Racing across the snow while towing a parachute
Tugging the Parachute
“Tugging the parachute” can be simply understood as a battle against the wind. It refers to the practice of controlling the canopy's expansion and adjusting the angle with the ground under varying wind conditions. It can also be playfully referred to as "playing with the parachute."
“Hey, look at that parachute — it’s huge. Is that really a parachute?” At around 11 a.m. on the 28th at Changchun South Lake, two large yellow “parachutes” appeared on the ice, looking from a distance like two blooming flowers in the snowy field. “Watch out — open the parachute... pull the left rope, and you’ll go faster!” one man was teaching the person controlling the parachute some handling techniques.
A sudden idea
Using wind power to ski with a parachute
The two parachutes on the ice were the same color but different in shape — one was round, and the other was elongated. The man controlling the elongated one was named Zhang Yong, 36 years old, who has been paragliding for six years. “The parachute I’m controlling is a paraglider, which is normally used to fly in the sky. We’ve innovated by using it for skiing!” said Zhang Yong. He not only brought a paraglider but also snowboards — a combination of gear that you wouldn’t normally imagine being used together.
The man controlling the round parachute was named Yang Zhen, who has been paragliding for just over a year. Both he and Zhang Yong are members of the Jilin Tianyu Flying Club, which has 14 members with paragliders. This time, they came to South Lake to “tug the parachute,” and Yang Zhen was controlling a regular parachute.
“At first, when we ‘tugged the parachute,’ it dragged us a long way across the ice after opening. That’s when we thought we could use the parachute to tow us while skiing,” said Zhang Yong. They had tried this kind of play once last winter at Songhua Lake in Jilin City, but this was their first time doing it in Changchun. He firmly believes he is the first person in Changchun to ski in this way.
On-site feeling: the speed is comparable to a bicycle
“The paraglider canopy is about 10 meters long and 4 meters wide, with over 200 lines averaging about 8 meters in length,” said Zhang Yong. He carries a parachute in his backpack, which is part of the paragliding set. If something goes wrong with the paraglider during flight, the parachute is deployed for safety. The whole set of equipment costs about 25,000 to 35,000 yuan.
On the ice, the wind varied in strength. Zhang Yong said the direction wasn’t stable, making the paraglider hard to control. At around 3:45 p.m., after tugging the lines a bit, Zhang Yong said the wind was just right. A nearby citizen quickly helped him unfurl the parachute. With a whoosh, the previously limp canopy on the ground instantly filled with air.
Zhang Yong crouched down with bent legs in a horse-riding stance, gradually moving his body forward. As the angle between the parachute and the ice increased, his skiing speed picked up, and the onlookers started running alongside.
After gliding about 100 meters, Zhang Yong retracted the parachute. One citizen commented that skiing with a paraglider wasn’t slow at all — it matched the speed of a bicycle.
“Compared to skiing at a resort, paraglider skiing is more physically demanding, especially when the parachute is lifted by the wind. Controlling and adjusting the direction and speed is the most arm-straining part,” said Zhang Yong.
Compared to Zhang Yong, Yang Zhen’s parachute skiing seemed relatively easier. “My parachute is round, so it catches the wind more easily,” said Yang Zhen. Even though his inner clothes were soaked, he found the experience very thrilling.
Public praise: it takes guts and skill
“What does it feel like to fly in the sky?” someone asked. “It feels like being a bird!” said Zhang Yong. He has flown as high as over 2,000 meters, at Shuangyang Diaoshui Lake, while paragliders can go as high as 3,000 to 4,000 meters.
“They’re really amazing. You need a certain amount of courage and skill to do this kind of extreme sport,” said Zheng, a local resident. “They’re so smart. The principle is like a sailboat using its sails to catch the wind — very creative!” praised Grandpa Li.
“How long does it take to learn? What preparations are needed before learning?” Wang, another resident, also wanted to try paragliding. Zhang Yong said that practicing about five hours a day would allow one to master the skills in roughly a week.
Paragliding experience: getting stuck on a cable car wire
Is paragliding dangerous? Zhang Yong said there are often thrilling but ultimately safe moments.
“In July 2008, I went with some ‘paragliding friends’ first to the western slope of Changbai Mountain, then to Beidahu to prepare for takeoff. Because the wind was weak at the time, there was no wind speed after takeoff, and I made an operational mistake. Not long after taking off, my parachute got caught on a cable car wire, and I was left hanging there,” said Zhang Yong. He was eventually safely rescued with the help of rescue personnel.
Zhang Yong said that mastering a paraglider is 30% technique and 70% judgment. The person controlling the parachute must correctly assess the weather, wind, and air currents. The takeoff site should be on a slope of over 80 meters with no trees nearby.