1 00:00:05,448 --> 00:00:07,758 NARRATOR: On this episode of "Ice Road Truckers," 2 00:00:07,862 --> 00:00:09,827 critical gear rescued from the ditch. 3 00:00:09,931 --> 00:00:12,172 That's a heck of an angle to have a truck stay put. 4 00:00:12,275 --> 00:00:14,586 Northbound roller coaster. 5 00:00:14,689 --> 00:00:17,931 NARRATOR: A female trucker takes on the haul road. 6 00:00:18,034 --> 00:00:19,413 [cheering] 7 00:00:19,517 --> 00:00:20,931 [dramatic music] 8 00:00:21,034 --> 00:00:23,551 And it's chaos over Atigun Pass. 9 00:00:23,689 --> 00:00:26,965 Truck spun out behind us, spun out in front of us. 10 00:00:27,068 --> 00:00:28,379 They just shut up. 11 00:00:28,482 --> 00:00:31,241 This road is no joke. 12 00:00:31,344 --> 00:00:32,620 [ominous music] 13 00:00:32,724 --> 00:00:39,310 NARRATOR: At the top of theworld, there's a job only a few 14 00:00:39,413 --> 00:00:40,103 would dare. 15 00:00:43,551 --> 00:00:45,758 Last season, the dash for the cash 16 00:00:45,862 --> 00:00:50,827 was fought on the smooth playingfield of Canada's arctic ice. 17 00:00:50,931 --> 00:00:53,000 This season, two old pros-- 18 00:00:53,103 --> 00:00:54,413 I came to the cash. 19 00:00:54,517 --> 00:00:56,793 NARRATOR: --joined four of America's bravest truckers. 20 00:00:56,931 --> 00:00:58,172 Come on, boys. Saddle up. 21 00:00:58,275 --> 00:00:59,448 Let's go. 22 00:00:59,551 --> 00:01:01,793 NARRATOR: --to tackle the continents' deadliest ice 23 00:01:01,896 --> 00:01:03,379 passage. 24 00:01:03,482 --> 00:01:05,620 Just when you thought extreme trucking couldn't 25 00:01:05,724 --> 00:01:07,724 get more dangerous-- 26 00:01:07,827 --> 00:01:10,172 It's the most dangerous road I've ever been on. 27 00:01:10,275 --> 00:01:12,103 They say she's a treacherous one, 28 00:01:12,206 --> 00:01:13,413 so I'm here to give her a shot. 29 00:01:13,517 --> 00:01:16,206 NARRATOR: --"Ice Road Truckers" take on Alaska. 30 00:01:23,068 --> 00:01:25,965 [theme music] 31 00:01:27,551 --> 00:01:29,413 [shattering] 32 00:01:30,551 --> 00:01:31,655 [shattering] 33 00:01:32,551 --> 00:01:33,931 [shattering] 34 00:01:35,034 --> 00:01:36,379 [shattering] 35 00:01:37,482 --> 00:01:38,896 [shattering] 36 00:01:41,448 --> 00:01:42,862 [shattering] 37 00:01:45,413 --> 00:01:48,275 [shattering] 38 00:01:48,379 --> 00:01:51,758 [engine running] 39 00:01:53,344 --> 00:01:58,172 A new "Ice Road" season has just begun. 40 00:01:58,275 --> 00:02:00,793 Carlile Trucking has less than three months 41 00:02:00,896 --> 00:02:04,206 to haul 2,000 loads from Fairbanks to the oil 42 00:02:04,344 --> 00:02:06,344 fields of Prudhoe Bay. 43 00:02:06,448 --> 00:02:09,448 Here, temperatures drop to 70 below. 44 00:02:09,551 --> 00:02:13,448 The terrain is some of the most unforgiving in the world, 45 00:02:13,551 --> 00:02:17,586 and race to bring home the big bucks is heating up. 46 00:02:22,068 --> 00:02:26,379 In the yards, a new ice road trucker Lisa Kelly straps down 47 00:02:26,482 --> 00:02:28,068 her first load of the season. 48 00:02:28,172 --> 00:02:30,103 I'm going to throw a strap back there, too, 49 00:02:30,206 --> 00:02:33,068 because there's not one there where I want it. 50 00:02:33,172 --> 00:02:36,344 NARRATOR: Out of more than 200 truckers on the Dalton, 51 00:02:36,482 --> 00:02:38,034 only three are women. 52 00:02:38,137 --> 00:02:41,689 And at 28 years old, Lisa is the youngest. 53 00:02:41,793 --> 00:02:45,103 She's an Alaskan State Freestyle Motocross champion 54 00:02:45,206 --> 00:02:48,448 who took on extreme trucking for one simple reason. 55 00:02:48,551 --> 00:02:50,689 Because I wanted to. 56 00:02:50,793 --> 00:02:52,724 I became a trucker because I wanted to. 57 00:02:52,827 --> 00:02:55,482 NARRATOR: And as a woman working in a man's world, 58 00:02:55,586 --> 00:02:57,896 she had to want it more than anyone else. 59 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,551 I think what kind of fueled the spark was 60 00:03:00,655 --> 00:03:03,448 that I had to worked so hard to get what I wanted. 61 00:03:03,551 --> 00:03:06,862 NARRATOR: Lisa drove a school bus until she got her break 62 00:03:06,965 --> 00:03:07,931 in Carlile. 63 00:03:08,034 --> 00:03:10,344 This is only her second season on the ice, 64 00:03:10,482 --> 00:03:13,655 and she's already focused on her next big goal. 65 00:03:13,758 --> 00:03:15,793 I would like to do more big stuff. 66 00:03:15,896 --> 00:03:19,310 So that way, people can't make fun of me. 67 00:03:19,413 --> 00:03:22,758 NARRATOR: Bigger loads mean more money and respect 68 00:03:22,862 --> 00:03:23,551 that comes with it. 69 00:03:23,655 --> 00:03:24,379 Yay. 70 00:03:24,482 --> 00:03:25,448 I love this part. 71 00:03:25,551 --> 00:03:27,896 NARRATOR: In an industry dominated by men, 72 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,413 Lisa's says career choice often shocks the guys. 73 00:03:30,517 --> 00:03:31,793 They're like, you're a trucker? 74 00:03:31,896 --> 00:03:34,724 I'm like, I truck down on ice roads in Alaska and stuff. 75 00:03:34,827 --> 00:03:37,655 He's like, no, you don't. 76 00:03:37,758 --> 00:03:39,827 It's And so this to that guy. 77 00:03:39,931 --> 00:03:40,965 I'm an actual trucker. 78 00:03:41,068 --> 00:03:41,758 I wasn't lying. 79 00:03:45,724 --> 00:03:49,862 NARRATOR: Lisa pulls out of the yard with 45,000 pounds 80 00:03:49,965 --> 00:03:52,068 of construction equipment. 81 00:03:52,172 --> 00:03:54,000 It'd be fun to haul oversized stuff. 82 00:03:54,103 --> 00:03:56,379 But once in a while, it'sreally nice to get a light load 83 00:03:56,482 --> 00:03:58,206 and just get-- get it done, you know? 84 00:03:58,310 --> 00:04:00,103 Get up there, and get back, make some money. 85 00:04:00,206 --> 00:04:02,931 NARRATOR: With light loads, speed is the name of the game. 86 00:04:03,034 --> 00:04:05,448 More loads mean more cash. 87 00:04:05,551 --> 00:04:07,689 Now that I can actually get some trips in, I feel-- 88 00:04:07,793 --> 00:04:09,103 I feel much better. 89 00:04:09,206 --> 00:04:11,206 NARRATOR: But yesterday's rollover 90 00:04:11,310 --> 00:04:15,793 was an evil reminder of how fast this road devours trucks. 91 00:04:15,931 --> 00:04:17,689 Flipping a truck's a big deal, because you 92 00:04:17,793 --> 00:04:20,137 lose all the freight, and the trailer, and the truck. 93 00:04:20,241 --> 00:04:22,517 And if you're a new guy,they're going to be like, yeah, 94 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:23,551 you're not a good driver. 95 00:04:23,655 --> 00:04:24,965 See you. 96 00:04:25,068 --> 00:04:27,034 I've never flipped a truck. 97 00:04:27,137 --> 00:04:29,103 I don't plan on it. 98 00:04:29,206 --> 00:04:30,482 But you know, accidents happen. 99 00:04:33,448 --> 00:04:36,724 [rock music] 100 00:04:36,827 --> 00:04:39,172 NARRATOR: Back at the yard, Jack Jessee 101 00:04:39,275 --> 00:04:44,137 is next up with his second run of the season. 102 00:04:44,241 --> 00:04:48,241 His first load was a massive modular that not only tested 103 00:04:48,379 --> 00:04:52,034 his skills on the Dalton ice, but pushed him to the edge 104 00:04:52,137 --> 00:04:53,724 over a frozen Arctic Ocean. 