Randy Jacknife had a problem in the most recent episode of “Highway Thru Hell,” the reality show that airs Sunday nights on The Weather Channel. A snowy, mess of a problem that just kept getting worse.
Jacknife was on Highway 881 south of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada during the worst blizzard of the year. He had Jamie Davis’ 25-ton wrecker and was trying to yank a 31-ton crane truck that was in deep snow.
As that unfolded, several other accidents occurred: an SUV in the ditch, a tractor-trailer dives to the snow-covered shoulder to avoid cars and then two more trucks collide.
When the two trucks crashed, a flatbed lost its load: A 25,000-pound planetary gear destined for much-needed repairs for the largest dump-truck working the oil fields of Alberta. Part of the recovery was to get the massive gear back on the flatbed and on its way … quickly.
Fortunately for an overwrought Jacknife, Johnny Tipton happened along with a small wrecker. Working together, Jacknife and Tipton wrangled the gear high enough for the flatbed to back under it but then had to reposition its carrying cradle in order to get it on the trailer and on its way.
Meanwhile in British Columbia, early spring rains made going on Highway 3 east of Hope pretty slippery.
Al Quiring and Gord Boyd had to extricate a tractor trailer loaded with compost off the highway so traffic could get moving. The got the truck separated from the trailer and hauled into a turnout on the highway.
Next, they had to get a Bobcat to get the compost out of the trailer, which was on its side. With that done, the pair hooked their wrecker’s to the trailer and simply dragged it to the turnout to get the traffic moving. Then, one to the tractor and the other took the trailer. Mission complete.
Quiring also got down and dirty on his own during Sunday’s episode. Incredibly dirty.
Al got the assignment to yank an 70,000-pound excavator out of 6 feet of mud as the Frazer River threatened to make matters worse.
With a second excavator and Al’s wrecker attached, a mud-spattered tug-of-war began but ended when part of the rigging snapped. Al rerigged with heavier gear, and the excavator was out and on almost-solid ground.
“Highway Through Hell” airs Sundays at 10 p.m. Eastern on the Weather Channel.
