LOCATION BEARCAMP                OR

Established Series
Rev. MHF/RWL
06/2011

BEARCAMP SERIES


The Bearcamp series consists of deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium and residuum from metasedimentary or metavolcanic rock types. Bearcamp soils are on broad ridgetops and north-facing side slopes of mountains. Slopes are 0 to 90 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 105 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Bearcamp very gravelly loam - woodland, on a 66 percent northwest-facing slope at 4,260 feet elevation. (When described on August 18, 1993 the soil was moist to a depth of 12 inches and dry below this depth. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, twigs and woody materials.

A1--2 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and common medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 35 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary.

A2--6 to 14 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and common medium roots; common fine tubular pores; 35 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 14 inches)

Bw1--14 to 23 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium, and few coarse roots; common fine tubular pores; 40 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear wavy boundary.

Bw2--23 to 41 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) extremely gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; common medium tubular pores; 55 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.2); gradual wavy boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 25 to 35 inches)

C--41 to 49 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) extremely gravelly loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) dry; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium tubular pores; 60 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)

R--49 inches; highly fractured and partially weathered metasedimentary rock.

TYPE LOCATION: Curry County, Oregon; about 600 feet north and 2,000 feet east of the southwest corner of section 31, T. 34 S., R. 10 W. (Latitude 42 degrees, 34 minutes, 00 seconds N.; Longitude 123 degrees, 55 minutes, 32 seconds W.)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 46 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days between depths of 4 and 12 inches in the four months following the summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 20 to 30 percent clay and 35 to 80 percent total rock fragments. Depth to bedrock is 40 to 60 inches. The umbric epipedon is 10 to 14 inches thick and may include the upper part of the Bw horizon. The solum has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR.

The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 to 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is very gravelly loam with 18 to 25 percent clay. It has 35 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones.

The Bw horizon has value of 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry and chroma of 2 to 4 moist and 3 to 6 dry. It is extremely gravelly loam, very gravelly loam, or very cobbly clay loam with 20 to 30 percent clay. It has 35 to 55 percent gravel, 5 to 20 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones. Soil reaction is very strongly acid to strongly acid.

The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 6 moist, 5 to 7 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is very gravelly loam, extremely gravelly loam, or extremely cobbly sandy loam with 15 to 25 percent clay. It has 40 to 60 percent gravel, 10 to 30 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones. Soil reaction is strongly acid to moderately acid.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the proposed Brandypeak, Freezeout, Goodwin, Nanny, Snowbrier, and Undusk series. Brandypeak soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Freezeout soils have 10 to 18 percent clay in the particle size control section. Goodwin soils have a paralithic bedrock contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches over granitic rock types. Nanny soils have 10 to 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section and are dry for 60 to 80 consecutive days. Snowbrier soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Undusk soils have an umbric epipedon 15 to 20 inches thick, are neutral to moderately acid throughout the particle-size control section, and are dominated by ash in the upper 4 to 6 inches of the A horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bearcamp soils are on metastable broad ridgetops and active north-facing side slopes of mountains. Slopes are 0 to 90 percent. The soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from metasedimentary or metavolcanic rock types of the Dothan Formation. Elevations are 3,000 to 5,500 feet. The climate is characterized by cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 90 to 120 inches. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Althouse, Jayar, Skymor, Woodseye, and the competing Brandypeak soils. Althouse soils occur on side slopes of mountains, have an ochric epipedon, and are 40 to 60 inches deep to bedrock. Jayar soils occur on side slopes of mountains, have an ochric epipedon, and are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Skymor and Woodseye soils are on side slopes of mountains and are 10 to 20 inches deep to bedrock. Brandypeak soils are on ridgetops and north-facing side slopes of mountains, and are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used for timber production, watershed, recreation and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is white fir, Douglas fir, tanoak, sugar pine, Sadler oak, western princes pine, cascade Oregongrape, salal, Pacific rhododendron, red huckleberry, baldhip rose, western swordfern, American twinflower, deerfoot vanillaleaf, and evergreen violet.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of southwestern Oregon; MLRA 5. The series is not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Curry County, Oregon, 1995.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:

Lithic contact - 47 inches.

Umbric epipedon - from the surface to a depth of 12 inches (A1, A2 horizons).

Cambic horizon - from a depth of 12 to 39 inches (Bw1, Bw2 horizons).

Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches (part of A2, all of Bw1, the Bw2, and part of C horizons).

All depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.