Adventure training in the RAF takes on many guises and I urge anyone and everyone to seek it out and indulge in it as much as work commitments will allow. Think of it as extra leave, as a way of meeting new people, of getting a little bit fitter whilst learning new skills and having fun at the same time. In terms of winter sports AT, the most high profile is probably The RAF Ski Champs closely followed by Basic Winter Training. However, there is another lesser known option, often referred to as "the best kept secret in the RAF", and that is Blue Vixen. The fact that you are reading this probably means that your are one of the select few, lucky enough to have picked up on the Blue Vixen vibe. Cross-country skiing is not for everyone, but those who take part are generally very positive about the experience, with around 50% of participants returning year after year to extend their skills and meet up with old friends. I would never wish to suggest that downhill skiing is for the lazy but I would however suggest that the more active person may reap greater satisfaction from skiing up the hill as well as down. That said, in other ways, cross-country skiing can be more laid back and far less dangerous than downhill, though not without its thrills.

The exped takes place annually during the month of January and lasts a little over a week. Participants number around 130 with teams made up from a variety of RAF stations around the UK. Many, but not all RAF stations take part and attendance by each station is subject both to the interest of potential participants and having someone keen and capable enough to organise and administrate a team. The formal exped doesn't really start until you arrive in Zwiesel, the home of Blue Vixen, and therefore travel arrangements from the UK to Zwiesel are left to the station level organisers, dependant on team requirements and preference. Some teams choose to fly to Munich and switch to hire cars for the week whereas others drive all the way from the UK, stopping off for the night at a suitable halfway point.

Accommodation is provided in the form of comfortable heated chalets housing around 6-7 people each. There are usually 2 multi-person bedrooms per chalet with a communal lounge area, dining room, kitchen, shared bathroom facilities, additional toilet, drying room and if you're lucky, a balcony that doubles as a liquid refreshment chilling area in lieu of a beer fridge.

Almost all meals are self-catering which may involve the more culinary team members rustling up some tasty treats. It can also mean frozen pizza or a daily trip to McDonalds for the less talented. Lunch is taken "on piste" in the form of homemade sandwiches, fruit, chocolate, sweets, Powerade and any other delights you can stuff into your backpack in between your spare gloves and waterproofs. Many of the teams indulge in a night or two out at a local restaurant - I can highly recommend the Greek - and on the last night everyone gathers for a mass feast at the awards ceremony in town.

Ideally, everyone should arrive at the accommodation during the afternoon/early evening of the day prior to the start of skiing. That first evening, if everything goes to plan, involves the collection of ski equipment and a briefing of all participants by the exped organisers. This is usually followed by a relaxing nightcap and a good night's sleep before the next day's activity.

Day one starts with with basic skills whereby everyone shows the instructors exactly how good (or completely inept) they are with a pair of skis, before being filtered off into groups of similar ability for the remainder of the week. Each group is then allocated a dedicated instructor who may be either a RAF instructor, or one of the talented German instructors provided by Renate Merhinger's renowned Schischule.

The skiing takes place in prepared or pisted areas across several sites dependant on current snow conditions and planned activities. The "home" training area for Blue Vixen located on the north-western edge of Zwiesel itself, making the chalet accommodation extremely convenient, being literally on the doorstep. Unfortunately, it is usually the last of the training areas to get snow and the first to lose it (check the webcams). It can also get rather crowded when everyone is trying to ski but for learning basic skills it's ideal.

A second training area at Zwieslerwaldhaus is located around 9km north of Zwiesel. This is higher in altitude than Zwiesel and tends therefore to get more snowfall. It has a large open training area and plenty of undulating trails through the woods to go exploring and test out those fledgling skills. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find a webcam or specific weather/snow report for this area. However, if you click the Skiwanderzentrum website link you can see the latest news on this area.

A third area is the Bodenmais-Bretterschachten-Langlaufskizentrum at the southern base of the Groβer Arber. It is both a 'base camp' for our assault on the Arber towards the end of the expedition week and also a 'Hobson's choice' when the snow is a bit thin on the ground elsewhere. For those who took part in 2007, this is where we started the long hike up the hill in search of that elusive snow.

Over the course of the week, the groups will work to improve on various cross-country skiing skills as well as touring the beautiful Bavarian countryside. The novices will concentrate of achieving the Bronze Standard Award whilst Blue Vixen veterans will develop new skills on the road to Silver and Gold Awards. Some of the more promising novice groups may be introduced to more advanced techniques later in the week and it is possible for a particularly talented novice to achieve both Bronze and Silver standards in one go. On the second to last day, all the groups gather in force for their assault on the the Groβer Arber, an arduous climb, rewarding both in terms of physical effort and breathtaking scenic views; so don't forget your camera. The last day comprises the Bronze, Silver and Gold tests followed by a time-trail through the woods for all participants. Be as competitive as you like to achieve the best time or alternatively, use it is a final opportunity to enjoy the snow covered landscape. The final activity is the inter-station relay whereby four of the best from each team hurtle around a short course to claim the honours for their station. Check out the video section for footage of the 2008 event.