Original subtitles

NARRATOR: Last time on "Ice Road Truckers."

I'm here to take over Winnipeg.

NARRATOR: Hugh Rowland set up shop, right down the street

from his former boss.

Hugh came in here, stabbed me in the back.

Now, he's gonna be my competitor.

NARRATOR: But Polar brought in a team of veteran drivers

to run Hugh and his new company out of town.

Feels like I'm going to war.

We're just about to cross enemy lines.

I don't even think Lisa will make it on these roads,

because she's a girl.

NARRATOR: Hugh and business partner Vlad Pleskot

fired the first shot by landingan exclusive half million

dollar contract.

I love this job, man.

Every load that we get isone that Polar ain't gonna get.

NARRATOR: But when the winter roads open--

All right.

I'll get it.

NARRATOR: The top drivers at Polar Industries brought

in the first load to the season.

Got our first three loads delivered for Team Polar.

Oh, shoot.

NARRATOR: Leaving Hugh and Vlad struggling

on their first mission.

[bleep]. Come on.

Get it together.

NARRATOR: Unable to cash inuntil their new driver delivers

his load.

This is [bleep] ridiculous.

When someone doesn't know, you don't usually

leave behind, right?

I'm in some serious trouble right now.

[theme music]

NARRATOR: 650 miles north of Winnipeg--

Already on here.

NARRATOR: BP Express' first delivery has come to a halt

while Hugh and Vlad wait for their missing employee.

Art, you on there?

NARRATOR: But 35 miles back--

We're not gonna get out of this, buddy.

NARRATOR: Art Burke put his truck in the ditch

and is holding up the first payday of the company's

half million dollar contract.

It's stuck.

Can you [bleep] believe it?

We're gonna need a tow here.

That's a given.

Please put that away, bud.

We're [bleep], big time.

No [bleep].

That's a grader.

I'll go get him.

I got 18 wheels stuck up there on the road, bud.

You think you can come up and give me a tug?

You betcha.

Good man.

OK.

One second.

Hang on.

Come on.

Thank you, buddy.

All right, buds.

Away we go again.

Holy [bleep].

Now, we're gonna try not to repeat the pattern, as they

say.

This is it right here, eh?

I hope she's not [bleep].

[honking]

NARRATOR: After a four hour delay--

Art here?

NARRATOR: VP Express can finally cash in.

All right.

I was [bleep] scared you were gonna be--

you'd be unloading before I get that act together, eh?

I had to get the grader to tow me.

[bleep] grader towed me.

The thing is we've all got those straps.

Yeah.

And we can all tow each other,not matter if we hit the decks

or what the [bleep] happens. - Hook her all together.

Well, if [bleep] gonna happen,it's gonna happen to you,

[bleep].

Apparently so.

Apparently so, buddy.

NARRATOR: With three loads on the books,

Art's mistakes take a back seat to cold hard cash.

Last load's getting unloaded right now,

and that's a big money day for us.

We didn't think we were gonnaget unloaded today, but we did.

So it's three loads, money in the bag.

We get paid right away for this.

Got to love it, man.

By the end of the year, me and Vlad

are gonna be [bleep] wiping putour asses with [bleep] from VP

Express, Hugh and Vlad, to Mark from Polar.

You can kiss our lily white asses.

Quite nice, man!

[laughter]

NARRATOR: Now VP Express needs to race back to Winnipeg

to keep pace with the competition.

Shamattawa?

Perfect.

NARRATOR: But Polar boss Mark Kohaykewych

is mounting a counter assault.

Thank you.

NARRATOR: Scoring a contract to haul loads

to the remote community ofShamattawa, 800 miles northeast

of Winnipeg.

We've been working on this Shamattawa school project

for a long time.

And we-- we're proud to say we're

the selected contractor to do it.

NARRATOR: If they can make it, the contract's

worth nearly $100,000.

But the Shamattawa road is notorious

for causing breakdowns and deadly wrecks that

could shut down Polar's team of top drivers.

And near its end, the Hayes River crossing

features an incline so steep it can send trucks backwards

through the ice.

