"Ax Men" returns to History Channel
- From: David <dimlan17@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:07:33 -0500
From the Unforgiving Landscape of the Pacific Northwest, Comes theSecond Season...
The AX MEN Are Back Returning Monday, March 2 at 10PM ET/PT on HISTORY
Battling Mother Nature by Air, Land and Sea on the Original Loggers
Series
New York, NY, February 2, 2009 The AX MEN are back, and they're
bigger, badder and tougher than ever. The first ever non-fiction
series about the treacherous life of Pacific Northwest timber cutters,
premieres its second season Monday, March 2 at 10pm ET/PT on HISTORY.
Going deeper into the forest, high into the sky and even down into the
sea, the new season follows two leading teams from last season along
with three new companies, racing to fall the most timber during
logging's most dangerous season.
For more than a hundred years, larger than life characters, many of
whom are members of logging families who go back to the time when the
West was being settled have spent their days among towering trees and
powerful machines and their nights in outposts far from the comforts
of civilization. AX MEN tells the remarkable story, detailing the
history of the logging industry and how technology has transformed
life for today's logger, while the struggle of man versus nature stays
the same.
This season, AX MEN picks up with two of Oregon's top logging
companies from last year, J.M. Browning Logging of Astoria and
Vernonia's Pihl Logging. Adding to the competition are three
newcomers, each bringing something different to the table. Rygaard
Logging of Port Angeles, Washington, a fiery father-son team; R&R
Conner Aviation of Conner, Montana, which utilizes helicopters to
maximize its output; and S&S Aqua Logging of Aberdeen, Washington, a
team of diving loggers who fish for timber in some of the Pacific
Northwest's most treacherous waters.
Over the course of twelve episodes, AX MEN will follow these five
logging crews through a season of fighting mechanical failures,
relentless weather and unpredictable terrain. We'll witness how
loggers battle the elements, picking up where their fathers and
grandfathers left off, to conquer America's final frontier.
Danger is a full-time job, as these brave men put everything on the
line each and every day to retrieve the timber with which we build our
country. Snapped cables, runaway logs and razor-sharp chainsaws are
just some of the dangers that threaten their lives daily. Even with
new technology that should make the job easier, it all boils down to
the toughness and perseverance of the logging crews. Anything and
everything can and does go wrong. Not everyone will survive, but those
who do will earn their place in a long line of men who call themselves
Ax Men.
The five crews of AX MEN are:
J.M. Browning Logging Operating out of Astoria, Oregon, no-nonsense,
all-business Jay Browning started his company from the ground-up.
Logging is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet, and Jay knows
it. He lost his hand in a logging accident and now wears a prosthetic,
but prides himself on not accepting any of the workers compensation
checks that followed the ordeal. Taking handouts isn't Jay's style.
This year, Browning Logging is looking for its next leader. Jay's
natural successor is his son Jesse, but he has yet to prove that he
has what it takes to step into his old man's boots. Jay is a tough
boss and an even tougher dad, but it's the expectation of perfection
that's earned him the respect of his crews, business partners and the
logging community. As Jay's career winds down and the market
approaches its lowest point yet, will Jesse have what it takes to
carry on the family torch?
Pihl Logging Pihl Logging has been the lifeblood of Vernonia, Oregon
for almost 25 years. Almost everyone in town - all 2,300 of them -
knows someone who relies on company owner Mike Pihl to keep their
family fed. Pihl Logging is comprised of a group of men who like to
trade jibes with each other almost as much as they like to cut timber.
The real heart of the operation is 30-year veteran timber cutter
Dwayne Dethlefs. Dwayne is the embodiment of old-school logging.
Rounding out the crew is Dwayne's son Dustin, and a host of other
colorful characters. The men at Pihl are like family at-times
dysfunctional but always entertaining; men who fight like brothers but
always have each others' backs.
S&S Aqua Logging- Retired logger, Jimmy Smith, started his Aberdeen,
Washington underwater logging company because no one else was doing it
and he hoped to make a quick buck. What he uncovered in the process
was century-old perfectly preserved timber that his ancestors cut but
was lost in Washington's waterways along its journey to the mill. Now,
Jimmy seeks to harvest this slice of history for today's America to
enjoy. He's a colorful man with big dreams, big ideals and very little
attention to detail. Try as they may, Jimmy, his son James and the
revolving cast of friends-turned-deckhands struggle every day to keep
the underwater logging operation afloat.
R&R Conner Aviation - Based in Montana, R&R Conner Aviation is a
family-run helicopter logging company owned and operated by Ryan
Conner and wife Robin. Helicopter logging is one of the most dangerous
and expensive forms of timber harvesting. The demands of working
beneath a thundering helicopter and the severe weather are more than
most can bargain for. Having an experienced team of pilots, mechanics
and ground crew is crucial. R&R has been grounded for nine months
after a hard landing destroyed their helicopter. Now, R&R is back with
a rebuilt rig and Ryan is getting his company in the air and back in
the woods of Montana. This is going to be a critical logging season
for R&R and chief pilot, Bart Colantuono, will be a key factor in
getting the business back to a place it was last year making money.
Rygaard Logging Based in Port Angeles, Washington, Rygaard Logging is
a family business consisting of father Craig and son, Gabe. Craig is a
wild man with a big heart, sharp mind and a quick wit. These are hard
working salt-of-the-earth men, risking everything they have to get the
job done. Logging is in their blood. As Rygaard moves onto a downhill
logging site the most dangerous of all logging operations gravity
works against them on every turn. This is brutal work and one of the
quickest ways for a logger to go broke or get hurt. Adding to the
liability is greenhorn Brad Hewitt, who is stepping onto the mountain
for the first time.
On history.com, the AX MEN web site will feature videos on the new and
existing loggers, logging technology and behind the scenes footage.
The site will also include maps, photo galleries and fast facts on the
logging frontiers.
AX MEN is produced for HISTORY by Original Productions. Executive
producers for Original Productions are Thom Beers and Philip Segal.
Executive producer for HISTORY is Dolores Gavin.
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