The first morning was spent meeting our guides, collecting skis and boots, being introduced to the equipment and the basic techniques needed to move on snow with skis. Later the team members carried out some basic exercises to establish their ability. By the time the ability of the groups had been determined it was late afternoon and with the weather closing in, we returned to the hostel.

The next day brought whiteout conditions so the team embarked on a low-level trek along the local cross-country ski routes around the town to break in new boots and travel weary legs. Some of the team members soon discovered that cross-country skiing was considerably more physically demanding than first appeared. After some comical interpretations of technique and the weather proving more of a challenge than the skiing, we returned to the hostel for a much needed meal and brief for the following day’s activities.

The next day the team took the Jungfrau train to the ski fields of Eigergletscher, located below the imposing Eiger North Face, which provided a spectacular backdrop for our training. The team’s technique and competence was developed on progressively steeper slopes until all participants had mastered the basic principles of turning, speed control and stopping – one of the more important, but often overlooked skills required!! The below average snowfall of the preceding weeks was now being made up for with whiteout conditions, which hampered the training and made for a less enjoyable experience for all concerned. But as the saying goes, "If it ain’t raining, it ain’t training!" (or snowing in our case).

The following day brought clear skies and spectacular views across the entire Bernese Oberland mountain ranges, a perfect start for our journey on the Jungfrau Railway through the heart of the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest railway station at 3454m. A fascinating tunnel network of rock and ice leads out to the glaring sunlight reflected off the Jungfraufirn Glacier, situated between Switzerland’s highest mountain the Jungfrau and the Mönk (the 4107m peak successfully climbed in a previous London Wing expedition). It was here that we were able to start the more technical training and progressive altitude acclimatisation needed for the latter stages of the expedition. Basic rope and glacier traverse skills were revised along with the technique required for crevasse rescues.

Our luck with the weather continued into the next day and the team were introduced to avalanche awareness, basic winter survival skills and the techniques required to build snow holes. The afternoon was spent putting this knowledge into practice with the team split into three groups and tasked with building snow shelters. One team was a little over zealous, constructing a snow hole big enough to get the entire expedition into! However, it proved useful as the weather suddenly closed in and our blue skies were replaced with whiteout conditions once again.

As the sun rose over the Trugberg ridge the next morning we set off for the descent of the Jungfraufirn Glacier. The snow toped expanse of the glacier was framed by steep rock on either side, providing a dramatic setting for our gentle decent. With some members of the team still nursing aching muscles and bruises from the previous day’s physical exploits, the heavy snow proved hard going. But as our skill developed we were able to make good progress, reaching the junction of the Emigschneefäld Glacier by late morning. Now the hard work began. Although the winter snow covering provided a route through the fragmented crevasse of the glacier junction, we had to choose our route carefully to negotiate a safe passage. We then began the long accent of towards the Walcherhorn, a climb of 750 meters. With our lungs screaming for air and our legs protesting, we climbed over the Obers Mönchsjoch back into the Jungfraufirn Glacier and the final decent to Jungfraujoch Station. We had covered approximately 20km of terrain in some of the most spectacular scenery the Alps had to offer, but not without some serious physical exertion. The train journey back to the Eigergletscher provided a welcome opportunity for some rest and sleep before the final ski descent back to Wengen and our final nights stay in our winter playground.