Hugh hasn't been to Shamattawa, because he can't

handle Shamattawa.

Never sent him there.

Wouldn't send him there.

The way he drives, they would'vepulled him off that road.

They don't just send anybody up on that road.

They-- you've got to be skilled.

You've got to have a proven track record.

And you got to have the right drivers.

And-- and we've got all of the above.

Never been on this road that I'm--

let's do this.

NARRATOR: The first driver to face the winter road

to Shamattawa, Montana Legend Darrell Ward.

I got a flatbed loader, construction supplies

for a school in Shamattawa.

I need to make enough moneyhere to take care of my children

and get my life started over.

They're not too crazy about the things I do sometimes

with my work.

But I gotta do what I gotta do.

So I'm a little nervous, but I'm excited,

because I'm going to Shamattawa,one of the hardest roads

that they have.

And they're sending us up there for the first time.

NARRATOR: Back at Polar, Alaskan icon Lisa Kelly

and 40-year veteran Alex Debogorski join the mission.

You ready to rock and roll?

Yes, ma'am.

- All right. - Very good.

See you.

Let's get her.

Lisa is very capable.

She's responsible, hardworking,and she can drive the truck.

I'm ready to go.

I sometimes think that Lisa doesn't have any fear.

NARRATOR: Lisa is looking for a chance to prove herself.

Ready?

Yep.

Be careful.

See you shortly.

NARRATOR: But the grizzled veteran

is well aware that they're tempting fate with every run

on the ice.

You know, we bring--

I bring a rosary with me.

I like to hang the rosary in the corner of the cab.

I'll occasionally get a chance to say a prayer.

Well, Lord, keep us safe on our trip to Shamattawa.

Look after Lisa and thank you for your blessings of health.

In the name of the Father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit

amen

NARRATOR: As Team Polar sets out to conquer Shamattawa,

350 miles Northeast--

Party vans, can you read us yet?

NARRATOR: The bosses at VP Express

are only an hour into their return trip home.

Artie, Artie, Artie.

NARRATOR: And Art is already lagging behind.

OK.

Are you on there?

Yeah, buddy.

So I don't know--

still don't know if a guy should go or wait for him/

VLAD PLESKOT: I would say, we better wait.

I mean, you know, we're all one team, eh?

Yeah.

That's what we'll do. - All right.

Good deal. Thanks.

I'm having deja vu, or something.

We're waiting for Art again.

This morning, he is still not here.

So we're just gonna wait for a little bit.

And then, we're gonna hit the road.

NARRATOR: To keep up with the drivers at Polar,

Hugh needs to get his team back to Winnipeg

to pick up their next load.

Today's a new day.

I was hoping it was going to start better than it did

yesterday.

But apparently not.

Art just can't get it together.

But like I said, I'll give him the benefit

of the doubt on one trip here.

Art's here?

Finally.

Holy [bleep].

We're gonna stop right here.

Are you ready?

Say we can't get her together here, eh?

Let's-- let's try.

This is our [bleep] maiden voyage here.

And we're-- - Yeah.

And I don't want to go through what I went through yesterday.

That's for [bleep] sure.

We don't want to go through what we did yesterday.

Cause when I look like afool, we all look like a [bleep]

fool.

That's exactly what we're telling you.

ART BURKE: Have you got a map or anything to give me to go?

HUGH ROWLAND: Didn't we give him a map?

No. I never got a map, buddy.

I've been misled since I got here,

if you want to know the truth.

When I come here the other day--

Well, definitely, it's misguided.

I'd like to talk to the both of you's actually.

You know, you're a great guy, buddy,

and I got a lot of respect for you in the short time

that I worked with you, right? - But?

There's really no but to it.

You're great.

But on this end of it, I sort of been mis--

I didn't have a map.

When I came here that morning, I was

supposed to run between yous, was what you told me.

I never got-- - Who told you?

You told me.

I never get--

I said we're convoying. ART BURKE: Yes.

But I was in the middle.

If I had've known I was leading, I

would've had that all mapped out, yo.

The perfect way, the same I always [bleep] did--

that I would've had it.

And none of that stuff yesterday would've

happened if I had've known. - What is the problem?