105 00:05:00,310 --> 00:05:05,000 Now, he faces a cargo so big that it will require a feat 106 00:05:05,103 --> 00:05:07,448 of engineering just to load. 107 00:05:07,551 --> 00:05:10,896 Well, today, we're going to goload some 130-foot pipe spools. 108 00:05:16,793 --> 00:05:22,758 Pipes are 34-inch in diameter and they're 130 feet long. 109 00:05:22,896 --> 00:05:26,034 Probably the longest load that we've shipped out of here. 110 00:05:26,137 --> 00:05:28,103 NARRATOR: These colossal pipes, which 111 00:05:28,206 --> 00:05:30,965 are nearly as long as half a football field, 112 00:05:31,068 --> 00:05:34,482 are essential for oil productionon Alaska's north slope. 113 00:05:38,034 --> 00:05:42,758 This load today was thelongest single piece of trailer 114 00:05:42,862 --> 00:05:45,310 that I've hauled before. 115 00:05:45,413 --> 00:05:47,034 It's-- it's a pretty long little setup. 116 00:05:49,758 --> 00:05:54,689 A load like this, you-- you need the best of the best. 117 00:05:54,793 --> 00:05:56,241 We have a lot of guys won't do it. 118 00:05:56,379 --> 00:05:57,931 They're afraid of it. 119 00:05:58,034 --> 00:06:01,344 NARRATOR: It takes two 40-ton hydraulic cranes 120 00:06:01,448 --> 00:06:06,241 to hoist the first mammoth pipe into the air. 121 00:06:06,344 --> 00:06:10,965 Next, workers carefully lower it onto the trailer. 122 00:06:11,068 --> 00:06:13,482 We've got a good seven inches right there. 123 00:06:13,586 --> 00:06:15,655 Let everybody know we're going to back the truck up. 124 00:06:15,758 --> 00:06:19,068 [ominous music] 125 00:06:24,103 --> 00:06:27,275 NARRATOR: The pipe must beperfectly centered for balance. 126 00:06:30,034 --> 00:06:32,482 I think it looks good right here. 127 00:06:32,586 --> 00:06:36,793 NARRATOR: And tightly secured, or else the load could end up 128 00:06:36,896 --> 00:06:38,620 in a ditch like so many others. 129 00:06:43,931 --> 00:06:46,965 Once the large 16-ton pipe is loaded, 130 00:06:47,068 --> 00:06:53,103 two smaller pipes are placed alongside for added stability. 131 00:06:53,206 --> 00:06:55,793 When I'm stretched out this long, 132 00:06:55,896 --> 00:06:58,103 I have to have a lot more of the curve for the trailer 133 00:06:58,206 --> 00:07:00,413 to make sure, you know, the trailer stays on the road. 134 00:07:00,517 --> 00:07:03,482 So it's probably going to take us about the whole road 135 00:07:03,620 --> 00:07:07,655 to make a left or even a right-hand turn. 136 00:07:07,758 --> 00:07:11,137 Debbie, just dive off to the right side or the left 137 00:07:11,241 --> 00:07:12,551 somewhere there. 138 00:07:12,655 --> 00:07:17,689 NARRATOR: Oversized loads demandan entire team for navigation. 139 00:07:17,793 --> 00:07:19,931 On this trip, two pilot trucks will 140 00:07:20,034 --> 00:07:23,931 travel with Jack on the 500-mile journey to Deadhorse. 141 00:07:29,620 --> 00:07:31,862 So far, you're looking good, Jack. 142 00:07:31,965 --> 00:07:34,517 NARRATOR: Locked and loaded, Jack and his team 143 00:07:34,620 --> 00:07:35,965 headed for the ice. 144 00:07:36,103 --> 00:07:37,448 [honking] 145 00:07:40,965 --> 00:07:44,241 [rock music] 146 00:07:48,206 --> 00:07:51,206 Rookie Tim Freeman is stuck in Fairbanks waiting 147 00:07:51,310 --> 00:07:54,344 for his broken-down truck to be repaired. 148 00:07:54,448 --> 00:07:56,206 Well, my truck's Kenworth. 149 00:07:56,310 --> 00:07:57,862 They're going through the [inaudible],, 150 00:07:57,965 --> 00:07:59,000 trying to find the problem 151 00:07:59,103 --> 00:08:01,310 NARRATOR: Tim's first crack at the haul road 152 00:08:01,413 --> 00:08:04,103 ended before he even hit the ice. 153 00:08:04,206 --> 00:08:05,103 This sucks. 154 00:08:05,206 --> 00:08:06,206 I know it. 155 00:08:06,310 --> 00:08:09,344 NARRATOR: 52 miles into his virgin ride, 156 00:08:09,482 --> 00:08:11,827 he abandoned his load on the side of the road 157 00:08:11,931 --> 00:08:14,896 after suspecting his truck wasn't shifting properly. 158 00:08:17,724 --> 00:08:20,000 When he returned to Fairbanks defeated, 159 00:08:20,103 --> 00:08:21,827 he called his dad back in Minnesota. 160 00:08:21,931 --> 00:08:23,413 DAD [ON PHONE]: If you screw up, you're 161 00:08:23,517 --> 00:08:25,000 going to hear about it for a long time, 162 00:08:25,103 --> 00:08:26,586 so you don't want to screw up. - Yeah. 163 00:08:26,689 --> 00:08:27,965 DAD [ON PHONE]: Be a professional 164 00:08:28,068 --> 00:08:29,137 when you're behind the wheel. 165 00:08:29,241 --> 00:08:30,965 I know there's something wrong back there, 166 00:08:31,068 --> 00:08:33,517 and they're just going to have to dig through until they find 167 00:08:33,620 --> 00:08:34,344 it. 168 00:08:34,448 --> 00:08:36,137 I won't know until they tell me. 169 00:08:36,241 --> 00:08:39,448 NARRATOR: Back at the garage, mechanics give his truck 170 00:08:39,551 --> 00:08:40,379 a thorough inspection. 171 00:08:40,482 --> 00:08:43,551 [dramatic music] 172 00:08:46,068 --> 00:08:49,379 The cross member looks to be good. 173 00:08:49,482 --> 00:08:51,586 The section right here is the power divider. 174 00:08:51,689 --> 00:08:53,586 It's OK. 175 00:08:53,689 --> 00:08:55,793 We don't see any kind of a problem 176 00:08:55,896 --> 00:08:59,655 to cause the complaint that the driver is experiencing 177 00:08:59,758 --> 00:09:01,482 at this point. 178 00:09:01,586 --> 00:09:04,241 This is a new driver in the truck. 179 00:09:04,344 --> 00:09:07,034 This driver might not be used to some of the things 180 00:09:07,137 --> 00:09:10,310 that this truck does or some of the strange tendencies 181 00:09:10,413 --> 00:09:11,551 from one truck to another. 182 00:09:11,655 --> 00:09:14,689 NARRATOR: The truck gets a clean bill of health. 183 00:09:14,827 --> 00:09:17,241 It's Tim's driving that's now suspect. 184 00:09:17,344 --> 00:09:18,413 Yeah. All right. 185 00:09:18,517 --> 00:09:19,413 Sounds good, Ray. 186 00:09:19,517 --> 00:09:21,758 NARRATOR: Over at Carlile Dispatch, 187 00:09:21,862 --> 00:09:26,379 manager Tim Rickards has more than 2,000 high-priority loads 188 00:09:26,482 --> 00:09:28,724 to move in the next three months. 189 00:09:28,827 --> 00:09:32,103 He's got no time to waste on rookie jitters. 190 00:09:32,206 --> 00:09:33,655 We're going to send him up the road 191 00:09:33,758 --> 00:09:36,172 today with a van full of Prudhoefreight for one of the oil 192 00:09:36,275 --> 00:09:37,241 companies up north there. 193 00:09:37,344 --> 00:09:38,965 It's a pretty light load. 194 00:09:39,068 --> 00:09:40,827 NARRATOR: Once again, Tim will be 195 00:09:40,931 --> 00:09:44,379 guided by his mentor and family friend, George Spears. 196 00:09:44,482 --> 00:09:46,344 We'll go here, and walk around the truck, 197 00:09:46,448 --> 00:09:48,931 check it out, make sure everything's good to go. 198 00:09:49,068 --> 00:09:52,517 What happened [inaudible] all them [inaudible] down there? 199 00:09:52,620 --> 00:09:54,551 That could be what the problem is right there. 