The Hope Pass Field Trip took four hours to do at a leisurely pace, (2 hours there; 2 hours back). The level of difficulty was EASY rather than MODERATE. Something to remember for another time. The trail was built in 1861 and sections of the corduroy roads are still visible. These roads, of course, were to facilitate the passage of wagons. Today, the trail wanders through stands of lodgepole pine and spruce.
Stopping occasionally, we examined some of the plants and flowers which were amazing for this time of year. We saw Asters, remains of Lousewort plants which are parasitic on pine and Arrowleaf Groundsell, the remains of Leather-leaf Saxifrage, clumps of Pearly Everlasting, and small Flowered Penstemons. We also found a bewildering number of mushroom species; those recognizable were Lactarius Delicious (edible), Lactarius Rufus (poisonous), Russula Emetica (poisonous), and Hydnum Ibricatum (Hawk Wing) (edible), and others that were unidentifiable. The hike was a pleasant way to spend a lovely, fall day.