Ice Road Truckers Season 3 Episode 4 Recap
Breakdowns, Whiteouts, and Rollovers
At only four weeks into the road season, episode four opens with one of Ice Road Trucker’s own referring to this season as “the worst season I’ve been through”, with good reason.
After a heavy snowstorm left several truckers stranded overnight at the roadway’s only stop, Jack continued his mission to head south – even without the comfort of snow plows ahead of him. In “tow” behind him is one of this season’s young guns, Lisa. She’s carrying two empty trailers, eager for a new payload. “Safety in numbers is a good thing”, they say. 100 miles from Dead Horse and Lisa can only see Jack’s tracks, finding herself alone on the dangerous stretch. As if that’s not enough to make a girl re-think her career choice, they go on to find a rig that has flipped twice, its driver thrown into the tundra. The “lucky” driver was noticed by a passing trucker and med-evaced to the area’s nearest hospital, more than 400 miles away.
Hugh and his mentor Phil are on their own mission – return to Fairbanks to pick up a bigger payload – with Alex, Hugh’s rival and his mentor Jack in direct competition, each team with the goal of racking up more assignments and collecting larger payouts. Along the way they encounter sliding trucks because of their empty trailers and heavy winds that constantly make visibility through the snow additional hazards of the road.
After a month of trucking, the drivers end the week with their hard-earned tallies: Jack at eight, George and Lisa both at five, Tim and Hugh at two, and Alex wrapping up his first run on the ice. “There are girls driving on it, so maybe I’ll be able to”, jokes Alex.
Show Notes
A “roll over”, break failure/runaway truck, hitting a moose is like hitting a brick wall, Ice Road Truckers take on Alaska. Aerosmith’s “livin’ on the edge” open the show. (I love that there is a girl driver named Lisa, btw.)
4 weeks into ice road season. Breakdowns, whiteouts, and rollovers. “worst season I’ve been through”.
Fierce snowstorm left dozens of truckers stranded last night at the halfway point and only stop on the roadway.
Jack Jessee is on a mission to go south, even without the snow plows ahead of him. 8’’ of snow on the ground. Drives an empty hauler to pick up a big paying load. “Young gun” Lisa is following behind with two empty trailers ready to get a new payload. “Safety in numbers is a good thing.”
Worst start to a winter than Jack’s seen in his 8 years driving.
Lisa can only see Jack’s tracks and now finds herself alone, 100 miles from Deadhorse.
Approach a rig that flipped twice, its driver thrown into the tundra. Dragged himself onto the road where a passing trucker found him – by the light of his flashlight that the injured trucker had in his hand. Nearest hospital more than 400 miles away. Pipeline service unit (closest stop) med-evaced him to Anchorage. Truck was mangled upon morning review by the passing truckers.
Lisa finally spots Jack’s taillights. Radios are their lifeline because there is no phone service, etc. They can alert to conditions, approaching traffic, accidents. Snow plows are approaching, clearing the road for other truckers to come through. North bound trucks have right away where Southbound trucks have to pull over making way for wider loads.
Lisa misses a pulloff, tries to slowdown as another truck approaches. Goes to commercial with no breaks and a slick road.
{Commercial}
Finally slows to a stop as the approaching truck is only feet away. Jack Jessee notes that she forgot to dry her brakes off (by pumping periodically to build up heat and dry them off). Lisa literally has to hang up her radio for a minute and catch her breath.
Hugh Rowland is the next feature, hauling just 3 lbs. of paperwork. Mission is to get back to Fairbanks within the day to pick up a bigger payload. Still requires the supervision of Phil since he’s only been there a few weeks. Hugh is a more of a risk taker, and a little wild, compared to Phil.
North Slope police officer arrives on scene to investigate last night’s crash, 100 miles from Deadhorse. Finds a shoe and a bible outside of the truck and that the driver missed a high-pressure gas line by just feet, hitting it would’ve caused a likely deadly explosion.
250 miles south, Alex is heading North and a broken spring put him behind yesterday. Competing with Hugh for the payload. Hauling a stack bound for oil fields. Driving in convoy with Jack, who is carrying a fleet of pick-up trucks. Traveling up the “shelf” – an incline cut into the side of the mountain. They decide to add chains to the tires. Has to pick the right gear to go up, because downshifting would cause a problem. Hits too high a gear, without traction. Downshifts two on accident, truck slows and stops. Getting started again could send him sliding backward.
{Commercial}
Eases into 1st and 2nd gears, putting a lot of power against the ice. Makes it to the top, still has 75 miles to go.
Jack and Lisa are meeting a lot of NB traffic. Sees a reminder of a driver who died. More 35 steel white crosses marks this side of the road. “none of this freight is worth anybody’s life”.
Ben goes to provide pick-up and recovery of spilled load from accident, 40+ pieces of pipe for $0.5M. cables pulled by high-powered wenches on tow truck. Get the truck up, then trailer, which can’t get enough leverage to get it onto the road. Have to reposition.
Hugh – empty load causes a lot of movement. Phil and hugh encounter wind throwing the snow up… blinding them, but they can’t stop on the ice.
{Commercial}
Clears the wind but still has 300 miles to go.
Alex
“turn and burn” to catch up with Hugh. Discovers a flat tire at Carlile yard. (yesterday: broken tire spring, today: flat tire. Must wait for repair putting him behind in the “dash for the cash”)
Deadhorse is a company town, thanks to the find of an oil field in the 60’s. “all that far and still no bar”
New obstacle for Alex: arctic speed bumps known as frost-heaves. Earth buckles under the ice, and it’ll buck you out of your seat “just like the rodeo”.
Jack and Lisa
Approach Fairbanks, tough backhaul, but a good run for a ice road trucker. Pull into carlile yard, but no rest for jack. Ready to turn and burn with another load. Ready to make more money. Lisa takes a few hours off in her truck – shows off her craftsman tools. Kicks off her shoes. Shows off her house on wheels.
{commercial}
6 minutes left in the show, Alex’s truck in the shop at Deadhorse. Tire tech trying to find the hole and fix it. severe service duty tires only last about 6 months and at $400/piece, it’s worth the time to patch them. Mechanic mends the hold. Alex heads for the load. Backhauling an empty van trailer to Fairbanks. -18 degree F that the bay is famous for. Heads south to catch up with the competition.
Jack Jessee preps for next run – a night run. It’s a high and wide load, has to go slower. Pipes, 50K pounds. Try to get out of Fairbanks without knocking down stoplights. Has to go slow to not bounce up and hit the lights. BARELY clears the lights with the tall load. “Getting out of town can be its own special challenge”. “75 miles up the road, the pavement drops off the and pavement begins”. Heads into wilderness, with a new hazard approaching… lots of moose out this evening and they’re hard to see at night until they jump out righ tin front of you. Hitting a moose is like hitting a brick wall, it’s gonna tear your truck to pieces.” Pilot car spots a dead one in the middle of the road.
Alaskan moose can weigh up to 1500 lbs, pulls it off the road because it can save another trucker’s life.
Another sighting up the road. Moose crosses in front of truck just barely, downshifts to miss him. The call from ahead alerted him .
After a month of trucking:
Jack – 8
George – 5
Lisa – 5
Tim – 2
Hugh – 2
Alex – 1
Overcoming many obstacles, Alex has completed his first run on the ice. “There are girls driving on it, so maybe I’ll be able to.”
(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
Loading ...
Posted on: Monday, July 13, 2009 at 10:43 am 
season 3. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Subscribe in a reader
Recent Comments