Ice Road Truckers Season 3- 5 weeks left
Oversize
With only five weeks left in the season, there are a series of arctic storms rolling in, threatening Carlyle’s progress for the season. They’ve already delivered nearly half the loads needed at the oil fields and aren’t aiming to slow down now.
Lisa opens the week hoping to make it as the first female driver in heavy hauling. If she proves she’s got what it takes, it could be hers. She’s put to the test this week with an oversize load, weather, nighttime drives, and a set of hills know as the “Roller Coaster”.
A week of record-breaking weather and more to come, all of the drivers are challenged in this week’s episode.
Tim and George are advised in Cold Foot that travel is not recommended, but the push forth anyway, hoping their short window of opportunity will pay off, and they’ll be able to avoid the worst of the weather as they take on The Shelf and Addingon Pass.
Alex and Jack are returning from Prudhoe Bay along a road that “changes every trip”- it’s either melting or freezing and it’s never the same. Hugh and Phil have their own road hazards to be concerned with, including a tight timeline to do it in, so that they don’t get stuck in impassible conditions.
Hugh is also met with some conditions beyond his control – both those caused by Mother Nature and another driver wanting to pass Hugh and Phil without much visibility ahead. Luckily, Phil is able to spot an approaching snowplow, and the vulnerable drivers barely avoid a large collision.
All of the drivers arrive safely, many ready for sleep after a long night (and early morning). They bring in their season tallies with Jack leading at ten, George and Lisa tied at eight, Hugh at five, and Tim and Alex both at four.
Episode Notes
OVERSIZE
· 7 weeks into the season, Carlyle has delivered nearly half the loads needed at the oil fields
· 5 weeks left, series of storms rolling in, threatening progress
· Lisa
o OVERSIZE
o Preparing to hit Dalton with rig mats (to protect tundra from trucks), metal frame, pick-up truck
o First female driver in heavy haul? If she proves she’s got what it takes!
o Heavy load, 500 miles, and major storm conditions up ahead
o Will know more about it when she gets to Coldfoot
o Fighting weather and nighttime
· In Fairbanks, meteorologist is tracking the approaching storms
o Has broken daily records, and probably more overnight and tomorrow
o “Everything that can happen with winter weather, is occurring”
· Reid
o Cleaning out paths
o Aim for “sweet spot”, beginning of sweet spot, 3500 feet away
o Creates avalanches to clear the pass
· Tim and George
o In Coldfoot: Travel advisory: visibility down to 0, chains required on hills, “travel is not advised at this time”
o George calls to consult dispatch about putting his rookie driver, Tim. into the elements
o Heading north
o Face deadly duo – ice slope called shelf, then 4700 foot addingon pass
o Signs up bad weather up ahead – lost trailers, etc.
o George pulls head to get word from south-bounders who’ve just been through it
o Tries to make run for it before the Dalton is totally shut down in what seems to be a window of opportunity
· Hugh and Phil
o Head S with 5th load of season
o Backhaul, lighter, but exponentially more danger
o 9 tons (18,000 lbs) of drilling waste (toxic) that could ruin the tundra if spilled
o Any trouble could cost his 2 load lead on Alex
· Lisa
o Oversize load makes sharing stretch especially dangerous
o Would rather a passing tucker “dust me out” at full speed than hit breaks and have trailer slide and hit her
o Approaches “the roller coast” – a set of white knuckle hills, decides to chain up on recommendation
o Is optimistic about making it to Prudhoe Bay by 1am, even with dark clouds ahead
· Alex & Jack
o Return with an empty load over Prodhoe Bay
o Road changes every trip – either melting or freezing
o Up ahead – next challenge: Oil Spill Hill, looses traction (spinning tires) on descent (made worse by empty trailer)
· Lisa
o Next challenge: Beaver Slide, two mile downhill
o Drifting slow on top of the hill is making it dangerous to navigate
o Can’t ride brakes the whole time, you can slide out, or won’t have them for the rest of the trip
· Hugh
o Ice fog forms when cold air hits warm front, creates a thick layer of ice crystals
o “white death”, can’t see oncoming traffic
o Truckers who don’t know the protocol for driving in fog worry hugh
o Is approached from behind a truck who wants to pass, starts to hesitate
o Phil spots a snow plow oncoming, truck clears the oncoming lane just seconds before a head-on collision
· Lisa
o Dark at 5, that’s how you know storms are getting worse
· Hugh & Phil
o Have to make it over Addingon and over to Coldfoot before road is completely impassible
o Reach summit, fighting 30 mph winds
o Have to wait to pass for a spun out truck to be cleared from the road
o While waiting, they decide to hop out and grill out on a mini-grill!
§ A bbq in -20 degrees, for the man they call the Polar Bear, he’s right at home
§ “it won’t stay hot for very long”
· Tim & George
o Heading to Deadwood before next pass of bad weather closes the road
o Speed and precision required to top Ice Cut
· Alex & Jack
o Those already on the road have no choice but to push through (others advised not to travel)
o Night falls, approach the most feared, addingon pass
· Tim and George
o Makes it to stop sign at the end of the Dalton highway
· Alex makes it to Cold Foot after 3 hours in the storm, on a solo voyage
o Looking forward to sleeping – it is 3am, after all
· Load Count
o Jack – 10
o George – 8
o Lisa – 8
o Hugh – 5
o Tim – 4
o Alex – 4
(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)
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Posted on: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 9:10 pm 
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