(As of summer 2022, Awesum Opossum is closed due to the widening of Sunshine Cat Track aka Yellow Brick Road – Reopening TBD)
Awesum Opossum: Building an Intermedia Jumpline at The Basin Gravity Park
In the summer of 2020, The Basin Gravity Park at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area welcomed a new star to its lineup of lift-served downhill mountain bike trails – Awesum Opossum. Built during phase one of The Basin Gravity Park, Awesum Opossum emerged as one of the last machine-built flow trails of the season, adding progression, excitement, and connectivity to the park’s bike trails.
Building Awesum Opossum
The trail was skillfully crafted by Will Blount, while under contract with Alpine Bike Parks. Will Blount is a partner of Dirt Sculpt LLC, which is a company known for building awesome dirt features, jumps, and trails. Blount, who is also a talented BMX rider, brought his passion for flow on two wheels and created Awesum Opossum. The trail’s name is a nod to The Basin Gravity Park’s famous Black Diamond Jump Line – Rabid Badger. This trail is a blue flow trail with progressive and rollable jumps complemented with speedy sections, perfect for riders of different skill levels.
Trail Connections
Awesum Opossum became a crucial trail that linked all the trails on the north-bounding edge of the Morning Star Zone in The Basin Gravity Park, including the popular Berm Baby Berm.
Before this trail, lift-served mountain bike riders faced dealt with an uphill pedal from the Morning Star Express chairlift to get to Berm Baby Berm. But now, with Awesum Opossum, riders are offered a thrilling 1,600-foot-long adventure with long table-top jumps, chicanes, and rollers, smoothly merging with the last 500ft of Upper Berm (previously known as Berm Baby Berm section one).
This build was a turning point for The Basin Gravity Park, allowing the park to offer direct access from the lift to all its downhill trails on Bogus Basin’s private property, all without the need to pedal or ride summer roads.
Awesum Opossum: Trail Break Down
Starting just before Fox Trot on the left embankment of Yellow Brick Road, Awesum Opossum quickly jaunts uphill revealing a corridor of trees where riders flow through a technical section of rollers and bumps before they are greeted with several side hit options. Soon after the trail has its first split toward G19 before offing an exit onto Rabid Badger. Beyond the exit to Rabid Badger lay a series of head-on and off-set table-top jumps and rollers before letting off into a fast-flowing speed section. This trails is a stepping stone in the journey towards conquering Rabid Badger.
