In the isolated Chinese village of Yushan, residents go through some daring lengths to connect with the outside world. An incredible 3,200 foot-long ropeway, known as 'Sky Road', is part of their daily commute in order to bring much needed supplies back to the locals. Strung far above a giant gorge, the pictures of this high-wire mode of transportation are truly incredible.


 Today, the rope bridge is villagers' primary way of ferrying food and supplies into their tiny mountain hamlet.

The crossing, which is more than 3,200 from cliff-face to cliff-face, was built in 1997 and has been manned by the same operator for 15 years.

 Yushan has a population of just over 200 people and before the ropeway was built in 1997, villagers faced a walk of several days to get to the nearest village.



Here's the Welcome sight To the Sky Road: The station across the valley from Yushan set in the spectacular country of Hubei Province.


 Zhang Xinjian has operated the 3,200-foot rope crossing for 15 years. 'No one would take the job,' he says.

Zhang Xinjian runs the tram using a diesel engine, and, once a week, he takes the cart out alone to lube-up the cables. Dangling from heights approaching the tip of the Empire State Building, it is death-defying work.

"I started to work at this spot since the rope was set up. No one would take the job," Zhang told ShortList. "In the beginning, my father, my younger brother and I took care of the cableway together, but later my younger brother quit and my father's health went bad, so it's only me that could do the job".

Zhang Xinjian at work maintaining the diesel engine that runs the cable ropeway. The ropeway, which carries a small steel cart, is the primary method villagers get food and supplies into the village.


All aboard: Passengers wait to travel across the cable ropeway connecting Yushan to the outside world. I hope Chinese Government can compliment the Lives of these Villages by turning the Village into a Tourist Center and helping them create More Channels and Amazing resource centers that will attract more people to the Town.