 Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, fighting the many enemies of nature. This is the job of the guardian of the forest, Ranger Bill, pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain lions. Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done. Do you remember back several years ago when we had so much snow from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day? And it got pretty cold at times, snow piled up. Well that along came the middle of January and the temperature climbed to 60 degrees. In a few days all the snow and ice had gone down the sewers in a way. This was caused by warm winds. Well out around the naughty pine country a warm wind is looked upon with fear and dread if it comes in the middle of winter. You'll know why when you hear the story. Shanook. Let's take a long trip up to mid-mountain dam in the mountains. It's the highest dam in the naughty pine area. Jack Kimball and Cole Mason are standing on the dam watching the thaw water run through the water gate. Neither man is too happy about the off-season thaw. The amount of thaw water is increasing daily, Jack. I'll say it is. Two days ago it was just a trickle. Now it's the size of a husky crick. I suppose it'd be like a river in a couple more days. I don't like it. Neither do I, Cole. This is a real... Hey, did you hear that? Yeah, it's moving ice up in the mountains. That could spell real trouble. And how? As I was going to say, this is a real Shanook. Yes Jack, it does look like this warm wind blowing down the mountains is a real Shanook. And it's feared around naughty pine because of the premature thawing it causes. If it continues, soon floodwaters run over the frozen streams and rivers. If the Shanook continues for a long period, huge pieces of ice break off from the mountains and slide rapidly down the half-frozen rivers, just as if they were waxed floors. Let's drop in on Bill and his rangers as they listen to the weather forecast coming over their radio in headquarters. Damn, a Shanook took a good hold in this part of the country. It weren't funny, not at all. This is the time of the year for freezing cold, not spring warm-up. I've heard stories about the last time we had a good Shanook around here. Yeah, they're main stories, sonny. What you heard is fact. The warm winds this time of the year ain't no good for man or beast. Ah, Shanook Indian wind come from land of Shanook people. Old time Indian believe God's angry when warm wind blow in winter and bring much hardship. Indian believe it bad omen when come in cold of winter. Not only the Indians who believe that, Gray Wolf, these warm winds are no good for us. It should be 15 below zero, not 50 above. Bill, this is my first experience like this. Just how dangerous is this off-season heat wave? Well, pal, the warm winds burn the trees for one thing. They don't like a premature thaw. And thaw water can get into the crevices of a tree and split it open when the fast freeze comes along after this hot spell. And all the animals and plant life in the forest are stirred to a premature awakening. The melting ice and snow causes floods because the ground isn't porous enough to receive the water. The biggest danger in the mountains is from moving ice. Great chunks break off and they weigh hundreds of tons. Natural battering rams, they've been known to do great damage. Then the mid-mountain dam and the knotty pine dam could be in great danger? Definitely. A nice slide that was powerful enough could knock out both dams and then proceed to knock out most of knotty pine as well. The only thing we can do is to hope and pray for a sudden cold snap. Right. It doesn't come soon. Other things will begin to snap. Maybe we'd better open the Watergate wider, Jack. There's about three feet of it on top of the ice in the reservoir. I think you're right, Cole. Let's go back to the powerhouse and set the machinery in motion. Jack, we'd better do something about that moving ice. If a big chunk of it came down here, it would be like slatting it on a banana peel. Top of the dam wouldn't even hold it long enough to make it grunt. You're right. We'd better get somebody to go up there and find out what's going on in the ice fields. Who are you gonna call, Jack? The one man who knows that country like the back of his hand, Bill Jefferson. Ranger Headquarter is Graywolf speaking. Hello, Jack. You want to talk with Bill? Yes. May I, please? Yes. Hold on. Bill out in the other room. Jack Kimball won't talk to you. Okay, Graywolf. I'll be right there. Jack here, Graywolf? No. He called from Mid-Mountain Dam. Uh-oh. Hello, Jack. What's up? Honey, Bill. Sure, we'll be there as quickly as possible. What can we do for you? Now we'll plan on as we make the trip. Oh, bye. Bye, Jack. Maybe you should not give us big headache. It looks that way, Graywolf. Let's get Stumpy and Henry and take off. That's the whole story. In two more days, we'll have to open the floodgates wider to keep this top water moving. It's