200 00:09:54,655 --> 00:09:56,034 That could be. 201 00:09:56,137 --> 00:09:59,206 NARRATOR: With his father and George betting on him, 202 00:09:59,310 --> 00:10:02,931 the pressure is on for Tim's second crack at the Dalton. 203 00:10:03,034 --> 00:10:04,413 I'm a little nervous this morning. 204 00:10:04,517 --> 00:10:06,068 I want to prove to everybody around here 205 00:10:06,172 --> 00:10:07,517 I can do a good job. 206 00:10:07,620 --> 00:10:10,448 want to make it to Prudhoe and make some money, man. 207 00:10:10,551 --> 00:10:13,241 And away we go. 208 00:10:13,344 --> 00:10:16,068 [suspenseful music] 209 00:10:16,172 --> 00:10:19,620 NARRATOR: Tim and George are hoping to make the run 210 00:10:19,724 --> 00:10:23,241 to Deadhorse in under 16 hours. 211 00:10:23,379 --> 00:10:25,620 Tim, how's everything going back there? 212 00:10:25,724 --> 00:10:27,344 TIM [ON RADIO]: Good, George, good. 213 00:10:27,448 --> 00:10:28,517 GEORGE: All righty. 214 00:10:31,517 --> 00:10:33,344 This here is 52-mile. 215 00:10:33,448 --> 00:10:36,172 This is the one where we made it to last trip 216 00:10:36,275 --> 00:10:39,379 where I had to dolly off my trailer and head back to down. 217 00:10:39,482 --> 00:10:42,413 GEORGE [ON RADIO]: Chandler, I want to congratulate you 218 00:10:42,517 --> 00:10:44,655 on getting by 52-mile. 219 00:10:44,758 --> 00:10:48,034 Well, I appreciate that, George. 220 00:10:48,137 --> 00:10:54,344 NARRATOR: Tim finally rolls offthe pavement and onto the ice. 221 00:10:54,482 --> 00:10:58,103 His first challenge-- a terrifying 56 miles 222 00:10:58,206 --> 00:11:03,172 of steep and twisted curves called the Taps. 223 00:11:03,275 --> 00:11:06,620 It test the skills of every driver. 224 00:11:06,724 --> 00:11:09,206 Pick the wrong gear, you wash out. 225 00:11:09,310 --> 00:11:11,965 Hit the brakes too hard, and you end up in a ditch. 226 00:11:17,275 --> 00:11:20,517 We're on the Dalton Highway. 227 00:11:20,620 --> 00:11:23,689 We're doing pretty good. 228 00:11:23,793 --> 00:11:26,655 Tim, when we get up on top of 1-mile, 229 00:11:26,758 --> 00:11:27,758 take your front back in. 230 00:11:27,896 --> 00:11:30,137 We've got to climb up a couple steps here. 231 00:11:30,241 --> 00:11:32,620 OK, George. 232 00:11:32,724 --> 00:11:36,034 NARRATOR: Tim's truck seems to be running fine. 233 00:11:36,137 --> 00:11:38,724 It's the road that now has him rattled. 234 00:11:41,586 --> 00:11:43,827 The Taps are the particular part 235 00:11:43,931 --> 00:11:45,793 of the road that makes me nervous, because it's 236 00:11:45,896 --> 00:11:46,862 all numbers, you know? 237 00:11:46,965 --> 00:11:48,448 It's mile markers for what hill's 238 00:11:48,551 --> 00:11:49,793 what, what curve is what. 239 00:11:49,896 --> 00:11:51,620 It's just up and down, left and right. 240 00:12:04,827 --> 00:12:08,206 NARRATOR: Tim makes it up the first two ascents. 241 00:12:08,310 --> 00:12:10,758 The lowest gear we're going to be in going north with this 242 00:12:10,862 --> 00:12:14,551 load's going to be fifth gear, because we top two-mile in it. 243 00:12:14,655 --> 00:12:18,172 NARRATOR: But driving downhill is a whole new challenge. 244 00:12:18,275 --> 00:12:21,344 It not only requires a low gear, but the use 245 00:12:21,448 --> 00:12:22,931 of a special braking system. 246 00:12:23,034 --> 00:12:24,965 When you got your Jake brake on, 247 00:12:25,068 --> 00:12:27,482 it's backing your motor down due to compression. 248 00:12:27,586 --> 00:12:30,724 NARRATOR: Ice road truckers only use foot brakes 249 00:12:30,827 --> 00:12:32,137 as a last resort. 250 00:12:32,241 --> 00:12:35,000 Their first line of defense is a Jake brake, 251 00:12:35,137 --> 00:12:38,448 which draws on engine compression to slow the truck. 252 00:12:38,551 --> 00:12:42,000 This usually allows them to maintain critical traction 253 00:12:42,103 --> 00:12:46,551 on the drive wheels and stop without sliding. 254 00:12:46,655 --> 00:12:50,689 But as soon as Tim engages his Jake brake, 255 00:12:50,793 --> 00:12:53,137 his wheels start spinning on the ice. 256 00:12:59,827 --> 00:13:00,586 [beeping] 257 00:13:00,689 --> 00:13:03,034 [inaudible] 258 00:13:06,517 --> 00:13:07,896 [dramatic music] 259 00:13:08,034 --> 00:13:12,241 A hundred miles north of Fairbanks, rookie Tim Freeman 260 00:13:12,344 --> 00:13:16,965 is navigating one of the deadliest stretches of ice. 261 00:13:17,068 --> 00:13:21,862 The 56-mile passage called theTaps extends from the beginning 262 00:13:21,965 --> 00:13:25,482 of the Dalton to the Yukon River Bridge. 263 00:13:25,586 --> 00:13:28,862 As Tim comes down off the last deep hill, 264 00:13:28,965 --> 00:13:31,517 his Jake brake suddenly locks up. 265 00:13:31,620 --> 00:13:33,448 [bleep] 266 00:13:35,034 --> 00:13:37,344 The truck might kick off sideways. 267 00:13:37,448 --> 00:13:40,448 NARRATOR: Sliding sideways is the first stage 268 00:13:40,551 --> 00:13:44,103 of a full-blown jackknife. 269 00:13:44,241 --> 00:13:46,620 [thud] 270 00:13:46,724 --> 00:13:49,275 [rumbling] 271 00:13:50,172 --> 00:13:51,482 Timmy, how we doing? 272 00:13:55,448 --> 00:14:00,758 NARRATOR: Tim eases up on the brake, 273 00:14:00,862 --> 00:14:04,482 and it re-engages just as he crosses onto the entrance 274 00:14:04,586 --> 00:14:08,000 to the Yukon River Bridge. 275 00:14:08,103 --> 00:14:10,655 Well, that's what it feels like when your Jake brakes are 276 00:14:10,758 --> 00:14:12,000 locking up. 277 00:14:12,103 --> 00:14:14,620 NARRATOR: Marking the end of the Taps and his first victory 278 00:14:14,758 --> 00:14:15,724 on the Dalton. 279 00:14:15,827 --> 00:14:19,655 That was a sweaty growl there, fellows. 280 00:14:19,758 --> 00:14:21,724 We're so light, what actually was going 281 00:14:21,827 --> 00:14:25,655 on is we were just going too slow for our Jake brakes, 282 00:14:25,758 --> 00:14:26,931 you know? 283 00:14:27,034 --> 00:14:28,724 It was they were coming apart-- they were coming not-- 284 00:14:28,827 --> 00:14:30,689 they were too strong for how much weight we had 285 00:14:30,793 --> 00:14:32,896 on our drivers, so they were making our-- 286 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,275 making our drivers break loose on the road, 287 00:14:35,379 --> 00:14:37,034 trying to want to kick around a little bit. 288 00:14:37,137 --> 00:14:40,344 I was pulling a little-- pullinga little squaw handle there 289 00:14:40,448 --> 00:14:41,517 to keep our-- 290 00:14:41,620 --> 00:14:43,793 keep our trailer straight, but we made it down. 291 00:14:43,896 --> 00:14:46,103 GEORGE [ON RADIO]: Timmy, are things all right? 292 00:14:46,206 --> 00:14:49,103 Well, we slipped and slid alittle bit coming down the back 293 00:14:49,241 --> 00:14:52,172 five-mile there, but we made her, George. 294 00:14:55,724 --> 00:14:59,068 [rock music] 295 00:15:01,758 --> 00:15:05,724 NARRATOR: 112 miles north of Fairbanks, Lisa Kelly 296 00:15:05,827 --> 00:15:09,517 is on a mission to get her loadto Deadhorse in a single day. 297 00:15:09,620 --> 00:15:11,413 Go faster. 298 00:15:11,517 --> 00:15:12,379 I don't need brakes. 