The snow has begun to fall on North Melbourne’s pre-season training camp in Utah.

The players have begun acclimatising to training at 8,000 feet (2,438m), all to help improve their fitness heading in to a big 2016.

It took a gruelling 30 hours to reach the Montage Hotel near Park City on Monday, which included three different flights and a one hour bus ride.

There was no easing in to things in Deer Valley (and yes, as the name suggest there are plenty of deer roaming nearby), with players and staff jumping straight into the snow and a tough one hour hike, where altitude makes breathing a lot more difficult.

A simple Google search will tell you about the many benefits of high altitude training, but essentially the body produces more red blood cells to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the air, which in turn means improved fitness levels for a period of time following.

As life above the clouds starts to get more familiar, the training loads have stepped up, with Wednesday’s (Thursday Melbourne time) training including weights at the impressive United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) – the same facility used by America’s winter Olympians – and a skills session indoors in Park City. Running was also on the cards, providing the plaers

And with Thanksgiving up next, a well-earned day off will be had, before the players can look forward to a repeat dose of hard work indoors and out, as the training camp intensifies.

On Friday, North’s newest additions will arrive in Utah, with the five draftees to quickly see what life is like an elite level training camp.

No doubt the rest of the playing group will make sure they hit the ground running.