Smallscreen Reviews
Review: History Channel’s 'Ice Road Truckers': Life on thin ice
By April MacIntyre Jun 16, 2007, 18:21 GMT
A whole lot of ice up there in the Arctic REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
In the spirit of the deep sea fishermen chronicles of “The Deadliest Catch” who flirt with death and maiming in the Bering Sea, The History channel debuts remarkable stories from six truckers driving 18-wheelers on Canada’s ice roads leading to bling conglomerate De Beers’ new diamond mines in the Arctic circle, this Sunday, June 17th at 10 pm/ 9c.
You get to sit shotgun with these ice truckers as they embark to the two Arctic diamond mines from Yellowknife, the remote capital of Canada's Northwest Territories. In the 10-week series, cumbersome freight - 10,000 loads of it - is driven across 350 miles of frozen Canadian lakes in a 60 day window over 28 inches of moving ice.
The “Dash for Cash” has the enterprising truckers hauling construction supplies to the De Beers’ mines, which are located in virtually impassable terrain at the highest latitudes of the Arctic Circle.
Docu-series like these allow us a glimpse of the hidden economy machinations and real-life and death dramas of exactly how that pretty lump of carbon got to sit on your finger.
The first episode of "Ice Road Truckers" came to me in quite possibly the largest press kit I have ever received. I wasn’t counting on the edge of the chair feeling it would inspire.
The series production crew outdid themselves in securing cameras under the rigs, on top and even underwater through a slab of ice.
The guys doing the heavy lifting are real characters. Crusty Alex, a self-described “Yellowknifer” and father of 11, has been trucking on the floating ice road for 25 years. Hugh is bedeviled with a bad transmission but gets up and running, new dad Jay Westgard, only 25, fights exhaustion and cold as he powers through white-outs and the pitch black. There's a lot of ego friction between the drivers too, a sort of "Iron-Man" mindset on who can make the most successful trips.
The Great White North with its frigid Canadian temperatures averaging at 30 below or more is the backdrop to the enterprising engineers who built roads over the frozen lakes.
The top official of the road authority, John Zigarlick, explains how the roads are maintained and monitored. His outfit polices the drivers and watches for any potential negligence.
He shows us examples of “blow outs”, where underwater waves build up under the ice sheets from speeding rigs, resulting in the protrusion of ice shards and breaks in the road that can cause an unwary trucker to plunge to his death.
Thirty-nine bodies have been recovered to date from the icy lakes by the Arctic Divers, a group of fearless guys whose sole purpose is salvaging the wrecks that break through their tenuous frozen ribbon of road.
The dreaded pressure wave can burst right through in front of them, or behind and affect the truckers following. “I had a guy go through right in front of me this year,” said veteran ice-roader Hugh Rowland.
These featured drivers each share their own philosophies and fears about driving on ice that moves, cracks and crunches as they motor across, at moderated speeds not in excess of 20 miles an hour.
Says Rowland: “It’s a new adventure every day. It’s like four-wheel driving with a truck.”
“If you’re not scared, you’re crazy.”
The only minus for me was the overly-scripted narration, which could have been trimmed a bit - it took away from the show’s overall mesmerizing experience.
Grade: B+
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Older Talkback
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I am 17. My dad was a truck driver for 15 years. I am interested in truck driving. Right now I am working with the Fire Department, but I have decided that when I retire from the fire department, I am going to go through truck driving school. I enjoy the idea of being on the road, having time to think, and traveling to new places. I want to get a few years under my belt as an apparatus operator before I go to driving school. Eventually, my dream is to drive the ice road. My dad has told me stories of it, and how much he wanted to drive it himself, but was never able to. I may be a girl, but I have never let that get in the way of my dreams, and I dont plan to. This show gives me a little more insight on the ice road, now I dont have to purely rely on my imagination. I would say though, I would like to spend a little more time with Jay and Hugh in the rig. All of the guys actually. I give the show A+
A great, exciting,interesting show!
We love the show and enjoy the narration.....
My wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed the documentary. We are not truckers but have gained a great appreciation for what they do....especially in the region of the world in which the ice truckers are operating.
I have long heard that driving an eighteen wheeler is the most hazardous profession of all, and that would be under the best of conditions. I can't imagine the anxiety they must feel while driving such an onerous vehicle with enormously valuable cargo under unbearable conditions. To my way of thinking you can't pay them too much!
I have alot of respect for the iceroad truckers, one particularly,Jay Westgard. I have also been known for hauling some of the biggest and widest overside loads,but not on an iceroad! You have to be behind the wheel to realize the challenge it is to do so.I love the series and would love to see more shows about this.
I love the ice truckers show, Hugh is my favorite trucker of them all. I didn't know they had rednecks in canada. Hugh make me homesick for the deep south again. I want to see hugh whip some butt before the show ends.
