Both of these trails are at the Bangs Canyon trailhead. They are both named appropriately. The Mica Mine trail is easy and short and goes up stream in the canyon. The Rough Canyon goes down stream in the same canyon. Longer and much, well, rougher. Lots of steep canyon walls and rocks to negotiate. The Rough Canyon hike ends at what is at some points a waterfall. Not today! I went to the Mica Mine first and Rough Canyon second.
The Skyway weather station says there is about one foot of snow left on the ground. I decided to try skiing again. It was nice Spring conditions. Below freezing last night and high of 55 today so you needed to time it right. Very few people up there.
I went up Mary's to Horsethief Bench. Horsethief Bench is a great loop. Half of it has views of the Colorado River as you ride above it. Maybe the nicest mtb ride I have been on in Fruita so far. After that the plan was to return to the parking lot on Wrangler. Simple. Except I went the wrong way on Wrangler which, as it turns out, goes way up and way away from where I wanted to be. After a while I discovered my mistake and back tracked and went the right way. The good news is I got to ride down the big switch backed hill I had just gone up. This is a big mountain biking area. Hot today, maybe 80 by the end.
