Release Date: February 22, 2011
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 12 h. + extras

In this top-rated season, reaching over 3.5MM viewers, the drivers return to Alaska, hauling their biggest loads ever across the most dangerous terrain they’ve faced. But this year, trucking critically needed cargo north to the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay is just the beginning…

In season four, the drivers will tackle frozen rivers and swamps out beyond the Dalton Highway, hauling supplies to some of the most remote towns of the great white north. Reigning king, Jack Jesse, looks to defend his title, and Lisa Kelly, one of the only woman truckers on the haul road, fights to prove herself in the male-dominated profession. Rookie Ray Veilleux, who recently lost his business in the lower 48, has come north to run the road and keep his struggling family afloat. And in a decades-long rivalry, veteran drivers Hugh Rowland and Alex Debogorski are back racing neck and neck. The stakes are high as the dash for cash continues.

Ice Road Truckers is one of the most fascinating rides television will take you on. Season Four is actually the first season that I have watched of this show and it kept my attention from the very first episode. While long time viewers are familiar with what these six ice road truckers are up to, I have just begun learning about their competitive trucking season and what makes a good ice road trucker.

All season long, viewers learn about rookie mistakes like not chaining up, which Ray makes quite a bit, what it takes for Lisa to prove herself as a female trucker and Hugh to belong as a trucker in the states instead of is home country of Canada, and tons more about these complex and hard working people. While not necessarily a feminist, I found myself rooting for Lisa like never before after just a few episodes. Jumping into the fourth season first, it’s definitely not as nerve wrecking as I would have thought as each new trucking season brings its own drama, no matter how familiar the territory.

There are an equal amount of lessons to be learned in regards to earth science (such as ice fog and avalanches among other things) and the mechanics behind truck problems and modifications as well as the wild animals of Alaska, but the general public would be surprised with just how enthralling this series is, simply following these ice road truckers over 400+ miles to and from their delivery locations. Because their job is so dangerous, viewers’ hearts will race as one trucker finds himself stuck on the ice, with the ice buckling under the truck. That is just one of the many scenarios that are waiting to be played out during the ice road trucking season. It’s not just the danger on the road but the heavy competition that heats up the radio waves, as you’ll see in the conversation that can go from happy go lucky to angry shouting within a minute.

Some aspects of the show I found to be more interesting than others. When Alex picks up a hitch hiker, which is against the rules, it makes for very interesting TV being as it is one of the only real hitch hiker moments on television. In an episode earlier on, time is spent telling the story behind one of the few truck stops along the road which was made by the truckers themselves from a few decades back. Perhaps one my favorite aspect of the series is the coverage of the beautiful landscape of Alaska. What a gorgeous and yet incredibly dangerous state Alaska is.

Ice Road Truckers Season Four will keep viewers glued to the television screen much longer than anticipated and will leave viewers with a bigger appreciation and respect for truckers across America, though especially on the ice roads.

Bonus Features:
Additional Footage (18:30 minutes) – This feature starts off with mini bios of truckers, Ray Veilleux Bio and Greg Boadwine. The two briefly discuss how long they have been trucking and shares photos of their family as well as video with their family at home. There are quite a few segments featuring all of the truckers including, “Pipeline TAPS,” “Close Calls,” and “Truckers in the Morning, “Trucker Pranks,” “Truckers vs. the Road,” “Trucker Competition,” “Trucker Speak,” and “Truckers And Their Trucks.” At first, I thought to describe this as a mini episode but the way that it is cut, it is more of a “Best Of” feature and definitely worth the watch.

Own Ice Road Truckers: The Complete Season Four on DVD today.