My fiance and I watch this show every week. I think it is very interesting as well as entertaining. I hope they continue this series every year. I did have one question, the show started off with the female trucker too, and now they never say anything about her, does anyone know what happened to her?
I give the show an A++
this is the best show i've seen in a longtime. it's as real as it gets
keep up the great show and hope to see it on next season. keep on truckin
I have a question for hugh have you an your partner spoken since he walked off the job as your driver.i know he said he works for you in the off season also. i watch the show every week also the repeat shows.yall are some brave men on the iceroad.
I really enjoyed the series. I saw the original show in 2000 and even enjoyed the reruns. I've watched this series and haven't missed to many reruns other than those at 1-2am.I was lucky enough to get two of my questions answered by Hugh on friday aug 17th. I'm like another viewer, I wis h you could have shown a little more on the women. How many started and how many finished. How did Karen do as far as how many loads did she get.I thought Hugh cut down the tanker drivers a bit to much. They were pulling doubles and when one mine needs 48 million liters of fuel I can imagine what the rest need. How many of the load counts were just fuel or was fuel figured in a different category. I've enjoyed the History channel over the years. Keep up the good work. I'm ready for another season on the Ice Roads.
I wanna see Jay naked. Lick him all over while he talks in that sexy Candadian accent.
Gonna make him my little boy and teach him all aboot good luving.
Like I said before,Hugh is a very unprofessional driver and about the worst owner I have ever seen in maintaining his fleet. He treated his drivers like Sh*#. Anyone who has been near a truck could see that his trucks were not in good working shape,true they probably passed inspection,but far from top shape. Like his transmission problems at the start of the show.Any person who knows jacks*#t would never put a truck into that type of service without going through the back half.Or to a novice,the auxliary transmission, ie.the splitter box. Drew had some bad breaks. He is a bit of a fair weather trucker,but is a good guy I am sure. Rick,a bit of a cowboy,but a hard worker who was not needing any of Hugh's crap.Rick should have been treated as a valued employe,and given a truck worthy of his dedication to Hugh. Jay and Alex were both very professional at their work. TJ had earned his name of ice road trucker.But the greatest wrong of the whole show is allowing Hugh to have the name of winner of the load count. Hugh had to fall back on a spare truck after his small crash. All in all,Alex is the top man at the wheel on the load count,one man one truck. He is a tried and true pro at his job. He is the winner who can take an older truck which I viewed as a well maintained truck and bring home the cash. All the drivers should set their goals to be like Alex,a hard working prefessional driver.
Man, you guys are awesome, well that is Jay, Alex, Hugh and TJ. I'm glad the whining and whiners are past us for the last few shows. Drew was too annoying to watch. I can't quite call him a loser, because it takes guts to drive that road, but you can see how the road weeds everyone out. This is a really interesting show. Who knew this kind of thing goes on in the world. I'm sure there are other amazing jobs too.
I absolutely LOVED the show, can't wait to see the next series!All the truckers gave me a new meaning for myself behind the wheel and how to stick it out no matter what.Even Hugh, who was such a butthead sometimes, he is a savage and what every trucker needs to aspire to be..yes Alex too,he was a monster!Good show guys, good luck next year and if you're ever coming through Sacramento, blow your horn a few times! Keep on Truckin' come in!
this show rocks. i think that the polar bear should calm down a little. I hope this show comes on for a second season.
im 40 years old, i started driving ,,,on the road when i was 16, i drove in state of fla till i was 19 , then went over the road till last june , i lived in my truck the full time only spending 4 days out of the month at home , i been to every state an can, over an over, i drove all kind of ice storms an any storms god put in my way , im still driving now , but back into fla ,, i would give anything in my life or anything , to be a iceroad trucker, its on my dream list to do so , would be awsome to drive for Hugh Rowland or the others, if anyone knows how to get intouch with them here is my email rosen5000@yahoo.com just send me a way to get ahold of them , or a way to get my foot in the door on doing the iceroad,, thanks ,, scot
Hey everybody i love yas show i watch it everytime it comes on i have recorded every single episode i live in levelland Texas my dad is a trucker and i want to be a ice road trucker too
The show is great and I am also a 17 year old that has a dad that drives truck I would love to go to a truck driving school the show just makes me wont to do it more! I give the show an A+.
I'd do it
just want to know what jay westgard's address is so i can send him a picture of his truck i drawn him. one ? why isn't his truck on the website so that people know what truck he drives and all of the other drivers trucks on there?
they really must have some gut's
i watched it on telly and it was really scarey thinking that at any moment they could go under in the lorries and die...
