[ragman and rodman]

The Howson Creek Trail doesn't get much activity... probably because there isn't a trailhead sign or information board of any kind in the neighborhood. We parked (2240') on the east side of Salmon La Sac Road... just beyond the entrance to the Cle Elum River Campground... where we found plenty of room for several cars to park within sight of the Salmon La Sac Road. From the parking area we started up a muddy road... following it for a quarter mile where we found a sign that said "Trail"... which we followed another quarter mile to a crossing (~2600') of Howson Creek... then switchbacked up the north side of the Howson Creek drainage to ~4800 feet where we began a rising traverse underneath Point 5335 and Point 5560+ (aka 'Not So Sasse Peak') to the saddle (5320') between 5560 and Sasse Mountain... where we began an unexpected quarter-mile bushwhack over to intersect (5360') with the Sasse Ridge Trail... where we followed the up and down ridge trail on over to Howson Peak (5440+). On our return from Howson we followed the Sasse Ridge Trail all the way back to the Sasse Mountain summit (5730') before going cross-country in the direction of the saddle between 5560 and the Sasse summit... where we soon found (5550') a faint path that led us on down to the saddle... where we connected with the Howson Creek Trail for the hike back to the car. 10.5 miles roundtrip, gaining 4160 feet of elevation. Considering the lack of use that this trail receives, it is in reasonably good condition... a bit brushy for a few hundred feet of elevation after crossing Howson Creek... sloughing off in several places... and the quarter-mile faint trail from the 5560/Sasse Mtn saddle is in sad shape. Hopefully the fire we saw in the Teanaway area from the Howson summit was a controlled burn along the N. Fork Teanaway River Road. Prior to starting the hike we had set several waypoints on our GPS based on the USGS and Green Trails maps showing the Howson Creek Trail beginning its traverse over to the Sasse Ridge Trail at ~5250 feet. After having completed the hike we are convinced that both maps are incorrect and should show the traverse beginning at ~5400 feet. Nice to cross another Teanaway Peak off of our lists... and Snowdog and rocman got to cross two off of their lists because neither of them had ever done Sasse Mountain. Photos, trailhead directions and downloadable GPS track of our trip to Howson Peak and Sasse Mountain. ..

[Randito]

Nice. Shocking how little snow this spring.

[Chico]

[Joey]

Having done the Howsen Creek trail twice (and laying claim to the name Not so Sasse) I think your dots do a good job showing where the Howsen trail ties into the ridge trail. Part of the trail has nice old growth and you will certainly escape any weekend crowds on this one. The crossing of Howsen Creek low down is the last dependable water.