Problem is, I got lost yesterday and I don't feel it

was my fault. And then, another thing too.

When I--

Here. Here.

Time out. Time out.

Time out. Who's the boss?

Who do you work for?

Who do you get money from? - That's right.

You. - And OK.

End of story.

Holy [bleep].

He's still going on like he got lost yesterday

and he doesn't think it's his fault. Well, he was driving.

Whose fault is it?

I have no idea.

I have no idea.

Know it all, eh?

Nothing is his fault. Everythingis somebody else's fault.

About two hours behind schedule already, in my books

anyway.

I mean, [bleep] happens.

But if it's preventable, let's make it preventable.

The conversation just seems to be one-sided.

He don't want to listen.

He still figures that all that [bleep] that went on yesterday

wasn't his fault.

He's got maps in the truck.

Every one of our trucks has a book like this, permits, maps,

everything in this book that you ever wanted or need.

More organized than any companyI've ever worked for or hauled

for or anything, because it's our company.

He just don't get it.

He don't listen til it's too late.

And that's your problem.

By the time he wants to start listening,

things have already happened.

And that's a no, no in my books.

It's all adding up.

Like the scale is tipping slowly, right?

Not in my favor.

NARRATOR: On the road back to Winnipeg--

Well, we're empty today.

And we're leading ourselves.

NARRATOR: Bosses Hugh Rowland and Vlad Pleskot

are at the head of the pack and trying to make up time.

We were a little late get started this morning.

We got quite a hike back to Winnipeg.

NARRATOR: They're closing in on the town of Norway House,

the halfway point for the journey home.

Hey, Fart, can you hear us way up here?

VLAD PLESKOT [RADIO]: Negative.

HUGH ROWLAND: We don't have to hire anybody that's costing us

money and he's costing us [bleep] money.

NARRATOR: 30 miles back and out of radio range--

It's been a very long haul.

And it's only the first one.

But they might get better, eh?

NARRATOR: New hire Art Burke is going at his own pace.

I think Vlad and Hugh is downat Norway House, I would think.

I'm not sure, because I'm out of contact.

They're too far ahead.

So I'm not sure what the plan is.

We made it, Norway House.

RADIO: Well, we could stop it here on the [bleep] route.

We're almost off the ice road.

NARRATOR: An hour later--

But we're here now, buddy.

Art finally reaches Norway House.

Well, I was supposed to meet Vlad and Hugh here.

Hey, Vlad you got a copy?

Hugh, you got a copy, bud?

Hey, buddies, anyone of yous, you got a copy?

Well, it's quite obvious that they took off without me.

I'm not too impressed about this.

I know what my plan is.

I'd like to have some food.

Hugh and Vlad [bleep] off and left me.

You don't do this to your employees.

What more can I say?

It's the way it is.

Oh, well.

NARRATOR: While Art stops for lunch--

If I hang around here long enough,

maybe Lisa will come put my chains on for me.

NARRATOR: Polar drivers Alex Debogorski--

There we go.

NARRATOR: And Lisa Kelly are about to take on the road

to Shamattawa, hoping to deliver loads that could bank

$100,000 for Polar Industries.

$100,000 for Polar Industries.

We got a lot of things working against us.

And then I got my ding dong wrist working against me, too.

I broke my wrist this year racing motocross.

I was doing awesome in this race.

Then I totally over jumped thisjump, landed completely flat

in a corner, and I broke my wrist.

And some days, it just hurts more than others.

And guess what?

Today is one of those days.

So I'm kind of fighting the odds today.

NARRATOR: With a nonstop barrageof hills and tight curves,

the Shamattawa road is one of the most technically

challenging runs in Manitoboa.

And being able to shift at a moment's notice

is key to survival.

I was thinking if I had, like, some support around--

around my wrist that, like, it would help.

So I got some duct tape.

And I'm gonna try this out.

I think that support will really help take the pressure

off the wrist when I'm shifting.

I think I'm ready to go.

Alex, you got a copy?

Go ahead, Lisa.

I think I'm just about as prepared as I

can get before just getting on the road

and just discovering it.