299 00:15:12,482 --> 00:15:13,827 Brakes are for sissies. 300 00:15:13,931 --> 00:15:15,241 [laughter] 301 00:15:15,344 --> 00:15:18,103 [dramatic music] 302 00:15:18,206 --> 00:15:20,551 This job is all dangerous because we're driving on ice 303 00:15:20,655 --> 00:15:22,724 and stuff, but it's just something you kind of learn 304 00:15:22,862 --> 00:15:24,344 and you get accustomed to. 305 00:15:24,448 --> 00:15:26,724 It's like, figure out how to drive or you go in the ditch 306 00:15:26,827 --> 00:15:27,655 or die, you know? 307 00:15:27,758 --> 00:15:28,931 You can't jerk the steering wheel. 308 00:15:29,034 --> 00:15:30,275 You can't throb on the throttle. 309 00:15:30,379 --> 00:15:31,724 You can't step on the brakes fast. 310 00:15:31,827 --> 00:15:35,103 NARRATOR: Lisa is surprisingly confident on the ice, 311 00:15:35,206 --> 00:15:40,172 but she still has 375 miles of [inaudible] frontier ahead. 312 00:15:40,275 --> 00:15:43,068 This road is like a beautiful woman, 313 00:15:43,172 --> 00:15:46,517 beautiful on the outside but a killer on the inside. 314 00:15:46,620 --> 00:15:48,482 [laughter] 315 00:15:49,551 --> 00:15:52,379 [ominous music] 316 00:15:52,482 --> 00:15:54,896 NARRATOR: Back in Fairbanks, Jack Jessee 317 00:15:55,034 --> 00:15:59,068 is headed north with a Titanic load of 130-foot pipe. 318 00:16:07,448 --> 00:16:11,344 The cargo is such an extreme hazard for the narrow dome 319 00:16:11,448 --> 00:16:13,862 that it must pass a special inspection 320 00:16:13,965 --> 00:16:14,793 at the weigh station. 321 00:16:17,827 --> 00:16:20,310 When we do oversized loads, we have 322 00:16:20,413 --> 00:16:23,724 to get permission from the state to get our permits. 323 00:16:23,827 --> 00:16:24,517 Length of pipe. 324 00:16:24,620 --> 00:16:25,482 MAN: OK. 325 00:16:25,586 --> 00:16:27,241 We've got to measure everything. 326 00:16:27,379 --> 00:16:30,586 We're going to measure the length of the pipe. 327 00:16:30,689 --> 00:16:33,310 This is just to make sure that I'm complying with everything 328 00:16:33,413 --> 00:16:36,413 that I asked for, and he's justdouble-checking everything. 329 00:16:41,275 --> 00:16:46,000 Here's your driver's license, and you've been cited for size 330 00:16:46,103 --> 00:16:50,793 and weight 8,320 pounds over. 331 00:16:50,896 --> 00:16:56,482 They said the pipe only weighs, like, 34,000 pounds. 332 00:16:56,586 --> 00:17:02,000 $10 surcharge for the court, $1,008.40 for the citation. 333 00:17:02,137 --> 00:17:03,793 Oh, you're [bleep] me. 334 00:17:03,896 --> 00:17:05,862 And this is your offload directive, 335 00:17:05,965 --> 00:17:09,068 which tells you you are going to take the load back to town. 336 00:17:09,172 --> 00:17:13,620 NARRATOR: Jack's load is not balanced properly. 337 00:17:13,724 --> 00:17:18,103 We are-- we're too tail-heavy here. 338 00:17:18,206 --> 00:17:21,689 That, and we're 8,000 pounds over on our rear axle group. 339 00:17:21,793 --> 00:17:22,827 OK. 340 00:17:22,931 --> 00:17:26,034 So we're going to take this one back to town. 341 00:17:26,137 --> 00:17:30,241 NARRATOR: When truckers get paidper load, a setback like this 342 00:17:30,344 --> 00:17:33,689 could cost him $1,300 or more. 343 00:17:33,793 --> 00:17:35,931 But the danger of driving tail-heavy 344 00:17:36,068 --> 00:17:37,896 is that the front of the truck will not 345 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,862 weigh enough to maintain traction on the icy hills. 346 00:17:44,068 --> 00:17:47,137 We're going to fix it, make everything legal and everybody 347 00:17:47,241 --> 00:17:47,965 stays happy. 348 00:17:58,206 --> 00:18:00,965 NARRATOR: Yesterday on a windswept stretch 349 00:18:01,068 --> 00:18:04,517 called the Shelf, the ice road claimed its first victim. 350 00:18:07,758 --> 00:18:12,931 Now, I got too close to the right edge, and over she went. 351 00:18:13,034 --> 00:18:15,931 NARRATOR: As Bruce Carl reached for the dash, 352 00:18:16,034 --> 00:18:21,000 his right front wheel caught the edge of the road. 353 00:18:21,103 --> 00:18:26,689 The truck flipped onto its side and slid into the ditch. 354 00:18:26,793 --> 00:18:29,551 Now, a massive operation is under way 355 00:18:29,655 --> 00:18:33,620 to recover a load of corrosive batteries still desperately 356 00:18:33,724 --> 00:18:35,586 needed at the oilfields. 357 00:18:35,689 --> 00:18:37,551 Extracting the load from the ditch 358 00:18:37,655 --> 00:18:40,275 and preventing any damage to the environment 359 00:18:40,379 --> 00:18:42,379 requires special skill. 360 00:18:42,517 --> 00:18:46,827 Ben Kryzkowski has spent thelast 25 years recovering trucks 361 00:18:46,931 --> 00:18:47,965 on the Dalton. 362 00:18:48,068 --> 00:18:52,310 It should be just up over this little knob. 363 00:18:52,413 --> 00:18:53,103 There it is. 364 00:18:53,206 --> 00:18:56,310 There it sat. 365 00:18:56,413 --> 00:18:59,103 Well, that's a long way down there. 366 00:18:59,206 --> 00:19:03,103 The worst part of the road right here, narrow. 367 00:19:03,206 --> 00:19:05,965 NARRATOR: Ben's crew has to move fast. 368 00:19:06,068 --> 00:19:09,620 When the road is blocked, no one is making money. 369 00:19:09,724 --> 00:19:12,482 But he has to use special caution with a load 370 00:19:12,586 --> 00:19:14,344 this potentially hazardous. 371 00:19:14,482 --> 00:19:17,000 He goes over his strategy with the crew, 372 00:19:17,103 --> 00:19:18,724 including driver Bruce Carl. 373 00:19:18,827 --> 00:19:22,448 I want to do all I can to helpget the truck upright and out 374 00:19:22,551 --> 00:19:23,586 of the ditch. 375 00:19:23,689 --> 00:19:24,655 It's the mess I made. 376 00:19:24,758 --> 00:19:26,103 I need to help clean it up. 377 00:19:26,206 --> 00:19:29,379 What I'm thinking is the way it's all going to be setting 378 00:19:29,482 --> 00:19:32,344 here, we're going to try to bring the truck right up here. 379 00:19:32,448 --> 00:19:35,965 NARRATOR: Ben's plan is to placeheavy straps around the rig 380 00:19:36,068 --> 00:19:38,896 and pull it upright before hoisting it out of the ditch. 381 00:19:43,413 --> 00:19:46,103 We're tunneling underneath. 382 00:19:46,206 --> 00:19:48,620 We just need a hole big enough to get that strap 383 00:19:48,758 --> 00:19:50,620 through there. 384 00:19:50,724 --> 00:19:52,068 Hopefully, we get it uprighted here 385 00:19:52,172 --> 00:19:54,413 before it gets too dark on us. 386 00:19:54,517 --> 00:19:57,344 [dramatic music] 387 00:19:58,793 --> 00:20:02,862 NARRATOR: 245 miles north of Fairbanks, our recovery crew 388 00:20:02,965 --> 00:20:07,241 is working swiftly to uprighta load of potentially hazardous 389 00:20:07,344 --> 00:20:08,655 batteries. 390 00:20:08,758 --> 00:20:11,724 Tunneling under that truck inorder to attach recovery straps 391 00:20:11,827 --> 00:20:13,758 has taken four solid hours. 392 00:20:13,862 --> 00:20:15,137 [beeping] 393 00:20:15,241 --> 00:20:16,862 OK, we got everything in line. 394 00:20:16,965 --> 00:20:18,655 We're running cables down, and hopefully we 395 00:20:18,758 --> 00:20:20,931 get it uprighted here before it gets too dark on us. 396 00:20:21,068 --> 00:20:22,310 We're ready. 