like a small river now. You jump into the water and you go shoulder-deep before you struck ice underneath. Yeah, I believe that. You hear that, Bill? Yeah, I do. Now that's moving ice all right, or my name isn't Henry Scott. Yep. That ain't no refrigerator ice cube, neither. Bill, what do you think can be done about this? I don't know. The best suggestion I have is the fellas and I go up there and take a look. If it takes over, I'll have to close off. I feel like I'm in a bathtub swimming for dear life. Yeah, me too, Bill. Boy, I'm sweating to beat the band. That's a good idea, fellas. Let's call a halt and take off our parkas. Be careful not to take too much clothing off when sweating so much you catch death of cold. Gray Wolf's right. Only our parkas leave our heavy sweaters on. Ah, me too. Okay, we'll do that. Here, hold the pack to the right, Henry. I'll adjust this strap. Okay. How's this? Yeah, that's fine. You're packed comfortable? Yeah, that's okay. Stuffy, Gray Wolf, you ready to push on? Yeah, full pack mule jankin' is all itched up and ready to go. I'm ready, too, Bill. All right, let's go, fellas. Hey, that's a little reminder of what we come for. This warm wind sure is making the snow skedaddle along the trail. Boy, I'll say it is, Stuffy. There isn't hardly enough left to make a good snowball. Oh, London sure get in way when fellow in hurry. You said a mouthful that time, Gray Wolf, especially since we're walking a constant upgrade. We're making some headway, though. Moving ice sounds closer than it did. Well, it probably sounds suddenly closer as soon as we get to the top of this ridge. Bill, where do you think ice is moving? I'd say it's moving in deep valley. Why? If that's where the ice is, we've got a long way to go. Well, that's above bottleneck canyon. Well, there's only six more, Stuffy. Where do you get 12? These here rock piles have two sides to them, young fella. Six mountains going up, and six mountains coming down. Makes 12. Here's bottleneck canyon. A little better than halfway to deep valley. Right. Keep the same pace going now. It'll make it in good time. Why didn't we take a helicopter up here, Bill? Oh, it's too dangerous, pal. Yep, drafts and downdrafts in these mountains are awfully dangerous. You probably wouldn't see anything anyhow, because the shadows are too deep. Feel the earth shaking. A big piece of the glacier dropped off the end of deep valley. My name ain't Stumpy Jenkins. It sounds like whole mountain come down. There's deep valley right ahead, fellas. Yeah, and all you can see is a big black hole. Well, that's the place. Let's go take a look at the rock crusher at work. There's the ice, fellas. Take a good look. Wow. Now, these pieces are as big as a skyscraper. Yes, Henry, there are pieces of ice in deep valley as big as a skyscraper. The huge ice blocks weighing hundreds and possibly thousands of tons surpass any man-made crushers. Relentlessly, the giant cakes of ice grind on, slowly. Yes, very slowly, but they never stop. The ice gouges out the sides of the valley like it was putty. Jack and Cole are right. If these ice blocks get loose on the reservoir, they'll make a clean sweep all the way to Dead Man's Gorge, and that includes the part of knotty pine that stretches along the river. Oh, look at that boulder. Must be crushed like nothing. You're seeing real power, Henry. Power and creation. I'm afraid that only the Lord can stop those ice junks. If the Chinook would quit and a sudden cold blast come along, that would stop it, wouldn't it, Bill? Yes, it would, pal. But it looks hopeless. Now, you speak truth. No man can stop ice in deep valley. Yep, I agree. Wow, did you see that, fellas? That ice cut under the valley wall and the whole side came down on the ice, and it isn't even slowing down. Yeah, you've just seen what most people don't see in their whole lives, honey. When the Lord wants to show men how small and weak they are, all he has to do is send a Chinook along to get some of that there glacier over there on the move. Boy, you aren't just making noise, Stumpy. Why, just think of the power down there in the valley. I never realized, or I should say, I've never had a first-class demonstration of the Lord's power like this. And pal, this is an infinitesimal amount of the Lord's power. Well, let's clock the speed of this ice and then we'll head back to Mid-Mountain Dam and give Jack and Cole the sad news. Bill, do you mean to tell me that all we can do is wait for the ice to come down and watch it wipe out Mid-Mountain Dam and then grind on to Nutty Pine Dam and all the way down? I'm sorry, Jack, but you've got the answer. What can we do? We can't just stand here and watch it happen. Jack's right, Bill. Something's got to be done. I agree. Well, I haven't the slightest idea as to how we can stop ice blocks that crumble 10-ton boulders. He's got a point there, fellas. Only the Lord can stop that ice from coming down. What we need is some sudden cold. We just got