Ice Road Truckers

: Now... on "Ice Road Truckers"...

This weather is killing us.

Narrator: a wild weather rollercoaster...

- Don't slide-don't slide-don't slide.

Narrator: Wreaks havoc on the winter roads...

and every turn...

- I'm getting the (bleep) beat out of me here.

Whoo-that is so scary!

Narrator: finds a new terror.

(25:09

- Could be worse but it ain't (bleep) good.

***

***

Narrator: The city of Winnipeg is famous

for its frosty February's.

The average high is only 17 degrees.

This year is different.

Mark: This is terrible.

Usually this yard's snow and ice

and I mean we're-we're walking through mud.

We're not even at what should be

the halfway point of the season.

Narrator: The thermostat surged upward

and after three days of record highs

business is at a standstill

for Polar owner Mark Kohaykewych.

Mark: I've never seen anything like it.

It's just, it's so frustrating.

I'm falling further and further behind.

We've got contracts ready to go.

I got loads piling up.

The drivers are stranded waiting for the roads to open.

This weather is killing us.

Narrator: All across Canada the stunning rise in temperatures

has caused something unheard of at this time of year:

the complete closure of the winter road system

leaving the ice road truckers

in a holding pattern.

Todd: Roads ain't open. Nothing I can do.

I'm not up here away from my-my family and my kids

for a good time.

I'm up here to make some money

and get the goods in the communities

so when I'm sitting here with nothing to do

it's not a good thing.

I just hope we get truckin' soon.

Art: Thank you very much. Have catsup?

Right on, my friend. - Everything good?

- Everything is great. Thank you.

Been hearing all day long the roads are closed

so my plan is to just see what happens, eh.

Well, now isn't this nice.

I ordered a hot turkey sandwich.

I'm trying to eat sophisticated here, b'y.

Steph: The last thing I need is this.

I got a kid at home with a sitter.

So I got something else to take, man,

like this seasons short like I want to (bleep) get there

and get it done.

Nobody's getting a paycheque,

I got my kid counting on me and I'm going nowhere.

It just doesn't work.

Narrator: As day turns to night... winter returns.

Shadoe: 680 CJOB The Shadoe Davis Show. It's 6:08.

-20 is the high today I don't normally say this

when a cold snap comes but its good news.

The uh, cold temperatures are back.

The ice roads are gonna be reopening.

Mark: Now we can get those in.

That road just opened up and uh,

we're ready to rock and roll.

The weather's turned and we need to take advantage of this.

Bye-bye.

These roads are open. It's now or never.

We gotta get this done.

Mark: Time is money. We gotta move.

Narrator: Polar's troops begin hitting the ground.

And 350 miles north...

Steph is getting a welcome wakeup call.

- Hello? - Steph, it's Mark here at Polar.

- Oh, yeah. Mark: That road just opened up

and we're ready to rock and roll.

- All right I'll get up. Fine. Alrighty.

Mark: Perfect. - Yep, bye.

Narrator: The young driver has her first real load

of the season.

Now it's time for her to prove her worth.

Steph: Yeah, I'm ready to get going, hit the roads.

Narrator: Steph's headed over 400 miles north

to the isolated village of Summer Beaver

loaded with housing supplies needed by the tiny community.

But the newly reopened trail is slippery

from the recent melt.

And Steph is the first to test it.

- It's pretty quiet on the radio tonight too.

There's no other trucker out here.

It's me in this bush.

No one else is out here.

If I get hurt, if I crash it's all on me

at this point as a driver.

So I gotta make sure I get there in one piece

and I get out in one piece

because ain't nobody taking care of me if I don't.

Narrator: As the sun rises over Ontario...

45 miles away in Pickle Lake...

- Gonna be a good day today, boys.

Hot meal, good breakfast,

some coffee and ready to roll.

Narrator: Todd's route to Muskrat Dam has been reopened.

Todd: We've not been able to get them all their supplies

and on a full load. We have to use these half loads.

Narrator: But because of the volatile weather

the load weight is limited.

Got some roofing shingles

headed in one of the only roads that's open.

Woo! Muskrat Dam here we come.

Narrator: Todd's journey will cover 250 miles to Muskrat Dam,

over beat up roads and a newly open 7 mile ice crossing.

Todd: Here we are back on the winter road.

Hard on the truck and hard on your body.

Narrator: Only 25 miles in the ragged winter road

is already living up to expectations.

Don't slide, don't slide.

This son of a bitch of road is slick.

Narrator: The big melt followed by a quick freeze

is the perfect recipe for slippery roads.

- The lighter the loads you have on

you don't get as much traction.

You don't have as much gravity pulling you down

causing you to get more traction.

Narrator: And carrying a light load only makes it worse.

- Don't slide, don't slide, don't slide.

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!

Son of a bitch it's all over the place.

***

- There she's coming back straight.

Son of a bitch, man.

***

Todd: The biggest thing you worry about

is not coming home to see your family.

It's like okay we need to slow down just a little bit

and maybe put a little bit more thought about what we're doing

just to make sure that I'm a little bit more safer

because you never know.

You don't ever want to get too comfortable

where you're just like, "ah who cares".

You don't ever want to be like that.

You wanna keep your guard up.

So I'm just gonna take it slow and steady.

This might be the last trip.

That's one thing about the winter roads,

you gotta treat every trip as if it's your last one

because you know what, in all actuality,

it could be your last one.

Narrator: As Polar's top dog eases on toward Muskrat Dam...

200 miles to the northeast...

Lisa: Just don't wanna be sideways in the road

or down through the bottom of a lake.

Narrator: Lisa Kelly is back on the road

after being shut down by the heat wave.

Lisa: I am hauling a trailer load of stuff to Shamattawa

for the RCMP.

Has been warm but it's cold now.

So we just gotta keep runnin' it

till we can get our stuff delivered.

Narrator: But this haul to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

outpost isn't for her company.

It's a load for her competitor.

- My luck sucks and I have to work really hard

to pay Mark back,

and hopefully keep this train running.

Narrator: Two weeks ago...

Lisa: Oh no! Oh (bleep)! I'm gonna jackknife.

Narrator: Lisa jackknifed her truck

causing over $10,000 worth of damage.

Lisa: I need money to fix the truck

and I need the truck to make money.

Yep.

Narrator: And lacking the capital to fix her rig

she cut a deal with her former employer Mark Kohaykewych.

- Let's see if we can get this truck fixed up

for you quick here and let's roll.

- I would appreciate that so much, you have no idea.

Lisa: But now that my trucks fixed I need to some work

and get him paid back and then start making a profit.

Narrator: Lisa's hauling loads for Polar

until her debt is paid off.

Lisa: I needed Mark's help I really did.

I just believe in working hard for it.

So I have to go join up with Polar for the time being.

Narrator: But her first hurdle on the road to Shamattawa

is just ahead...

Lisa: Oh, here comes a big one.

Narrator: An 13 mile ice crossing.

This lake crossing is especially vulnerable

after refreezing following a thaw.

Lisa: I'm just pulling up to the ice.

This is a really big lake.