I feel so sorry for their families who have to say goodbye to them...
people dont know how riskey it is...
thank you...
kt
Hi Alex, it's me your cuz. Trust you to be doing the wild and crazy stuff you're doing, and omg, father of eleven!! I remember you rocking the ski lift on Grouse Mountain in Vanc., scaring the daylights outta me, my rowdy cuz from Alberta!! We'll have to get in touch and talk family.
Amazing documentary, though when I watched it serialised on Channel5 in the UK it became very repetetive - if I've seen that CG truck go under once....
Chapeau to all these gentlemen - Jay in particular's professionalism was amazing in such a young man. What happened when TJ was lost was a warning, these guys need gps tracking whilst on this job. It's the 21st century and I'm certain the diamond mines can afford it - 'reasonable due care' and all that.
I think Ice Road Truckers should have gotten an A+ not a B+ my dad and I both love the show and watch it all the time although i dont get History channel at my house i heve to watch it at my Grandma's and rent the movies from the local library. My favorite driver is Jay Westgard because he is willing to take challenges and not those dinky loads that the other drivers take. Ice Road Truckers is the BOMB.
I want to say that Ice road Truckers is the best show ever i just
finished watching an episode on DVD the one where the tanker's back
wheels fall through the ice. Well my favorite characters are Hugh and
Jay. My least favorite is Drew(smarta**). My favotite episodes are the
last two episodes of season one.
GO ICE ROAD TRUCKERS
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Amazing show!!!! I live in Chile, so i`ve just seen the first season and I think that it`s one of the best series i`ve ever seen.
I never thought that thiskind of jobs existed, and i thought that truck-driving was an easy thing (how wrong i was)
Bye guys
Ass-Kicker
Las Condes,Santiago
Chile
HUGE IS THE TRUE TRUCKER,AND HE IS THE MAN!!!!!!!!
JAY IS A NEW BOY,BUT HE DRIVE THE BIG RIG LIKE HELL.JAY AND HUGE NEVER STOP.
The Ice Road Truckers was interesting at first, however I don't listen to radio stations that play the same music over and over and over and over and................................................
when we seen the add on tv my partner said this is interesting. we live in Australia and has just seen the last episode of it tonight. Our son jock is 5 and was worried about the trucks going through the ice but just loved it as much as we did. we all recond that u guys did a good job and wondering if there was another season coming out maybe next year. anyway good luck and hope for the best for next season.
just so you folks all know there has never in the entire history of the ice roads in the NWT and Yukon, any trucker that has gone through the ice and drowned . There have been no deaths of any truckers . There have been about 4 or 5 roadbuilders lost in the last 30 years , thats it . They dont let the trucks on until the ice is plenty strong to hold their loads . The danger doesnt exist and truckers hauling the interstates are more likely to not return home then Ice Road Truckers .
This wonderful show has kept me holding my breath at moments, these men are just that , real men , they should get more pay for giveing thier lives to these ice roads and all those invoved, a wonderful show, a triple A plus, and a huge thank You for makeing this show avaleable to us on the land,waiting for the next season, great luck to these great men !!! Heavens blessing to You and Your families!!!
I watch the show occasionally, but it's starting to get too much like a soap opera or big brother. What I do want to know is who designs the graphics for the promos and who signed off on the graphic that has 'FUEDS.' Crap, I'm pretty sure you're talking about a FEUD, you know like 'Family Feud'? Go back to your job at McDonald's, but don't think you can spell simple four-letter words on the freaking History Channel!!!!
This show is great im an owner driver with a 18 wheeler i love drivin up and down the sth coast of australia , i take my hat off to you guys i could never drive on ice . keep up the good work and im looking forward to the next episodes.
omg....fantastic scary
There is no doubt these guys are brave and incredibly skilled at what they do, but couldn't the show have highlighted characters with a little more charisma? They come across as almost cartoon characters eh? Who can't speak a sentence without an 'F' word eh? It's all about the 'Dash for the Cash' eh? When I see the cast of shows like Deadliest Catch and Sandhogs, I get involved with the tough and mercurial workers. They have interesting things to say and can shed a tear over a lost companion, or agonize over tough decisions that can change the lives of colleagues. These truckers seem to have little in the way of personality and ultimately leave me detached and uninterested in their lives. I don't see this going into a second season unless they bring in a crew of Alaskan Crab fishermen to add colour, humour and philosiphy..
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Vicky PilkingtonJun 20th, 2007 - 16:50:48
I work in the trucking industry and was very interested in the show.
I would have like to seen more of the moving across the ice road and
and more detail in the trucking for the mining fields.
Although it was very interesting to me. I love the area up there and have
visited Alaska twice. I have been to the Arctic Circle on that side.
I give the show a (B)
Vicky Pilkington
Covington, Ga.
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