An entry from Nick Sweeting, "Recently the Save the Poles North Pole team and I had the opportunity to train on Lake Winnipeg. Training as a team is essential for success on any expedition, but even more so on one to the North Pole.

One of the most fundamental parts to this is making sure that the team gets along at a basic social level. Without this, the team can fall apart before they even get onto the ice. That doesn't seem to be a concern though. All of them are great individuals, and as a team, function that way as well. The atmosphere is goal oriented, but still relaxed, and jovial. Perfect to prevent a build up of tension that can occur in a stressful place like Arctic ice.

Another essential aspect to training is figuring out systems. Systems are a part of everyday life on the ice, from understanding the hours of travel in day, the hours of rest at night, who is going to boiling water that night, to where you put your toothbrush everyday so you don't spend needless minutes in search of it. Having efficient daily systems is a huge factor that contributes to success.

On Lake Winnipeg, the North Pole team began the discussion on this, and started to put thought into how things will be done. The daily routine will be ironed out in training trips to come."