Premiere of ‘Rocky Mountain Wreckers’ TV series gives I-70 drivers a peek into the dangerous world of winter towing in Colorado

The stretch of Interstate 70 that crosses through the Colorado Rocky Mountains is notorious for steep grades and winter conditions that can lead to spinouts, stalled semitrailers and hours-long jams.

Anyone who has been stuck in that kind of winter traffic on I-70 has probably seen blaze-orange Mountain Recovery vehicles working to reopen the interstate. An upcoming television series will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look into the dangerous job of keeping vehicles flowing through the snow-laden mountains.

“Rocky Mountain Wreckers,” a 10-episode adventure documentary series, is set to premiere Sunday, April 13, on The Weather Channel. Shot over the past two winters, the series follows the Silverthorne-based Mountain Recovery team and three other heavy wrecking businesses that work in the High Country. Episodes 1 and 2 will air back-to-back at 8 p.m. ET, or 6 p.m. MT, with new episodes airing every Sunday at that time.

“You’ll see us literally risking our lives to get the motoring public to safety,” Mountain Recovery owner Charlie Stubblefield said. “You’ll see things where you’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat like, ‘What happens next?’ It’s gripping to watch.”

Set on some of the deadliest highways in America — I-70, I-25, I-80 and I-15 — the series will offer an in-depth look at the teams of professionals who battle intense weather and ceaseless traffic to keep these interstate highways open. 

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Stubblefield, who has watched the entire first season, said the series will appeal to anyone who loves the mountains, those who work in towing or highway management and — perhaps especially — anyone who has sat for hours in I-70 ski traffic.

“You get a glimpse into what is happening when you’re waiting on I-70,” Stubblefield said. “Not only is it entertaining, but it’s informative for the people who are planning to come here. Whether you’re a truck driver or a ski vacationer, you know now how you need to be prepared to be successful driving on these roads.”

The first episode sets the scene on I-70, detailing the about 7% grade descents from the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels, which cross the Continental Divide at more than 10,000 feet, and along Vail Pass, Stubblefield said. The second episode will introduce the Mountain Recovery team, including Jon “Big Jon” Miskew, Gilbert “Danger” Ramos, Mike “Bad Grandpa” Leary and others, he said.

Later in the series, viewers will watch Stubblefield and one of his team members work together “with traffic bearing down on us” to rescue a family with a baby that became trapped on the median of I-70.

In addition to Mountain Recovery, the series features Reliable Towing of Longmont, Stauffer’s Towing & Recovery in Utah and Big Al’s Towing in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

“It really became less of a towing and recovery industry show and more of a first responder show,” Stubblefield said, “really showcasing how we work to respond instantly on the heels of incidents that are happening to clear them, get the roads open and ultimately make the roads safer.”

Great Pacific Media, the company behind the 13-season “Highway Thru Hell” series, produced the upcoming “Rocky Mountain Wreckers” series.

Great Pacific Media series producer Todd Serotiuk, who oversaw the upcoming show’s creative and storytelling elements, recalled being awoken at 3 a.m. to accompany Mountain Recovery to the scene of a truck that slid off the interstate.

“Rocky Mountain Wreckers” is packed with drama that highlights “the chaos these guys have to deal with,” Serotiuk said. No two missions are alike, and no matter how well planned the towing operation is, sometimes Mother Nature “will sucker punch you,” he said.

“The conditions are crazy. The roads are icy. It was a real challenge but also a real adventure to see these crews up close,” Serotiuk said. “We had a great time, but shooting a show through the winter months on the mountain passes of I-70 will put anyone to the test.”

Serotiuk said he hopes that viewers will walk away with a better understanding of the winter conditions drivers face in the Rocky Mountains and empathy for “how deeply these (tow operators) care about what they’re doing and the people that depend on them.”

Even in sub-zero temperatures, whiteout conditions and amid rushing traffic, Stubblefield said Great Pacific Media never once delayed a towing operation. With action, drama and beautiful mountain scenery he said “Rocky Mountain Wreckers” has something for everyone, especially I-70 drivers.

“They truly captured the essence of Mountain Recovery’s mission statement, which is simply ‘help people,'” Stubblefield said. “They really showcased our guys getting out there and doing that job in a really efficient, effective and genuine way.”