Bogus Basin gears up for summer recreation, including the new Mine Shaft Challenge Course

Bogus Basin will open for the summer season on June 23. It's a little later then usual, but that's the price we pay for one of the most epic ski seasons of all-time.

This year, our local non-profit recreation area, like many other years, has a brand new amenity for people to enjoy.

"Our newest attraction is called the Mine Shaft Challenge Course," said Brad Wilson, Bogus Basin's general manager. "It’s a three-level challenge course with each level being progressively more difficult."

This 55' tall ropes and obstacle course will open on July 1, once the team gets trained up on how to operate it safely. It also features several ways to get down.

"You can do a two-stage zipline off, or you can do a repel off an auto belay system, or you can climb down if you want," said Wilson. "We all want to do the zipline."

This goes with some of the other recent amenities, like the Basin Gravity Park created two years ago to give mountain bikers lift access to their favorite trails, and the Glade Runner Mountain Coaster that became operational five years ago. Bogus continues to have all the base activities like a climbing wall, a slide and a bungee trampoline.

Bogus Basin also has several amenities for the parents including scenic chair lift rides, yoga on the mountain and music on the mountain.

"If you want to come up and put your blanket on the lawn, listen to music, bring your ice chest and not spend a dime we are happy with that," said Wilson. "We just want everyone to come up and enjoy what Bogus Basin has to offer."

Typically temperatures are around ten degrees cooler then the valley, providing a good spot to take the family on those hot summer days.

"Bring your family, enjoy the great outdoors and get out of the heat once it gets here," said Wilson.

Bogus Basin usually opens on Memorial Day Weekend, but all the snow and the recent storms delayed opening day and that will have a lasting impact as we move through the summer.

"It will be great because it will stay green longer," said Wilson. "We will see wildflowers popping up in July and August when they would normally be over in June. So it will be beautiful, but it does need to dry out a little bit."

Bogus Basin hosted an employee orientation this week and they are still hiring more workers, especially people with rock climbing or zipline experience, to help with the new Mine Shaft Challenge Course.

RELATED | Area mountains Summer Session about to begin

Brundage Mountain opens for the summer this Friday, as does Tamarack. Sun Valley opens its summer season on July 1.