Change in weather adds new challenges for ‘Ice Road Truckers’ drivers

Reno Ward, Lisa Kelly and Mark Kohaykewych were able to finish off their run hauling a 40-ton pre-fab building.Reno Ward, Lisa Kelly and Mark Kohaykewych were able to finish off their run hauling a 40-ton pre-fab building.

Drivers in The History Channel’s Ice Road Truckers have had to deal with roads in one extreme or another, writes Overdrive sister site Truckers News Editor David Hollis.

Only a few episodes ago, drivers were complaining about driving over roads made miserable by mild winter weather, but in the most recent episode last week, the drivers had to contend with the aftermath of a blizzard that left behind between three and six feet of snow.

Lisa Kelly, Reno Ward and Mark Kohaykewych were able to finish their convoy haul of a 40-ton pre-fab building. Near the end of their run, the three paid their respects to the late Darrell Ward by blowing their horns before making the final few miles.

Todd Dewey was able to get rolling after sitting for a few days due to snow, but it wasn’t an easy trip. He had to make three attempts to get up a slick hill.

Alex Debogorski stopped along his trek to help a fellow trucker, but it almost cost him. After spending six hours helping the driver get back on the road, he had to make a late-night crossing over an uncertain ice lake.

Art Burke had to cross a 21-mile frozen lake, which also happened to have three to four feet of snow on it, adding to the weight on the ice. To make things worse, he encountered another truck going the opposite direction while crossing.

See full coverage of the episode with Hollis’ recap here. Ice Road Truckers airs on the History Channel at 10 p.m. Eastern on Thursdays.