397 00:20:22,413 --> 00:20:28,034 NARRATOR: With little daylight left, they crank the winch. 398 00:20:28,137 --> 00:20:31,103 If all goes well, they might just get this out 399 00:20:31,206 --> 00:20:33,103 before nightfall. 400 00:20:33,206 --> 00:20:36,620 [creaking] 401 00:20:36,724 --> 00:20:40,068 [dramatic music] 402 00:20:47,172 --> 00:20:49,586 Now, they have to haul it up the steep incline. 403 00:20:56,655 --> 00:21:00,206 They manage to drag the truck to the very edge of the road, 404 00:21:00,310 --> 00:21:02,310 but no further. 405 00:21:02,413 --> 00:21:03,793 Hey. 406 00:21:03,896 --> 00:21:06,448 That's a heck of an angle to have a truck stay put. 407 00:21:06,551 --> 00:21:09,275 NARRATOR: The flow of goods to the oil fields 408 00:21:09,379 --> 00:21:12,551 is at a standstill, and extra horsepower 409 00:21:12,655 --> 00:21:15,241 is needed to haul the truck onto the road. 410 00:21:15,344 --> 00:21:17,689 I'm going to the back end. 411 00:21:17,793 --> 00:21:20,206 Todd is going to come in on the driver. 412 00:21:20,310 --> 00:21:22,896 We're going to put the loader on the front end. 413 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:29,241 And we're just going to make a sweep with it, and overworked. 414 00:21:29,379 --> 00:21:32,241 NARRATOR: By nightfall, three tow lines are in place. 415 00:21:35,517 --> 00:21:39,551 Finally, they get some movement. 416 00:21:39,655 --> 00:21:42,896 [rumbling] 417 00:21:46,310 --> 00:21:51,517 After more than six hours, mission accomplished. 418 00:21:51,620 --> 00:21:54,448 We're done here, finally. 419 00:22:00,586 --> 00:22:04,931 NARRATOR: The battered truck gets a tow to Fairbanks. 420 00:22:05,034 --> 00:22:09,482 The recovered load is sent to Deadhorse, 421 00:22:09,586 --> 00:22:12,689 and the passage north opens once again. 422 00:22:19,206 --> 00:22:22,862 It's 8 PM, and Lisa is on a power run through the Taps. 423 00:22:27,655 --> 00:22:29,931 Since drivers are paid by the load, 424 00:22:30,034 --> 00:22:34,103 the faster they make the run, the more money they pull in. 425 00:22:34,241 --> 00:22:37,034 But with added speed comes an increased risk 426 00:22:37,137 --> 00:22:39,793 of a deadly crash. 427 00:22:39,896 --> 00:22:41,758 [crashing] 428 00:22:46,758 --> 00:22:50,448 Of all the hills on the Dalton,none is more appropriately 429 00:22:50,551 --> 00:22:52,862 named than the Roller Coaster. 430 00:22:52,965 --> 00:22:56,275 With nearly vertical grades on both sides, 431 00:22:56,379 --> 00:23:00,896 it's a white-knuckle ride of a lifetime that has landed 432 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:02,793 many drivers off the track. 433 00:23:11,413 --> 00:23:19,103 Lisa barrels to the top of the first hill, 434 00:23:19,206 --> 00:23:23,000 then starts the great descent. 435 00:23:23,103 --> 00:23:27,034 The strategy is a nerve-rackingtest of precision called 436 00:23:27,137 --> 00:23:28,172 freewheeling. 437 00:23:28,275 --> 00:23:31,448 Pick a gear and don't brake or risk crashing. 438 00:23:40,068 --> 00:23:43,586 Lisa holds steady, maintaining precious momentum 439 00:23:43,689 --> 00:23:44,827 as she nears the bottom. 440 00:23:51,965 --> 00:23:53,965 Full speed ahead, she immediately 441 00:23:54,068 --> 00:23:55,413 swings vertical again. 442 00:24:12,206 --> 00:24:14,068 [cheering] 443 00:24:21,655 --> 00:24:25,068 Lisa still has more than 300 miles to go, 444 00:24:25,172 --> 00:24:28,965 but this is one ice road truckernot to be underestimated. 445 00:24:29,068 --> 00:24:31,689 LISA KELLY: So far, so good. 446 00:24:31,793 --> 00:24:35,206 We have a goal in mind, and we're heading for it. 447 00:24:42,758 --> 00:24:46,655 NARRATOR: Back at Carlile,Hugh Roland and Alex Debogorski 448 00:24:46,793 --> 00:24:51,000 are in the middle of a week-long haul road bootcamp. 449 00:24:51,103 --> 00:24:54,862 They've come to Alaska to testtheir skills on North America's 450 00:24:54,965 --> 00:24:56,000 most deadly road. 451 00:24:56,103 --> 00:24:57,724 Good morning Fairbanks, Alaska. 452 00:24:57,827 --> 00:25:01,206 NARRATOR: But this ice road is so extreme that even 453 00:25:01,310 --> 00:25:05,068 pros like themselves are put through basic training. 454 00:25:05,172 --> 00:25:08,137 Last week, they had to measure up behind the wheel 455 00:25:08,241 --> 00:25:09,137 of a simulator. 456 00:25:09,241 --> 00:25:10,620 I tipped it over. 457 00:25:10,724 --> 00:25:14,206 NARRATOR: Today's trial, behind the door of a bathroom. 458 00:25:14,310 --> 00:25:15,137 Hey. 459 00:25:15,241 --> 00:25:16,068 Come on in. 460 00:25:19,931 --> 00:25:22,413 Why the women's bathroom? 461 00:25:22,517 --> 00:25:27,172 This is where we have our drug testing set up. 462 00:25:27,275 --> 00:25:29,413 So if you're ready, then I'll just give you this. 463 00:25:29,517 --> 00:25:31,103 And if you just can fill that up halfway. 464 00:25:31,206 --> 00:25:32,413 You want it right to the top? 465 00:25:32,517 --> 00:25:33,241 No, please. 466 00:25:33,344 --> 00:25:34,034 Thank you, though. 467 00:25:34,137 --> 00:25:35,448 [laughter] 468 00:25:36,482 --> 00:25:37,724 Just let me know when you're done, 469 00:25:37,827 --> 00:25:39,586 and I'll just be standing inside the bathroom 470 00:25:39,689 --> 00:25:40,448 right on the outside. 471 00:25:43,344 --> 00:25:46,172 [humming] 472 00:25:49,758 --> 00:25:50,517 Looks like wine. 473 00:25:50,620 --> 00:25:51,689 You want to do a taste test? 474 00:25:51,793 --> 00:25:53,551 Oh, please don't. 475 00:25:53,689 --> 00:25:57,275 Seems to be a lot more effort in making sure 476 00:25:57,379 --> 00:26:00,586 that a driver's going to be able to drive this road. 477 00:26:00,689 --> 00:26:02,206 They do have some concerns. 478 00:26:02,310 --> 00:26:03,931 I make a fool of myself, but then I'm 479 00:26:04,034 --> 00:26:05,586 used to doing that on occasion. 480 00:26:05,689 --> 00:26:08,241 [laughter] 481 00:26:08,344 --> 00:26:10,620 NARRATOR: Next up, the Polar Bear, 482 00:26:10,724 --> 00:26:12,620 and he's eager to get trucking. 483 00:26:12,724 --> 00:26:14,862 I don't think I can get any more ready. 484 00:26:14,965 --> 00:26:16,758 And they run me through the Carlile Mill here, 485 00:26:16,862 --> 00:26:18,068 and I'm ready to go. 486 00:26:18,172 --> 00:26:20,448 If you just can fill that up halfway. 487 00:26:20,551 --> 00:26:22,000 I just went. 488 00:26:22,103 --> 00:26:23,586 I didn't know this was coming right up. 489 00:26:23,689 --> 00:26:25,206 Do you want a cup of water? 490 00:26:28,689 --> 00:26:29,586 All dried out. 491 00:26:29,689 --> 00:26:32,000 [country music] 492 00:26:34,068 --> 00:26:36,758 Oh, yeah. 493 00:26:36,862 --> 00:26:38,482 I made her anyway. 494 00:26:38,586 --> 00:26:41,000 And you're done. 495 00:26:41,103 --> 00:26:44,137 [dramatic music] 496 00:26:45,344 --> 00:26:47,448 NARRATOR: A routine trip to the weigh station 497 00:26:47,551 --> 00:26:50,827 has left Jack Jessee $1,000 lighter 498 00:26:50,931 --> 00:26:53,034 and a day behind schedule. 