying around.
I've hauled stuff like this before.
It's not my first time.
The last time I hauled - a shack - Watch out, watch out! - Move over! - Shit! I went to move over 'cause this truck was hauling butt up to me, and it kind of just sucked me over in the ditch.
I don't want a repeat of last time, that's for sure, and there's a very good chance I could go in the ditch with this thing.
Narrator: On the melting road from Wasagamack It's been a pretty nerve-racking trip.
I've been pretty uptight.
This whole-- this whole ice road is frickin'-- it's pretty tore up.
Narrator: Todd Dewey's trying to bring in his back haul for VP - Express.
- It's bumps, ruts, deep holes.
It never ceases to amaze me, the whole time I've been up here, what this frickin' road will throw a guy's way.
It's absolutely nuts.
I mean, it is un-fricking-believable what the warm weather has done to this road.
I don't know what we got going on up here.
[Siren wailing.]
You know, it's late at night, and then DOT shows up, kinda make a guy nervous.
Narrator: Heading northbound, VP boss Hugh Rowland pulls over - his rookie driver.
- She's been a lot of fun.
[Laughter.]
How many times you get to play - with a fucking fire truck? - Yeah, not too often.
- Not too often.
- Road seems pretty rough up - there, is it? - It's just some fucking real bad rough spots.
I mean, it'll fucking bounce your front end, if you go too fast, three feet in the fucking air.
- Yeah.
- Really bad.
Good thing you got a lot of experience, 'cause fuck, anybody else would be in a world of fucking hurt.
- I ain't fucking with you.
- Well, we'll hit her and see how far we can make her.
We'll see what happens.
- Good luck, buddy.
- Thank you.
- Right on.
- We'll talk to you tomorrow.
You betcha.
[Siren wails.]
[Groaning.]
Earning our money tonight.
[Siren wails.]
Narrator: - 200 miles south - Look at this.
It looks terrible.
This thing here will slide over.
- This is a heavy-duty trailer.
Narrator: - Alex Debogorski races a construction trailer down the slick road Come on, come on.
Come on, sweetie, come on.
Narrator: Trying to reach Winnipeg by the morning.
Ooh, this is a twisty looking son of a gun.
Hang on to your shorts.
Oh, oh! This is not good.
[Groans.]
Narrator: Racing to deliver for Polar - Oh, oh! Narrator: - Alex Debogorski - has lost control.
- This is not good.
[Crash.]
[Groans.]
This is not good.
Here, we've got the road blocked, too.
Narrator: His mistake has the road shut down Who's that? Narrator: Preventing fellow drivers from bringing in their loads.
Sorry about that.
I guess I could have moved over a little bit when I hit the ditch.
I should be able to pull you out.
Okay.
Thank you.
Narrator: Desperate to get back on the road, the 40-year veteran hooks up for a tow.
Yeah, mine's good if yours is good.
How many wraps do you figure? Two? Three? I can't tell you how to hook up your own truck.
[Laughter.]
Yeah, it'll be fine.
- I'm ready any time you are.
- Okay, here I go.
That's good.
Well, I appreciate it.
Sorry for tying you up, eh? Yeah.
Back there, the road turned and I didn't, so I ended up off the road.
That's life in the fast lane.
[Laughs.]
Narrator: As Alex gets back underway [Siren wails.]
I didn't think it would happen, but it did.
Narrator: VP boss Hugh Rowland comes through for the town of Wasagamack.
Well, we made her to Wasagamack with the fire truck, and all in one piece.
I got to fly out in the morning, and it'll be pretty cool.
Here, I wore this all the way up here.
Oh, look at that.
[Laughter.]
- Good meeting you.
- Yeah.
Money in the bank.
Narrator: And as morning breaks I'm just finally rolling into Winnipeg here, just about to the shop.
Narrator: Todd Dewey adds another load to VP's growing total.
Doesn't matter if it's a big load or a little load.
