The world’s longest ice road connects Yellowknife to three diamond mines: Yellowknife, Diavik, and Snap Lake. Of the 475 kilometers (300 miles) of ice road, 86 percent of it is across frozen lakes. The ice road is the only overland supply route for the mines.
How long does it take to drive The Ice Road?
The vast expanse of wilderness and pristine frozen lakes are a far cry from the I-95 corridor, and truck drivers making the 14-16 hour trip get to take it all in—the maximum speed limit is 15 mph. Every year, initial road construction begins in December.
What is the speed limit on The Ice Road?
“Speeds on ice roads are typically limited to 15 mph to prevent a vehicle’s weight from causing waves under the surface. These waves can damage the road, or dislodge the ice from the shoreline and create a hazard.”
What is the speed limit on the ice roads in Canada?
Speeding can get you banned from the roads
According to a 2009 article in Wheels.ca, speed limits on ice roads range from about 15 km/h to 35 km/h, which equals about 10-20 mph, and some parts of the roads even require drivers to stay under 10 km/h, which is equal to about 6 mph.
Do ice road truckers ever fall through the ice?
The ice roads are much safer than they are portrayed to be. Trucks do fall through the ice every couple of seasons. Real seasons that is. But they are usually the Snowcats that are sent out first to clear the way.
What do the ice road truckers get paid?
Ice road truckers make $30,000 to $40,000 in three months.
Ice road truckers are some of the highest-paid professional service drivers there are, and this is because their job is extremely dangerous.
Where do ice road truckers sleep?
Ice Truckers do these drives on their own. Usually, with large semis, the drivers will stop and sleep in the cabins of their trucks on these work trips. Some choose to have partners that drive with them and others do not.
How deep is the ice road?
Ice road construction requires a minimum snow depth of 6 inches, with the top 12 inches of tundra frozen to at least 23 F°— with an optimal ambient temperature of -20 F°, says Jeff Osborne, project lead for ice roads at ConocoPhillips.
How deep is the ice on ice road truckers?
42 inches
It has to be rebuilt each year. Work on the road starts soon after Christmas. When the ice is 1 meter (42 inches) thick, it can support a truck fully loaded with over 40 metric tons (44 tons) of fuel. Full trucks traveling north have a strict speed limit of 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) per hour.
Are there any ice roads in the USA?
Ice roads are essential to local accessibility in Alaska and other northern regions, but present challenges in establishing and maintaining them safely and efficiently. Here, the ice road created on the frozen Kuskokwim River in Alaska is seen from the air.
Can you stop on an ice road?
uneven sections must be crossed as slowly as possible; it is prohibited to stop the motor vehicle or speed on the ice road, as well as to navigate it during snowstorm, fog or darkness.
How thick is the ice on the ice road in Canada?
I’m startled to hear the ice beneath our feet make a sound like shattering window glass, but no one else seems to notice. Apparently, ice that’s 3 ft. thick behaves this way when you drive a massive truck over it.
How thick are ice roads in Canada?
Once the road is 40 centimetres thick, large grooming machines plow it to its full 45-metre width. As temperatures drop, thickness grows and more equipment can go on the ice. That allows construction of the road’s 64 portages – roads over top of the tundra between the lakes.
What months do Ice Road Truckers work?
Because the season is so heavily dependent on the weather, most jobs run from about mid-January to mid-March. After those two months, drivers can decide how to spend the rest of their year. For some, that might mean time to look for other driving jobs in the off-season.
Do Ice Road Truckers drive over lakes?
It features the activities of drivers who operate trucks on seasonal routes crossing frozen lakes and rivers, in remote Arctic territories in Canada and Alaska.
How long did Ice Road Truckers last?
The American TV series Ice Road Truckers premiered in 2007 and ended in 2017, with a whopping 138 episodes aired during its ten-year run.
What type of truck drivers make the most money?
9 Highest Paying Trucking Jobs
- Owner-Operators. Salary: $247,850.
- Ice Road Drivers. Salary: $65,455 per year.
- Oversized Load. Salary: $71,442 per year.
- Specialty Vehicle Haulers. Salary: $82,099.
- Team Drivers. Salary: $96,573.
- Private Fleet. Salary: $95,999 – $110,000 per year.
- Mining Industry Drivers.
- Liquids / Tanker.
Where do Ice Road Truckers deliver to?
Alaska has some pretty extreme road conditions, and so trucking plays an essential role for getting goods and supplies to the people who live there. This kind of delivery service entails driving massive 18-wheelers across frozen lakes and rivers to reach remote areas of the Arctic.
How do truckers not fall asleep?
Listening to audiobooks, podcasts, or music is a great way to pass the time while you drive. Listening to something while you drive can help you avoid boredom and in turn, help you stay awake longer! Entertainment options like these can serve as a great distraction when you need it most.
How much do Ice Road Truckers get paid in Alaska?
between $20,000 and $80,000
Ice Road Trucking Pay
You’ll hear reports from ice road trucking professionals that they make between $20,000 and $80,000 when in reality, the average rate is about $40,000. If you think that doesn’t sound like much at first glance, remember that they’re only working for about three months.
How heavy are the ice road trucks?
65,000 pounds
Truckers maneuver these “ice roads” in vehicles that weigh up to 65,000 pounds.