In search of a less-wet hike with some views, I attempted to hike from FS-4305 to Hex Mountain via Sasse Ridge Trail (1340).
Driving up FS 4305, I parked around 3140ft, just below the increasing snow patches that I didn't want to risk re-crossing in softer conditions with deeper ruts. From here it was a 0.5mi road walk on increasing snow to the junction with 4305-118, where I turned and followed the road up to the upper trailhead, opting not to try to locate the trail through the 0-2ft of snow over the marshes and up to 2ft deep puddles. This section of road 118 is still mostly snow-covered and has 6-12 trees across it.
From the trailhead at the end of road 4305-118, the trail was easy to follow with minimal snow and a dozen or so downed trees through the burned forest as it wandered over the first bump and crossed 2 other side roads. At the second road crossing, I decided to follow the snow-covered road around Peak 4137 and to the melted out "campsite" at the saddle on the north side. At this point, the west wind was starting to pick up and the occasional sleet was falling from blue/white skies.
Starting up the switchbacks toward Hex Mountain, snow patches covered about half the length of the trail and the runoff flowed down the rest. Eventually around 4480ft, the wind had picked up with sleet flying up the hill at me to the point that I no longer felt safe walking between/over/under the burnt sticks, and I turned around for safety, retreating back to the open saddle for lunch.
Despite carrying snowshoes, micro-spikes, and gaiters, I never put any of them on (although the gaiters would have been a good idea). The snow was usually firm enough to only sink in a couple inches except for some 1ft post-holing in some of the more sun-lit sections.
On the way back to the car, I tried to follow the trail down the last slope, cutting off road 118. Unfortunately, about 3/4ths the way down that .4mi stretch, it appeared to merge with the creek. I tried looking for where it could have branched off, but the snow made that difficult, so I ended up hiking traversing cross-country through the woody brush back to road 118, reaching it at the north-west corner of the marsh.
Totals for the day:
6.1mi roundtrip, 1500ft gained, and a few dozen trees crossed (without issue thanks to the open forest floor).
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