the forecast off the ticker tape. There's a cold front moving in and it won't be here for at least 72 hours. We're as helpless as babes in a cradle. Hey, Bill, where are you going? I'm going outside and pray. I've asked everybody but the Lord what we should do. Heavenly Father, I don't need to tell you the problem at hand because I was known all about it before we did. Lord, I can't honestly see that it's Thy will that the ice blocks be allowed to do the terrible damage that they can do if they get loose. It's not Thy will that this happen and please show us how to stop it. If it is Thy will, then Thy will be done because Thou just have an unquestionable reason if this is to happen. In Jesus' name, amen. Why does it take Bill so long? We haven't got time to waste. Time in prayer is not wasted time. I didn't mean it that way, Gray Wolf, but God knows we need help and we need it quickly. Yeah, you're like a lot of people, Sonny. You pray and ask the Lord for help and if the answer doesn't come just like you want it, then you get all head up. The Lord lands our prayers at His own pleasure and in all probabilities, not in the way you expect. Bill? I haven't any ideas yet, fellas. I guess we might as well spread the alarm so folks can get out while they're getting us good. May I say something? You certainly can, Bill. What's on your mind? Well, I remember reading one time about the action of ice and glaciers against rock and the book said that there are some types of rock formations that ice or glaciers can't break or move. That's right. What's that got to do with the problem in hand? I don't know. I'm just thinking out loud. But it seems to me that maybe bottleneck canyon might be made of that type of rock or it would have been widened out hundreds of years ago. Hey, that's it. The Lord's answer. Why didn't I think of that before? Think of what? Bottleneck canyons made of granite. Solid granite. Hey, hold it down, fellas. I'll give you my whole plan and then we'll swing into action. Ah, you talk. We listen. We'll make our stand at Bottleneck Canyon. Now the ice blocks, as they are, won't be able to make it through the canyon. They could and will break into smaller blocks and be just as dangerous. Won't they jam up in the canyon? It's pretty narrow, you know. No, Cole, they won't. Perhaps the last one might, but you've got to remember the terrific pressure behind the front ice, especially since another big slab broke off the glacier while we were on our way up there. Maybe more break off before Chinook threw giving us heat treatment. That's very possible, Grey Wolf. Now, in order to stop the ice slabs from getting through the canyon as they break up, I want to make a log jam in the canyon itself. That sounds good, Bill. Maybe it'll work. Yes, the logs should do the trick all right. A good jam takes days of dynamiting to break up. Right. If the right kind of hardwood logs can be put in there, the jam will hold for a couple of years. But why are you going to get enough logs to do the job? I know where I can get them. Henry, get Frenchie to sell on the phone while I make a rough map of our plan. Right. Boy, if Frenchie can't get logs, then nobody can. Now you've heard the problem and my plan to stop it, Frenchie. What do you think about it? Can you get enough of the right kind of logs up at the top of bottleneck canyon quickly enough? Remember, the government will cover the cost. Okay, Frenchie. Fortunately, you'll be able to haul the logs right up to the rim of the canyon without too much trouble. The grade's steep, but it's not impossible or dangerous. If you have enough equipment to do the job, Frenchie, oh, wonderful. I'll see you at the canyon. Let me know if you run into any problems. We need logs, Frenchie. All the logs we can get in as quickly as we can get them. It's amazing what one phone call can do if it's to the right man. All of Frenchie do sell six-foot-five inches and comes into action as he generals his lumberjacks. Frenchie has a job to do and he's going to do it if it's the last thing the big Frenchman ever does. Not only is it his personal pride in doing a good job, but his friend Bill needs help. Frenchie bellers in his booming voice and soon all of the latest logging equipment is in action. Giant diesel cats and wheeled log rollers maneuver around to pick up their loads or carry off what they've already loaded on. Frenchie weaves in and out as he shouts to his men. How many logs you got in tow? I got five, boss. Next trip take eight. You have your shame. You got the power to do it. Okay, we'll do. Hey, Ollie. How many are you going to pick off? Yeah, this job will take 12 big logs. Well, you can take 15 big logs. But boss, they'll keep the cat over backwards. Hey, Tony. What do you want, Frenchie? Do you want to fix these new rigs, so Ollie can snake 15 logs on skiff? Sure. Get some guarantee that it's done quick. And I'm in right now. How much time we got before ice get here? I clocked the ice moving at half a