Delivered.
[Horn honks.]
Narrator: But the competition's coming on strong.
Well, I ain't dead yet.
Doing all right.
Narrator: After switching out trailers with Darrell Ward Well, let's put her in the wind and head it toward - Thompson.
Narrator: - Lisa Kelly is bringing in Polar's biggest load of the season.
That corner might be pretty tight for you there, Lisa.
Yeah, ten-four.
Uh, I'm going to try it, though.
Yeah, it's kind of tight here.
All right, I'm around the corner.
This is awesome.
We're making our deliveries.
I'm going to back this trailer in.
It's been an adventure.
Pull over here, Lisa, and I'll - lock this thing up.
- Thank you.
- Got her! - Got her! Well, now we got to get this thing on the ground.
We'll hook it up to the pickup truck and pull it backwards.
- Okay.
- All right, cool.
Narrator: There's still one more hurdle before this job's - done.
- The plan is, we're going to drop the trailer so that Darrell can use his winch to get this off of here.
Narrator: By hooking his winch to one end of the building, Darrell can control the load, while Lisa uses the pickup to pull it off the trailer.
All right.
Just snug her up tight.
All right.
Let's see what this truck can do.
Narrator: It's a delicate balancing act, as the 30-ton load could tumble to the ground at any moment.
It's coming off straight from this end.
It's teetering.
[Loud bang.]
Boom! It hit the ground.
Narrator: With one end down, Darrell's got to ease out from the other side.
[Loud bang.]
Nice! On the ground! Pretty cool this truck pulled this whole shack right off of there.
Narrator: The modular building's in place, and Polar banks two loads.
Touchdown! I don't like running with convoys, Lisa, but you're strong.
- Thanks.
- If I ever run a convoy with anyone, I'd just as soon run the convoy with Lisa.
I'm very lucky that she was with me this trip.
- All right, see you later.
- All right, see you.
Narrator: Back in Winnipeg Okely-dokely.
I got to back up.
Narrator: Teammate Alex Debogorski keeps Polar on a roll [Horn honks.]
But there's still one trucker on the road.
I got emergency food for emergencies, and it's frozen solid-- every bit of it.
I got my own peanut butter.
[Bangs jar.]
Narrator: Polar driver Art Burke's endured a cold night in the bush, after his failing truck stopped him dead in his tracks.
My water's freezing up.
I'll be eating snow soon.
Narrator: There's been no sign of help for nearly a day, and Art's starting to run low on fuel.
I wonder, since I'm flying it on my fucking own, I might as well get started on something.
If I flatten the end of that, put it in there on it somehow, and then bolt it down so I catch the edge of that, then maybe we might be out of here yet.
I might be able to jam that on the other end and at least make - circulation.
Narrator: - Art tries to jerry-rig a connection to the battery.
Maybe I'll have better luck with this shit.
Narrator: With his improvised fix in place Eh? There.
Narrator: - He gives her a try.
- She's obviously revving good.
She's working good on the battery case.
Okay.
Away we go again, buddy.
"Check engine" light's off and - everything.
Narrator: - Back on the road, Art rumbles toward the town of Oxford House, the nearest site - for repairs.
- Come on, baby, just get us - out to Oxford House.
Narrator: - If he can manage the 50-mile trek, he'll be able to get the rig fixed and make - it to Winnipeg.
- Okay, buddy, hope for the best.
I'm not defeated yet.
Oh, you little darling! I jimmied up the battery cable there, and here we are, buddy.
[Laughs.]
Whoo-hoo! We fucking made her, boy! Narrator: Next time on the season finale of Ice Road Truckers Last trip! Hey! Narrator: The road's shutting down, and it's a mad dash to the finish Get that son of a bitch going.
Narrator: In the race for winter road supremacy Shake it till we break it.
Team Polar! Narrator: Not everyone Look, he's going to back into the ditch.
Narrator: Will make it to the end.