ALEX DEBOGORSKI [RADIO]: OK.

Let's get going.

OK.

Let's roll.

NARRATOR: Hauling loads that will keep Polar ahead of VP

Express, Lisa and Alex hit the brutal Shamattawa trail.

Well, so we're starting off with some interesting road

already.

It's gonna rougher than that.

I hope Lisa pays attention.

LISA KELLY: This is like a whole new animal.

It's kind of like motocross.

It's techincal.

Like certain tracks.

You got to time it right.

There's no forgiveness on it.

It's like an obstacle course.

This truck is hard to shift.

You got to put the pressure on it,

get it out of gear, and then kind of jam it in gear again.

Been doing a lot of shifting.

And it's kind of painful.

It's like seriously messing me up.

I don't know.

I don't even know.

Oh, here's a hill sign.

Ow.

Oh, my god.

You've got to be kidding me.

I cannot believe this.

Such a disaster.

NARRATOR: On the rugged road to Shamattawa--

This truck can't even pull itself up a hill.

NARRATOR: Lisa Kelly's hauling part of a $100,000 contract

that'll keep Polar Industries ahead of rival drivers

at VP Express.

I almost thought we had it there, but--

NARRATOR: But her broken wrist is making the road nearly

impossible to navigate.

And she may have met her match.

Here's my plan.

I'm gonna just try it first.

So right now it's a rally.

If I can even get it going.

Come on, you gutless, worthless piece of--

oh, I hate you.

Why is it spinning?

You've got to be kidding.

OK.

I'm frustrated now.

It's not even gonna go up it in first.

But look at that.

It is literally in first gear and it's not even moving.

OK.

You know what?

I'm gonna go faster.

I'm scratching plan B on hauling it in first,

cause it ain't gonna work.

NARRATOR: Out of options, Lisa has gotta gun it up the hill

and hope her wrist holds out.

Up to the top of that one on a turn.

We tried to get up a hill that's not even mentioned.

Hayes River, I am now officially terrified.

NARRATOR: 100 miles up the road--

Rodeo.

NARRATOR: Thanks to an early start, Polar teammate Darrell

Ward's already halfway to Shamattawa.

I don't break something on this rough road,

we'll be in pretty good shape.

NARRATOR: But the road is proving just as tough

for the Montana log hauler.

DARRELL WARD: I've got 100 kilometers to go.

To average 20 kilometers an hour out here is pretty--

pretty intense.

I'd just as soon get unloaded and be on my way

back towards Winnipeg to get another load.

Boy, she's a rough one.

Ladies and gentleman, do not drive this at home.

This river crossing, looks like a pretty good one.

NARRATOR: Taking the season's first load to Shamattawa also

means being the first to attemptthe Hayes River crossing.

DARRELL WARD: Your edges are your biggest problem most

of the time.

So just take her easy and ease down onto the ice.

NARRATOR: The ice is rated for a maximum of 41 tons

and hauling just under 40 times,Darrell's right near the limit.

I can hear the ice crack.

And I can see a crack in it.

Kind of getting an eerie feeling when you hear the ice

crack under you.

Sure don't want to fall through.

It'd be mighty cold.

I got to have my momentum.

This is where you gotta come off of the ice.

NARRATOR: Drivers have to keep a slow and steady pace

on the ice.

But on the Hayes River, they also

have to keep enough momentum to scale the steep incline

on the other side.

Come on.

God.

See what happens?

[bleep]

I just spin the [bleep] out of my tires,

cause my trailer won't slow down.

NARRATOR: Darrell's forced back down the hill--

DARRELL WARD: We got to be careful.

We don't need to go falling through.

NARRATOR: And back onto the ice with his 40-ton load.

I spin out on that hill, so I'm

gonna have to run that again.

Great deal.

Momentum will take you a long ways.

Any load on any road.

That's my motto.

NARRATOR: As the sun sets and the temperature drops

to 40 below--

What's going on there?

Anything coming, buddy?

NARRATOR: VP Express driver Art Burke

is headed back to Winnipeg miles behind his bosses.

ART BURKE: Yeah.I think I'm going the right way.

