Ice Road Truckers

[Pat Bourke]

All you wanted to know about Ice Road Truckers and were afraid to ask can be viewed on "www.History.com/iceroadtruckers". This site has a lot of info and videos, well worth a visit. Regards Pat.

[Western SMT]

One Ice Road Truckers comments -

About 800 truckers set out with their first load last year, but by the end of the winter only about 200 were still going. Almost 40 truckers have lost their lives in the 80 winters the ice road has been built, the last in 2006, and each year brings its string of chilling accidents and nerve-shattering near misses.

On the most dangerous patches of the route – where the ice is most uneven – the drivers keep one hand on the door handle ready to make a quick getaway if their truck suddenly goes down.

You’re driving a big load on a giant sheet of ice, you can make out the shores of the lakes and you realise you’re driving over where people were fishing just a few weeks before.

The ice is about 20in thick when you first head out, although it can get up to 5ft thick in the middle of winter, and our trucks can pack as much as 100,000lb fully loaded. You have scary skids all the time but I’ve never gone down yet. When it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go, right? Accidents happen all the time.”

Each one-way trip takes about 20 hours – or more, depending on the weather – as the trucks can travel at a maximum of only about 22mph or the increased pressure from their wheels would crack the ice.

[Western SMT]

If you ever watched ‘Ice Road Truckers’ and wondered how the truck falling through the ice scene was done –

It's a one-sixth-scale model, four metres long, being pulled through a snowy scene that's made from sugar and shaved ice. It was filmed in California by some of Hollywood's greatest special effects masters.

[Alan B]

The latest series has just started on Thursdays 20.00, History Channel. I think just as frightening.

[Pat Bourke]

Just been watching the latest series based in Alaska. That Dalton Highway is pretty hairy even with the experts driving.

Cheers Pat.

[robertdavey6]

I'd like to think that I could cope with the driving on the ice part. It's the -40 (plus wind chill) and the only doing 22mph for hours on end that I couldn't manage.
I'd rather drive the Nullarbor at +50.

[G-CPTN]

Depends whether your cab was air-conditioned (either way), but you can always add clothing, whereas there's a limit as to how much you can take off / what procedures you employ. I found a wet towel across the back of my neck helped to cool me when I was too hot.

For cold, a good eiderdown 'ski-suit' is a good start - and fleece-lined boots (Moon-boots are good too) - and decent gloves. Don't forget - wear the fox hat of course . . .

(Mine is lambs-wool, but the Russian military ones are better - with flaps.)

[robertdavey6]

Unfortunately, for me, I feel the cold very badly. The heat just doesn't bother me. In the hot 197x summer, I was on the footplate of a steam loco adding coal to a blazing fire!!!!