499 00:26:53,137 --> 00:26:57,206 In order to balance the tail-heavy 130-foot-long load, 500 00:26:57,310 --> 00:26:59,586 he's added weight to the front of the trailer 501 00:26:59,689 --> 00:27:02,758 and finally passed inspection. 502 00:27:02,896 --> 00:27:05,241 After all the good stuff we went through, 503 00:27:05,344 --> 00:27:07,586 got an overweight ticket, had to add pipe 504 00:27:07,689 --> 00:27:08,931 to get weighed on the drivers. 505 00:27:09,034 --> 00:27:11,655 It's been one thing after another, but let's get going. 506 00:27:20,206 --> 00:27:23,206 NARRATOR: His 500-mile journey to Deadhorse 507 00:27:23,310 --> 00:27:25,344 will take two full days. 508 00:27:25,448 --> 00:27:27,689 With hills and corners barely wide 509 00:27:27,793 --> 00:27:30,448 enough to accommodate the load, the Taps 510 00:27:30,551 --> 00:27:34,551 will be like threading a needle. 511 00:27:34,689 --> 00:27:35,931 MAN [ON RADIO]: Come back. 512 00:27:36,034 --> 00:27:39,758 JACK JESSEE: Three tires rollingthere, three tires rolling 513 00:27:39,862 --> 00:27:40,551 there. 514 00:27:44,551 --> 00:27:48,517 NARRATOR: Oversized loads are given priority on the Dalton, 515 00:27:48,620 --> 00:27:51,068 not only because of their high value, 516 00:27:51,172 --> 00:27:54,172 but because they often take up the entire road. 517 00:27:57,068 --> 00:27:58,379 We're starting to pick them up. 518 00:27:58,482 --> 00:27:59,551 We're heading your way, Deb. 519 00:27:59,655 --> 00:28:01,068 OK, here they come. 520 00:28:01,172 --> 00:28:03,517 Two troublemakers. 521 00:28:03,620 --> 00:28:06,758 NARRATOR: Jack's pilot car drivers scout the road 522 00:28:06,896 --> 00:28:10,103 to prevent head-on collisions. 523 00:28:10,206 --> 00:28:11,827 You got a four-wheeler that just-- 524 00:28:11,931 --> 00:28:13,931 it's coming through the top guardrail over here, 525 00:28:14,034 --> 00:28:14,862 two of them. 526 00:28:14,965 --> 00:28:16,206 Sure thing. 527 00:28:16,310 --> 00:28:18,724 NARRATOR: Jack's advance scout Debbie 528 00:28:18,827 --> 00:28:22,206 is worried about a series of slick curves up ahead. 529 00:28:31,068 --> 00:28:33,620 There'll be a couple of windy corners there, 530 00:28:33,724 --> 00:28:35,241 and I have to go through them. 531 00:28:35,344 --> 00:28:37,862 Pull up in the straight stretch over on the other side 532 00:28:37,965 --> 00:28:40,068 to make sure that the corners are clear for Jack. 533 00:28:40,206 --> 00:28:43,206 He's going to need all of the road there. 534 00:28:43,310 --> 00:28:45,413 NARRATOR: With a load nearly the length 535 00:28:45,517 --> 00:28:47,931 of half a football field, the ice road 536 00:28:48,034 --> 00:28:50,551 is a disaster waiting to happen. 537 00:28:50,655 --> 00:28:53,448 One misguided turn and the entire load 538 00:28:53,551 --> 00:28:56,379 could go crashing off the edge. 539 00:28:56,482 --> 00:28:59,310 [sinister music] 540 00:29:09,172 --> 00:29:13,241 The left side over here'sabout a 500-or 600-foot dropoff 541 00:29:13,379 --> 00:29:15,724 there, about a two-to-one slope. 542 00:29:15,827 --> 00:29:17,137 If you went off that, you wouldn't 543 00:29:17,241 --> 00:29:18,379 stop until you hit the bottom. 544 00:29:53,724 --> 00:29:56,551 [honking] 545 00:29:56,655 --> 00:30:00,000 NARRATOR: Jack has skillfully navigated this section 546 00:30:00,103 --> 00:30:01,379 of the ice. 547 00:30:01,482 --> 00:30:04,724 But as the daylight comes toan end, the worst of the Dalton 548 00:30:04,827 --> 00:30:06,344 still lies dead ahead. 549 00:30:23,103 --> 00:30:28,517 Lisa Kelly has blazed over 414 miles of unforgiving road 550 00:30:28,620 --> 00:30:31,793 to Deadhorse in a speedy 14 hours. 551 00:30:31,896 --> 00:30:33,724 [cheering] 552 00:30:35,241 --> 00:30:38,103 But when she arrives at the Carlile terminal, 553 00:30:38,206 --> 00:30:41,896 she discovers that her load does not end here. 554 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,034 MAN [ON RADIO]: Lisa, we need you to take this load 555 00:30:44,137 --> 00:30:45,000 all the way up. 556 00:30:45,103 --> 00:30:47,068 10-4. 557 00:30:47,172 --> 00:30:51,172 NARRATOR: She's given a green light to the oilfields. 558 00:30:51,275 --> 00:30:55,000 The last 25 miles are Arctic Ocean ice. 559 00:31:04,896 --> 00:31:07,413 LISA KELLY: You've got to followa lot more rules on the ice 560 00:31:07,517 --> 00:31:08,448 road. 561 00:31:08,551 --> 00:31:10,551 NARRATOR: The speed limit on this road 562 00:31:10,655 --> 00:31:15,103 is just 10 miles per hour, or you risk breaking through. 563 00:31:15,206 --> 00:31:19,862 If you get stranded out there, you could die. 564 00:31:19,965 --> 00:31:23,724 It's something that's just in the back of your mind. 565 00:31:23,827 --> 00:31:28,068 NARRATOR: On the surface, the ice stresses and cracks. 566 00:31:35,034 --> 00:31:38,241 Below the wheels, frigid water. 567 00:31:50,310 --> 00:31:53,896 After nearly 16 hours behind the wheel, 568 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:58,068 Lisa arrives at her final destination. 569 00:31:58,172 --> 00:32:02,586 LISA KELLY: We've done good this time. 570 00:32:02,724 --> 00:32:05,551 This is the way it's supposed to go. 571 00:32:05,655 --> 00:32:08,448 [beeping] 572 00:32:11,689 --> 00:32:12,655 All right. 573 00:32:12,758 --> 00:32:15,000 The boss needed me to deliver today now. 574 00:32:15,103 --> 00:32:15,827 Hot load. 575 00:32:18,655 --> 00:32:22,896 NARRATOR: The run is a personalbest for this ice road trucker, 576 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,275 and proves she's going to hold her own this season. 577 00:32:29,620 --> 00:32:33,758 This desolate area of Alaska known as the North Slope 578 00:32:33,896 --> 00:32:39,000 was rarely traveled until 1968,when a giant oil discovery 579 00:32:39,103 --> 00:32:41,931 changed the landscape forever. 580 00:32:42,034 --> 00:32:44,275 The government spent something like $50 million 581 00:32:44,379 --> 00:32:46,689 exploring for oil. 582 00:32:46,793 --> 00:32:51,206 By 1968, this giant discoveryof the oil bands at Prudhoe Bay 583 00:32:51,310 --> 00:32:52,137 changed all of Alaska. 584 00:32:55,724 --> 00:32:57,793 All kinds of smart people from all over the world 585 00:32:57,896 --> 00:33:00,896 made suggestions about how do we get the oil to market? 586 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:04,448 A pipeline seemed like the most logical one. 587 00:33:04,551 --> 00:33:07,137 The value of Prudhoe Bay is so enormous. 588 00:33:07,275 --> 00:33:10,620 Oil made Alaska the richest state in all of the United 589 00:33:10,724 --> 00:33:12,724 States, by far. 590 00:33:12,827 --> 00:33:15,586 NARRATOR: The state of Alaska is so wealthy 591 00:33:15,689 --> 00:33:19,448 that they can afford to pay out more than $1,000 a year 592 00:33:19,551 --> 00:33:21,517 to every citizen. 593 00:33:21,620 --> 00:33:25,068 300 miles up the Dalton ice road, 594 00:33:25,172 --> 00:33:29,655 rookie Tim Freeman and GeorgeSpears are nearing Atigan Pass, 595 00:33:29,758 --> 00:33:34,344 a 4,700-foot treacherous climb through the Brooks mountain 596 00:33:34,448 --> 00:33:37,000 range. 