But we're heading now to get some fuel.

This [bleep] place is gonna be on the right,

cause this is-- this is it right down here.

Whoa.

Oh, you [bleep] stop that.

Come on.

What?

What is this all about now?

Well, the truck won't start.

I have no [bleep] idea.

Well, this is a [bleep] damn dandy [bleep] situation,

now ain't it?

I don't believe it.

What the [bleep] next?

Will you get out of the [bleep] way with that?

NARRATOR: At the fuel stop in Ponton, Manitoba--

You know, as soon as we get her going, it'll be too cold.

And then we'll never get her going.

NARRATOR: VP Express driver Art Burke

has been left behind to fend for himself at 40 below.

We're trying to get the [bleep] truck going.

NARRATOR: And he's only got a few minutes

until the oil cools down and theengine is too cold to restart.

Starters either [bleep],, or it's froze, or something.

I'm not quite sure what the [bleep] to do here.

[bleep] thing.

Think it might be [bleep] dead.

We froze up.

NARRATOR: Up ahead--

ART BURKE [RADIO]: Vlad and Hugh, you got a copy?

NARRATOR: Bosses Hugh Rowland and Vlad Pleskot

pick up the call from their stranded employee.

So Art--

Just keep driving, Vlad.

[bleep] prick.

He's dead, while I'm here talking to my [bleep] self.

I'll stuff that [bleep] like a [bleep] net.

I didn't get in businesslike [bleep] hiring idiots like

that.

You turn your back on him and he just [bleep] dropped.

He's lost us [bleep] money.

I'm not even gonna deal with him anymore.

I don't want him around anymoreor I'll knock his teeth out.

What a [bleep] idiot.

You forgot who you're working for.

Dude, you're working for us.

You do what you're supposed to do.

[bleep]

He's lucky I ain't there.

I'd ring his [bleep] neck.

Mark will have another driver now, anyway.

Oh, he is a poor material man.

Yeah, for sure.

I just don't hire idiots.

Well, we made her back to Winnipeg in one piece.

We had a good run, except for Art there.

He got lost about four times on the way up there.

We kind of lost faith in him there.

And then, on the way back, we ended up way ahead of him.

He said, oh, yeah.

I'm coming right behind you.

And then, he was a couple hours behind us.

And he cost us time.

And time is money for us.

We can't put up with that [bleep]..

I mean, he won't listen to nothing.

And he doesn't know much.

So we'll decide what we're gonna do tomorrow,

and that's about it.

NARRATOR: Art's failure to match Hugh's pace

has VP Express falling behind their rivals

at Polar Industries.

But 700 miles north, Polar's drivers

are having problems of their own.

I'm coming up on the Hayes River.

Once they get to where it's flat and there's enough room,

I'll wait for Lisa.

NARRATOR: Lisa and Alex are driving through the night

to deliver the first round of loads in Polar's $100,000

Shamattawa contract.

Wrist is holding up good.

It is.

This tape is really taking a lot of pressure off of it.

NARRATOR: And they've just reached the Hayes River,

the same crossing that nearly derailed

Darrell earlier in the day.

I guess it's gonna kind of be trial and error.

I'm kind of hoping Alex waits for me so that I can kind

of see how he does it.

Hey, looks like Alex.

I'm gonna bundle up.

I'm gonna go say hi.

I'm so glad he waited.

I'd love to do this in the daytime.

Haven't been on this road before.

You can't see the ice.

Hi.

I've been feeling lonely up here.

Yeah.

I've been lonely back there.

Is this the river?

Let's take a walk down there andtake a look at it and see if--

you got your rubber boots on?

No.

ALEX DEBOGORSKI [VOICEOVER]: I mean, I've--

I've heard stories, you know, where

guys have gone through the ice and it's pretty spooky.

You know, I guess we lost a couple of operators

the last week or two just over--

not far from here.

I'll go across.

You-- we got to be one kilometer apart.

And if you fall through, I'm not gonna follow you.

Don't bother jumping in the water.

Keep an eye out.

You know, water starts coming through the ice

and get ready for the--

the big jump.

Here we go.

Crossing the river on the ice.

