Lisa Kelly breaks an unbreakable ice road trucking rule

Nothing went as expected in last night’s episode of Ice Road Truckers. But, as always, that’s what keeps the show interesting, right?

Lisa Kelly, Darrell Ward, and Art Burke, the three seasoned drivers, each dealt with the challenges brought on by the unusually warm winter weather due to El Niño. Kelly, in particular, encountered engine issues similar to Todd Dewey’s problems from the previous episode.

The episode also introduced the newest driver to the show: 22-year-old Steph Custance, who recently passed the second part of her driving test at Polar Enterprises and secured a position.

Darrell Takes a Risky Detour.

While enroute to Pikangikum, Ontario, Ward faced a significant issue caused by the unseasonably warm temperatures, which were above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This warmth rendered the ice road unsafe, forcing Ward to halt his journey.

Worried about the potential impact of missing a delivery on his new company, which he started a year ago with Kelly, Ward remembered a shortcut he had used on a previous trip to Pikangikum. Although this shortcut wasn’t part of the official ice road network, it was a possible route.

Ward found the turnoff for this alternative road, which was in worse condition than the main road he was on. Despite the risky conditions, Ward decided to proceed, feeling he had little choice.

“Hope I didn’t get myself into a spot I don’t want to be in,” Ward remarked.

The situation was tense as the makeshift ice road lacked a shoulder, turnaround options, and any signage, making it impossible to backtrack. The road ended abruptly at a lake with ice that was thinner than usual.

“Makes you wonder what you’re doing out here,” Ward said, contemplating the danger of driving a 20-ton load of construction materials across the precarious ice.

With a resigned tone, he added, “Ain’t no turning around now. I guess it’s now or never.”

Ward cautiously inched onto the ice, navigating the three-mile crossing while the ice creaked and cracked beneath his truck.