Album of Mount Townsend Field Trip

Selected photos (by Rod Crawford and Laurel Ramseyer) from our 16 August 2010 spider collecting trip to the Mt. Townsend trail, NE Olympic Mountains, Jefferson County, Washington. Having had a late start, we collected mainly at the first subalpine meadow (4680'), also along the trail and at Sink Lake. A 1998 visit got me only 9 species here, thanks in part to an excessively dry year, but this time, at lower elevations, we brought home 25 species (31 with previous records). The trip also featured beautiful scenery and flora, amazing fauna, outstanding peace and quiet, and delicious berries. A fine conclusion to the summer field season!
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2009 aerial photo of lower Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington trailhead of Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Our route and destinations        (Jefferson County, 2009) The trailhead: it's all uphill from here!      © Rod Crawford
Laurel Ramseyer on the Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington web of Pityohyphantes sp. on Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Laurel checks out a web along the trail    © Rod Crawford Pityohyphantes web with a "tentpole"               © Laurel Ramseyer
Araneus gemma female orbweaver, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington foliage of subalpine fir Abies lasiocarpa, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Laurel's Araneus gemma         © Rod Crawford Subalpine fir foliage              © Laurel Ramseyer
no fires sign, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington Pityohyphantes rubrofasciatus sheetweb weaver Linyphiidae, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
What, no hikers, just walking stoves?    © Rod Crawford Pityohyphantes rubrofasciatus          © Rod Crawford
bluebells, Campanuyla parryi adjacent ridge viewed from Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Bluebells, Campanula parryi        © Rod Crawford Still going up           © Rod Crawford
Rod Crawford on Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington subalpine meadow, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Rod getting ready to collect     © Laurel Ramseyer Sunny subalpine meadow with lots of flowers             © Rod Crawford
Lower peak near Windy Camp, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington mossy outcrop with stonecrop, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
The Peak Not Climbed              © Rod Crawford Stonecrop terrain           © Laurel Ramseyer
coccinellid ladybird beetle Coccinella nivicola on Heracleum flower, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington brink of cliff, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Hooray, a native ladybird – Coccinella nivicola    © Laurel Ramseyer The brink                 © Rod Crawford
common cow parsnip Heracleum maximum, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington yellowjacket on Heracleum flower, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Heracleum maximum, common cow parsnip    © Rod Crawford Yellowjacket on Heracleum flower           © Laurel Ramseyer
burrow possibly of marmot, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington subalpine meadow in shade, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Possibly marmot burrow?    © Laurel Ramseyer Flower meadow in the shade         © Laurel Ramseyer
nettle flower Urtica dioica, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington Epilobium and Castilleja flowers, subalpine meadow, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Nettle flowers by stream       © Rod Crawford Epilobium and Castilleja in meadow             © Rod Crawford
monkey-flower, Mimulus dentatus, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington Laurel Ramseyer in subalpine meadow, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington
Monkey-flower, Mimulus dentatus       © Rod Crawford Laurel enjoys the shade on a hot day              © Rod Crawford
delicious huckleberries, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington Lepthyphantes zelatus, micro-spider Linyphiidae, Sink Lake, Jefferson County, Washington
Mother Nature fixed us a delicious snack    © Rod Crawford Lepthyphantes zelatus          © Rod Crawford
Callobius nomeus amaurobiid spider eating green larva, Mt. Townsend trail, Jefferson County, Washington Sink Lake, Townsend Creek, Jefferson County, Washington
Callobius nomeus eating green         © Rod Crawford We visited silent Sink Lake at dusk            © Rod Crawford
sedge in marsh, Sink Lake, Townsend Creek, Jefferson County, Washington marsh, Sink Lake, Townsend Creek, Jefferson County, Washington
Sedge in marsh             © Laurel Ramseyer The creek that sinks in Sink Lake           © Laurel Ramseyer
bark and wood fragments, Sink Lake, Townsend Creek, Jefferson County, Washington dusk behind Mount Townsend over Sink Lake, Townsend Creek, Jefferson County, Washington
Productive bark and wood fragments    © Rod Crawford Daylight finally deserts us                  © Rod Crawford

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This page last updated 29 March, 2012