597 00:33:37,103 --> 00:33:39,000 And it's just begun to snow. 598 00:33:39,103 --> 00:33:41,034 You've got to watch your steering down 599 00:33:41,172 --> 00:33:43,344 through here, Tim. 600 00:33:43,448 --> 00:33:46,241 That-- you know, that new snow on top of that snowbank, lot 601 00:33:46,344 --> 00:33:49,862 of times your steering can get loose with you a little bit, 602 00:33:49,965 --> 00:33:53,379 so take it easy and be a little more cautious. 603 00:34:00,482 --> 00:34:02,724 The shoulders of the road are white. 604 00:34:02,827 --> 00:34:03,931 The hills are white. 605 00:34:04,034 --> 00:34:05,931 It's kind of hard to tell where the edges are at. 606 00:34:06,034 --> 00:34:08,241 It's just hard to distinguish what's the difference 607 00:34:08,344 --> 00:34:10,379 between the road and the ditch. 608 00:34:10,482 --> 00:34:12,827 NARRATOR: With conditions growing worse, 609 00:34:12,965 --> 00:34:15,931 George decides to play it safe and chain up 610 00:34:16,034 --> 00:34:17,206 before climbing the pass. 611 00:34:20,275 --> 00:34:22,482 Pull over up on the top here. 612 00:34:22,586 --> 00:34:26,000 Good deal. 613 00:34:26,103 --> 00:34:30,000 I don't want him to have any trouble on his first trip. 614 00:34:30,103 --> 00:34:31,724 We're responsible for him making it 615 00:34:31,827 --> 00:34:38,310 the whole way, so if it means putting a set of tire chains 616 00:34:38,413 --> 00:34:43,551 on, it's not that big a deal 617 00:34:43,655 --> 00:34:46,310 NARRATOR: Tim throws on his first set of chains, 618 00:34:46,448 --> 00:34:48,827 but makes a common rookie mistake. 619 00:34:48,931 --> 00:34:51,206 I had a little problem because mine were hung upside 620 00:34:51,310 --> 00:34:55,586 down, or backwards, if you will,so that these trigs were facing 621 00:34:55,689 --> 00:34:57,379 down towards the tires. 622 00:34:57,482 --> 00:35:01,000 And like a dumbass, I didn't look at them. 623 00:35:01,103 --> 00:35:03,655 I just threw the [bleep] on there. 624 00:35:03,758 --> 00:35:06,344 We've got a lot more snow than what I expected. 625 00:35:06,448 --> 00:35:09,482 We'll have to be really careful on this next one. 626 00:35:09,586 --> 00:35:12,827 [tense music] 627 00:35:16,241 --> 00:35:18,275 NARRATOR: Rookie Tim Freeman has made 628 00:35:18,379 --> 00:35:21,586 it 2/3 of the way up the icy Dalton, 629 00:35:21,724 --> 00:35:23,793 but the worst is still to come-- 630 00:35:23,896 --> 00:35:25,689 the treacherous Atigan Pass. 631 00:35:31,517 --> 00:35:33,896 JARED [ON RADIO]: Have Tim giveme a holler when you get up 632 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:34,896 this side. 633 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:35,689 OK, Jared. 634 00:35:35,793 --> 00:35:38,689 Will do. 635 00:35:38,793 --> 00:35:42,206 NARRATOR: At 4,700 feet over the Brooks Range, 636 00:35:42,310 --> 00:35:47,241 that 12% icy grade is a brutal challenge for even the most 637 00:35:47,344 --> 00:35:49,172 experienced haul road trucker. 638 00:35:52,137 --> 00:35:55,689 I'm glad we decided we better put some chains on. 639 00:35:55,827 --> 00:35:58,655 Pretty deep, deep snow drifts across the road. 640 00:36:05,724 --> 00:36:08,482 Man, it's hard to see up here. 641 00:36:12,517 --> 00:36:14,241 Tim, once we get up here in the canyon, 642 00:36:14,344 --> 00:36:17,172 there should be some reflectorsalong the edge of the road 643 00:36:17,275 --> 00:36:20,413 to make it a little bit easierto see where the road's at here 644 00:36:20,517 --> 00:36:21,206 just a little bit. 645 00:36:24,862 --> 00:36:25,724 These are the big boys. 646 00:36:25,862 --> 00:36:26,965 These are the bad ones. 647 00:36:27,068 --> 00:36:28,965 If you get over these two, you're in good shape. 648 00:36:43,724 --> 00:36:44,413 OK. 649 00:36:44,517 --> 00:36:46,068 We'll watch for them. 650 00:36:46,172 --> 00:36:48,862 NARRATOR: Snow plows have reduced the road 651 00:36:48,965 --> 00:36:53,896 to a single lane and created a sudden logjam of trucks too 652 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:55,586 wide to pass safely. 653 00:36:55,689 --> 00:36:58,241 [bleep] damn these [bleep] idiots. 654 00:36:58,344 --> 00:36:59,137 Hold up a minute. 655 00:36:59,275 --> 00:37:01,241 There's a cluster [bleep] up here. 656 00:37:01,344 --> 00:37:02,034 [inaudible] stop. 657 00:37:02,137 --> 00:37:03,103 10-4, yep. 658 00:37:07,448 --> 00:37:08,931 Tim, can you get stopped? 659 00:37:09,034 --> 00:37:13,344 Yeah, [bleep] 660 00:37:13,448 --> 00:37:20,172 NARRATOR: Tim slams on his brakes, 661 00:37:20,275 --> 00:37:24,137 stopping just short of a head-on collision. 662 00:37:24,241 --> 00:37:26,655 You've got the blade, but lord, 663 00:37:26,758 --> 00:37:29,482 we've got trucks spun out behindus, spun out in front of us. 664 00:37:29,586 --> 00:37:31,482 Just hold up. 665 00:37:31,586 --> 00:37:33,965 [bleep] damn it. 666 00:37:34,103 --> 00:37:37,448 [dramatic music] 667 00:37:39,517 --> 00:37:41,896 Timmy, we can't do much until this blower gets out 668 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:43,034 of the way. 669 00:37:43,137 --> 00:37:44,137 OK, George. 670 00:37:51,034 --> 00:37:55,758 Yeah, here he's moving over now. 671 00:37:55,862 --> 00:37:57,206 Timmy, once we get by the blower, 672 00:37:57,310 --> 00:37:59,827 we can pick it up a little bit. 673 00:37:59,931 --> 00:38:03,310 NARRATOR: Slowly, the road clears and traffic starts 674 00:38:03,413 --> 00:38:05,620 moving again. 675 00:38:05,758 --> 00:38:09,620 Tim and George have just 150 miles to go. 676 00:38:09,724 --> 00:38:13,068 [country music] 677 00:38:14,655 --> 00:38:17,034 Back at Carlile, Hugh is undergoing 678 00:38:17,137 --> 00:38:22,034 his third and final test beforehe's unleashed on the Dalton. 679 00:38:22,137 --> 00:38:23,724 This is a do or die moment right here. 680 00:38:23,827 --> 00:38:25,206 I mean, if you don't do the pre-trip 681 00:38:25,310 --> 00:38:27,551 and you don't do the driving test, then you're finished. 682 00:38:27,655 --> 00:38:29,172 You're not even going to the haul road. 683 00:38:29,275 --> 00:38:30,206 Dude, we're off here. 684 00:38:34,034 --> 00:38:34,862 Holy. 685 00:38:34,965 --> 00:38:36,241 Yeah. 686 00:38:36,344 --> 00:38:38,137 OK, that last corner, Hugh, we got a-- 687 00:38:38,241 --> 00:38:38,965 Problem there. 688 00:38:39,103 --> 00:38:39,931 Yeah, we did. 689 00:38:40,034 --> 00:38:41,206 We had a problem. 690 00:38:41,310 --> 00:38:43,517 We've got to read the road ahead, assess the lane 691 00:38:43,620 --> 00:38:44,310 position. 692 00:38:44,413 --> 00:38:45,448 Whoops, Jesus. 693 00:38:45,551 --> 00:38:47,689 It's my judgment that he doesn't have control 694 00:38:47,793 --> 00:38:49,344 or the skills needed. 695 00:38:49,448 --> 00:38:52,241 Absolutely, it's my call that this is it. 696 00:38:52,344 --> 00:38:54,000 We don't go to the haul road. 697 00:38:54,103 --> 00:38:55,517 You're driving at a speed right now, 698 00:38:55,620 --> 00:38:57,620 something happens, you can do something about it. 699 00:38:57,724 --> 00:38:58,413 HUGH: OK. 700 00:38:58,517 --> 00:38:59,206 Good turn. 701 00:39:01,896 --> 00:39:02,620 Very good, Hugh. 702 00:39:02,724 --> 00:39:04,689 That's perfect. 