Album of (lower) Mission Ridge Field Trip

Selected photos by Laurel Ramseyer and Rod Crawford from our 26 July 2023 spider collecting trip to the lower part of Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington. Thanks to the long drive we were a bit short of time and, unable to drive higher than the ski lodge parking lot due to a signed gate, we stayed in the lower area, where the lush-looking flower meadow yielded little, but some forest habitats (rocks and conifer foliage) were fairly productive. Unfortunately, for the fourth time this year we ended the day with a sub-par sample (18 species) that will have to be supplemented.
READ TRIP NARRATIVE PHOTO ALBUM INDEX MAIN JOURNAL INDEX
Locations of lower collecting sites at Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington main buildings of Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Upper red dots: main field sites, lower: lodge         (Chelan County) Setting and main buildings of ski area               © Laurel Ramseyer
gate and sign on road to lodge, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington Main ski lodge building, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Gate kept us from driving higher        © Rod Crawford Main lodge building added one species                © Rod Crawford
willow by parking lot, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington old road on east side of valley, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
No good litter in willow thicket           © Rod Crawford Old road led us into a decent forest habitat              © Rod Crawford
gate on old forest road, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington down timber on old road, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Unnecessary gate on old road         © Laurel Ramseyer Even a jeep wouldn't get far                       © Rod Crawford
loose bark on log, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington gnaphosid spider Poecilochroa montana under bark, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Loose bark on log                   © Laurel Ramseyer From under bark: Poecilochroa montana             © Laurel Ramseyer
little forest brook with moss, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington dead wood in forest, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Tiny forest brook with moss              © Laurel Ramseyer Plenty of dead wood, but mostly too big                © Rod Crawford
old road on east side of valley, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington spider-rich rocks in forest, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
The old road provided habitat access     © Laurel Ramseyer Spider-rich rocks in forest                  © Rod Crawford
Uloborid spider Hyptiotes gertschi from web in forest, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington ravine of Squilchuck Creek, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Hyptiotes gertschi from aerial web     © Laurel Ramseyer Maybe I should have collected in the lush ravine of Squilchuck Creek         © Rod Crawford
juvenile Theridion spider from Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington conifer foliage at Squilchuck trailhead, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Tantalizing, unidentifiable juvenile Theridion      © Rod Crawford I found fairly productive conifer foliage at trailhead            © Rod Crawford
flowering paintbrush Castilleja sp. at Squilchuck Trailhead, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington partly-dying pine and fir trees, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Blooming Castilleja at trailhead              © Rod Crawford Something was killing foliage on some of the conifers            © Rod Crawford
spider Araneus gemmoides on ski lodge building, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington rimrock and moon, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Araneus gemmoides on ski lodge       © Laurel Ramseyer Rimrock & rising moon above valley's east side             © Rod Crawford
crab spider Philodromus spectabilis and egg sac on ski lodge, Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington panorama of Wenatchee valley from Mission Ridge Ski Area, Chelan County, Washington
Philodromus spectabilis and egg sac on ski lodge   © Laurel Ramseyer Panorama showing Wenatchee far below (and hotter!)        © Rod Crawford
post-sunset from I-90, Snoqualmie Pass area, 26 July 2023 sunset in Swauk Prairie area, Kittitas County, Washington, 26 July 2023
Post-sunset red near Lake Keechelus     © Rod Crawford Sunset near Swauk Prairie                         © Rod Crawford

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This page last updated 8 August, 2023