The black mirror

Ice skating at 1797 m

Imagine a picturesque mountain world with dense larch forests, crowned by a blue mountain lake. The complete picture seems so perfect it must be imaginary, but it really exists. It’s Lake Sils in the Swiss Upper Engadine. As a paraglider pilot and mountain guide, Romano knows the landscape from every perspective. Today this mountain lake offers outdoor sports enthusiasts many opportunities, but it has always fascinated people. Where the unique reflections in the water inspired Friedrich Nietzsche to write poems two centuries ago, the frozen lake and its unique ice images still attracts skaters, ice sailors and photographers who relish the unforgettable experience it presents. A paraglider pilot on skates, however, is something of a rarity.

In sub-zero temperatures and persistently fine weather, the lake reveals its magic – black ice. As the cold days continue, the lake presents its show of nature as unique ice shapes form, until all finally solidify into a black mirror. At 1797 m, a surreal-looking stage of crystal-clear ice appears. When the ice is thick enough, but still unsullied, that’s when Romano chooses to go out on the lake. Ice skating in this breathtakingly magical setting is a bucket-list moment for many. Romano goes one step further and takes his favourite piece of sports equipment with him on to the ice – his paraglider.

The frozen lake always attracts the region's ice skaters, they appear as if by magic. On a sunny morning in February, Lake Sils once again shows its most beautiful side. The water has just completed this transformation into a black mirror. The wind blows gently across at 10 km/h: perfect conditions to try something new, so Romano packs his skates and his 19-square-metre paraglider and sets off.

„The lake is often not completely frozen, or the ice may not be the same thickness everywhere. If you don't know the lake well you should get some local advice – and wear a life jacket.“

Romano Salis

As a result of his experience and sharp eyes, Romano knows exactly where the ice is thick enough, and where there are dangerous spots. In front of him is a four-square-kilometer black-ice mirror, which he has all to himself this morning. Far too beautiful not to capture this moment. Romano lets his wing kite upwards and steps onto the ice. In front of the unique backdrop of the Engadine mountains, he lets himself be propelled by the wind and pulled across the lake in the quiet of the early morning. The only sound is that of his skates’ blades on the ice as it fades away behind him. Moments like this show that there are hardly any limits to the possible combinations of paragliding and other outdoor sports.

“With a light wind, you can quickly reach 50 km/h due to the low drag of the skates. Just like kiting, you can even tack and cruise: as far as the paraglider will carry you.“

Romano Salis