703 00:39:04,793 --> 00:39:07,241 I'll write up my evaluation, and then we'll 704 00:39:07,344 --> 00:39:10,862 talk a little bit about it whenwe get outside of the truck. 705 00:39:10,965 --> 00:39:13,586 You get up there and you start talking about it. 706 00:39:13,724 --> 00:39:15,000 My observations is I-- 707 00:39:15,103 --> 00:39:18,931 I just increase mirror usage, you know, four to six seconds, 708 00:39:19,034 --> 00:39:20,000 more if it's-- 709 00:39:20,103 --> 00:39:21,862 if inclement weather and bad conditions. 710 00:39:21,965 --> 00:39:23,310 He's a no bull [bleep] guy. 711 00:39:23,413 --> 00:39:25,965 He-- he made me do everything that has to be done. 712 00:39:26,068 --> 00:39:28,103 I'm-- I'm eager to go. 713 00:39:28,206 --> 00:39:29,482 He's-- he's a hell of a good guy. 714 00:39:29,586 --> 00:39:30,965 He knows what-- he knows his stuff. 715 00:39:31,068 --> 00:39:34,448 I think we're good to sign offon your road test and your pace 716 00:39:34,551 --> 00:39:35,275 drive. 717 00:39:35,379 --> 00:39:36,068 Right on. 718 00:39:36,172 --> 00:39:36,896 Thank you, sir. 719 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:38,275 Welcome to the team. 720 00:39:38,379 --> 00:39:40,379 Perfect. 721 00:39:40,482 --> 00:39:41,310 Clear. 722 00:39:41,413 --> 00:39:45,896 NARRATOR: Next up, Alex Debogorski. 723 00:39:46,034 --> 00:39:48,655 Once you get a little bit familiar with the track, 724 00:39:48,758 --> 00:39:50,517 we'll start doing some commentary. 725 00:39:50,620 --> 00:39:54,068 You know, you can talk to meabout distant relevant objects, 726 00:39:54,172 --> 00:39:56,068 things that you're looking for on the road. 727 00:39:56,172 --> 00:39:58,793 The speed limit is coming down to 40. 728 00:39:58,896 --> 00:40:01,793 The only thing I can see right now that I'd like you 729 00:40:01,896 --> 00:40:05,206 to increase, Alex, is a little bit more mirror, 730 00:40:05,310 --> 00:40:06,034 left and right. 731 00:40:06,137 --> 00:40:07,275 Looking-- looking behind you. 732 00:40:07,379 --> 00:40:08,275 Yeah, yeah, left-- 733 00:40:08,379 --> 00:40:09,137 left and right. 734 00:40:09,241 --> 00:40:10,793 I'm very strict. 735 00:40:10,896 --> 00:40:12,586 I don't bend the rules. 736 00:40:12,689 --> 00:40:14,482 You either have it or you don't. 737 00:40:14,586 --> 00:40:17,689 So obviously, some of the stories about the road being 738 00:40:17,793 --> 00:40:19,862 dangerous probably are true, because they 739 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,379 go to some extremes of making sure that one can drive 740 00:40:23,482 --> 00:40:26,034 the road before they're going to let one drive on his own 741 00:40:26,137 --> 00:40:27,034 up there. 742 00:40:27,137 --> 00:40:29,517 NARRATOR: Alex passes his final test. 743 00:40:29,620 --> 00:40:31,448 You did a great job out there. 744 00:40:31,551 --> 00:40:32,344 Thank you very much. 745 00:40:32,448 --> 00:40:34,517 I'm proud to have you on the team. 746 00:40:34,620 --> 00:40:38,482 NARRATOR: Boot camp is over,and the Canadians are officially 747 00:40:38,586 --> 00:40:40,965 part of the Carlile team. 748 00:40:41,068 --> 00:40:43,068 Next time they're behind the wheel, 749 00:40:43,172 --> 00:40:46,586 it will be on North America's deadliest road. 750 00:40:46,689 --> 00:40:50,000 [suspenseful music] 751 00:40:52,551 --> 00:40:57,241 Tim and George have made it 350 miles up the ice. 752 00:40:57,344 --> 00:40:59,586 Now, they face the final assault-- 753 00:40:59,689 --> 00:41:03,310 the last 50 miles stretch called the Bluffs. 754 00:41:03,413 --> 00:41:06,862 But the winds have picked up to 80 miles per hour 755 00:41:06,965 --> 00:41:09,827 and are blowing heavy waves of snow across the road. 756 00:41:28,241 --> 00:41:29,517 [honking] 757 00:41:29,620 --> 00:41:33,103 GEORGE [ON RADIO]: Tim, how's everything going back there? 758 00:41:33,206 --> 00:41:35,655 NARRATOR: Suddenly, Tim falls behind 759 00:41:35,758 --> 00:41:36,965 and loses sight of George. 760 00:41:51,275 --> 00:41:53,241 Here he comes. 761 00:41:53,344 --> 00:41:54,068 I knew it. 762 00:41:57,517 --> 00:41:59,965 We've been giving him a real thrill this trip. 763 00:42:00,103 --> 00:42:01,482 MAN [ON RADIO]: 10-4, yep. 764 00:42:01,586 --> 00:42:03,000 Yeah, copy. 765 00:42:03,103 --> 00:42:05,965 [orchestral music] 766 00:42:06,068 --> 00:42:08,862 NARRATOR: Then as fast as the road disappeared, 767 00:42:08,965 --> 00:42:11,310 it re-emerges from the blinding blow. 768 00:42:19,620 --> 00:42:22,827 Out in the distance, theshapes of the town of Deadhorse 769 00:42:22,931 --> 00:42:26,000 emerge, and Tim breathes a sigh of relief 770 00:42:26,103 --> 00:42:29,482 that his first run up the Dalton wasn't his last. 771 00:42:29,586 --> 00:42:31,724 Altogether, you know, it's been a pretty good trip. 772 00:42:31,862 --> 00:42:33,137 We're almost to Prudhoe. 773 00:42:33,241 --> 00:42:36,413 NARRATOR: For George, this was atrip they both can be proud of. 774 00:42:36,517 --> 00:42:41,241 Looks like we've made it to Prudhoe Bay about 5:30. 775 00:42:41,344 --> 00:42:44,379 Tim is right here by me, looking good. 776 00:42:44,482 --> 00:42:46,655 He's done a good job. 777 00:42:46,758 --> 00:42:49,000 We'll go in here and get our trailers switched around, 778 00:42:49,103 --> 00:42:50,068 get a bite to eat. 779 00:42:50,172 --> 00:42:52,689 Tim, what we need to do is get your van off 780 00:42:52,793 --> 00:42:54,689 on this right-hand side. 781 00:42:54,793 --> 00:42:57,137 NARRATOR: After a punishing two-day ride, 782 00:42:57,241 --> 00:43:00,965 Tim delivers his first load of supplies to the oilfields. 783 00:43:01,068 --> 00:43:04,413 [beeping] 784 00:43:06,068 --> 00:43:08,827 Well, I'm happy I made it,because there were some doubts, 785 00:43:08,931 --> 00:43:10,000 maybe, you know? 786 00:43:10,103 --> 00:43:12,793 NARRATOR: For now, Tim's doubts have been answered, 787 00:43:12,896 --> 00:43:18,344 and one more trucker has made history on the Dalton. 788 00:43:18,448 --> 00:43:21,482 After five days of the dash for the cash, 789 00:43:21,586 --> 00:43:24,482 veteran George Spears is in the lead with two loads. 790 00:43:28,551 --> 00:43:32,655 Another day of safe passage for Alaska's ice road truckers 791 00:43:32,758 --> 00:43:35,172 is in the books. 792 00:43:35,275 --> 00:43:39,724 But as night falls, danger on the Dalton strikes again. 793 00:43:42,655 --> 00:43:43,793 WOMAN [ON RADIO]: Hey, Jack. 794 00:43:43,896 --> 00:43:45,310 We got a [inaudible] over here. 795 00:43:45,413 --> 00:43:46,448 It looks they're stuck. 796 00:43:46,551 --> 00:43:48,758 They're stuck in-- in the middle of the road 797 00:43:48,862 --> 00:43:49,862 or in the ditch? 798 00:43:49,965 --> 00:43:51,517 WOMAN [ON RADIO]: Good Lord, have mercy. 799 00:43:51,620 --> 00:43:53,758 They're way out. 800 00:43:53,862 --> 00:43:54,793 Wow. 801 00:43:54,896 --> 00:43:58,896 [dramatic music]