Episode 10 - Ice Crawler
RISE OF THE MACHINES uses stunning CGI animation to explode open one of the world’s toughest piste bashers – the Pisten Bully 600W Polar – to reveal the extraordinary technology that it depends on to shift thousands of ton of snow across perilous mountain terrain.
At the wheel of the Ice Crawler, driver Steve Dewar is on a high stakes mission at Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort, British Columbia. Together, Steve and his Ice Crawler have just 5 days to clear 8000 acres of ski runs of hazardous ice, rocks and avalanche-prone snow drifts in time for the resort’s big opening weekend. At critical moments in their journey, spectacular CGI will prise open the Ice Crawler’s steel skin. Exploring its engineering breakthroughs in forensic 3D will reveal surprising secrets behind how the technology evolved, inspired by extraordinary lessons from nature and history.
How does the Ice Crawler’s hydraulic snow shovel mimic the anatomy of the giant Himalayan jumping spider? How does a lightning bolt help driver Steve navigate the steep mountain terrain in the pitch black of night? Even with the ultimate snow shifting technology on board the Ice Crawler, it’s a perilous mission. The resort is experiencing the worst snow conditions on record, while 20,000 skiers and snowboarders are on their way. Can Steve and his Ice Crawler keep the mountain safe?