Well, Lord, give us a hand.

NARRATOR: 700 miles north of Winnipeg--

We're halfway to Shamattawa.

Well, as far as how the ice looks,

there's not much to look.

Can't see the ice.

NARRATOR: Alex and Lisa attemptthe Hayes River crossing

on the road to Shamattawa.

We're doing a lot of sitting and I'm

doing a lot of worrying.

And I just want to get my worrying part over with.

This would be a lot more fun in the daytime,

see what's coming up.

This is much more suspenseful, not having a clue what's past

you in the headlights.

Alex, if you read me, you on the other side yet?

I don't know how to tell when he gets to the other side.

Alex, are you across yet?

OK, just lovely.

I think he's far enough.

I am just dropping down on the river now.

Touchdown.

It's dark out.

So I can't really tell what's ice and what isn't.

I wish it was daylight.

I'm a little terrified of just bumps and cracks.

My chains are so noisy, I can'thear if the ice is cracking

or not.

Wait.

Where's the other side?

OK.

We're back in the trees.

Here's a hill.

Put her in her favorite gear.

Then, I kind of go for it.

Got to run for it.

Oh, come.

I got to make it up this hill.

Uh oh.

Oh, you've got to be kidding me.

This thing is slipping.

I have chains on.

I'm not gonna make it up this hill.

Holy cow.

NARRATOR: The Hayes River hill gets the best of Lisa.

NARRATOR: And with no way to gain momentum on the ice,

adding a second set of chains is her only hope.

OK.

I'm gonna try to go up the hill.

We're gonna try this again.

Can I get up the hill?

This is so ridiculous.

We're at the top.

Is that Lisa?

That's Lisa.

Well, Lisa and I have made it over the ice.

And just to complicate that, it was a pretty tough climb.

That was kind of crazy.

We made it.

NARRATOR: Lisa and Alex still have 100 miles to go.

But up ahead, Darrell Ward's closing in on Shamattawa.

We're almost there.

NARRATOR: And as he pulls into the drop off site--

By the skin of my teeth, I made her, didn't I?

The first load of Polar's $100,000 contract

is in the box.

And Polar keeps the load count lead.

DARRELL WARD: So I got my load unloaded here in Shamattawa.

And I don't have a back haul, so I'm headed back to Winnipeg

for another load, you know?

NARRATOR: But with Lisa and Alex still on the road,

Team Polar isn't out of the woods yet.

370 miles north of Winnipeg, Art Burke's

been left behind by his bosses.

It's been a long day boy.

And now, we gotta sleep on it, so to speak.

NARRATOR: And with his truck broken down,

he's done for the night.

There's nothing I can do tonight.

Might as well get rested up for tomorrow.

Oh, this is quite like [bleep] spot too.

Well, I'm not very happy about being here.

I mean, [bleep].

But it's gonna have to do.

I'm half scared to have a shower in there, bud,

and that's the [bleep] truth.

Smells good, too, don't it?

It's cold as a bastard in here too, isn't it?

Well, well, well, well, well, jumping [bleep]..

Just fed up with the whole [bleep] thing, man.

We're gonna put this here like this,

and hope that I'm the only thing that crawls into it.

I called Hugh and told them what I did.

But they never come back to help me.

They [bleep] off and left me there.

He's a [bleep],, and I'll beat the [bleep] face

right off of that.

That's how I feel when I think about this, eh?

Anyway, now, I'm here by myself for the night, right?

And I can't go anywheres.

This is the first trip, boy.

What the hell is gonna happen for the next three or four?

NARRATOR: Next time on "Ice Road Truckers--"

It's gonna be a long season for you boys.

NARRATOR: Team Polar tries to survive Manitoba's most

brutal road.

There's a flat tire.

This is a dangerous road.

The new guy Todd here, he's gonna lead the way today.

NARRATOR: VP Express calls in reinforcements.

If you make a wrong move up here,

it's gonna to be a dead wrong move.

NARRATOR: And with their rivals on the ropes,

Hugh's ready to strike.

He's trying to break me, he's gonna have too [bleep] work

at it.

Let's [bleep] go!