mile an hour, Grey Wolf. That was when we were up here the first time. Let's assume the speed is the same and the ice has moved half the distance to bottle and can. Ah, not give us about 10 miles left. We've got 20 hours to get the jam built. Let's make it 18 hours for safety. We've got to be finished by sunrise tomorrow. Hey, Bill, the first cats are coming up the grave. Boy, are they pulling the logs. Let's get to the edge of the canyon and get the boys started dumping logs. Where's Frenchie, Bruno? He's coming. He left Ben Larson and Matt Fitzsimmons in charge of loading. Boy, it's a long way down to the bottom. It sure is. What's the plan to drop your logs? I'm going to hook the logs and pull the chains. Then I'll push them over the side. Good. That's the word that I don't want any accidents. Keep the cats away from the edge. Right. None of the cat drivers want to go over the side either. This is good granite hard pad. It'll hold all the weight we can give it with ease. Okay. Let's help the cat drivers unhitch their logs, fellas. Watch the tension on the chains and cables. They snap loose. You can be seriously injured. These those turnbuckles off before you unlock the tension levers. Okay, we'll all push them over. Some of those logs went into the ice straight up. That's what we want, shouldn't we? They'll lock good that way when the others go down. Yeah, I'll say they will. But I didn't think they'd drive themselves through the ice and into the riverbed. Yeah, some of those logs are 15 to 17 feet long, young bird. Throw those ice all the time. He directs the cat drivers with great skill so a maximum number of logs are kept flowing to the canyon edge and dump. Then work goes on without a hitch. The steep grade looks like a steady stream of ants are hauling their supplies up its side. The bird looks at the sky and sends words for the generator to be hauled up. The generator arrives just at dark and soon there is enough light for the men to work safely. On into the night they work till Frenchie stops for a few minutes at Bill's direction. Have some coffee while we compare notes, Frenchie. Oh, thanks, Bill. Frenchie need coffee. Oh, man, you're awfully tired. I'll take over directing operations for a while. It's only two hours until sunrise. No, Bill. Frenchie finished what he stopped. Oh, this short rest gives me a second wind. Boy, Frenchie work a big sweat from warm wind. Okay, but don't overdo it. According to my figures, your men have dumped 3,000 logs into the canyon. More coffee, please. Oh, these kids are spotless. Frenchie, sink your eye, Bill. I've looked into the canyon with the floodlight from time to time. The jam looks good. Some of the logs have broken from the fall. That is good, Bill. Sometimes the short log logs jump better than longer. We take good look as soon as daylight comes. You might not have time. Stompy and Grey Wolf have been keeping an eye on the ice. It's picking up speed. Frenchie think we've got enough logs to hold ice now. But we dumped more logs for an other hour. Okay. We'll stop building the log jam in an hour. Cole and I appreciate your sending for us, Bill. We'd sure like to watch the ice test its strength against the log jam. I thought you would, Jack. Well, the sun will be out in a few minutes. From the racket in the valley, it sounds like the ice is about right at the end of the canyon. Let's join the others. Boy, this ought to be a first-class show of strength. Bill and his men and many of the lumberjacks watch the massive blocks of ice move into the mouth of bottleneck canyon. The first cake is about a half a block square. It grinds its way to the walls of the canyon and momentarily stops as the granite refuses to be moved or cut. There are three other blocks of ice behind the first and they're larger and thicker. The first block snaps into with a sound like thunder. Henry, this is the crucial moment. One of the broken blocks slides past the other and heads for the log jam. Soon the other follows. The ice meets the first logs and snaps them like matchsticks. The ice block is grinding its way into the log jam. Logs crumble like paper straws. The second block is bringing pressure on the first. Now other blocks have split and are moving in behind the first two. The ice is massing its tremendous strength for the test. It's almost beside itself with beer. This is not friendship, log jam. It got to hold. The ice has stopped moving. There needs to be talk too. His roof leaks a little. This Chinook just cost us 3,000 logs and left a lot of dog-tired men. Yeah, old timer. I hope at the next time a Chinook decides to defrost us, we're well into the middle of summer. Whoever thought a warm wind could give us such a cold-blooded barrel of trouble. It's an old saying, boys and girls, that it's an ill wind that blows no good. As far as Bill and his rangers are concerned, it's a Chinook that blows no good when it comes in the middle of winter. We'll see you next week for more adventure with... Rain!