LOCATION EASY                    WA

Established Series
Rev. CAB/TMR/SBC
06/2011

EASY SERIES

The Easy series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in volcanic ash and glacial drift on debris aprons, valley walls, Pleistocene moraines and bedrock benches. Slopes are 10 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1,800 millimeters. The mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy-skeletal, amorphic over isotic, frigid Andic Haplorthods

TYPICAL PEDON: Easy ashy sandy loam, on a bedrock bench landform with a NE facing slope of 10 percent at 915 meters elevation under coniferous forest vegetation. When described on August 27, 2005 the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 3 cm; slightly decomposed plant material; common very fine and fine roots; abrupt smooth boundary.

Oe--3 to 6 cm; moderately decomposed plant material; common very fine and fine roots; abrupt wavy boundary.

E--6 to 12 cm; gray (10YR 5/1) ashy sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; 5 percent fine gravel and 5 percent medium and coarse gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.1); clear irregular boundary.

Bs1--12 to 28 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) gravelly ashy sandy loam, reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine and common medium, coarse and very coarse roots; 10 percent fine gravel, 15 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary.

Bs2--28 to 41 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) gravelly ashy sandy loam, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; 10 percent fine gravel, 15 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.7); clear wavy boundary.

2BC--41 to 66 cm; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; 15 percent fine gravel, 35 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 10 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary.

2C--66 to 150 cm; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; 20 percent fine gravel, 30 percent medium and coarse gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.1).

TYPE LOCATION: North Cascades National Park, Skagit County, Washington; 230 meters west and 640 meters north of SE corner of Section 19, T36N, R14E Willamette Meridian; Forbidden Peak, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees, 35 minutes, 24 seconds north latitude, 121 degrees, 1 minute, 40 seconds west longitude; NAD83; UTM 645426 meters E, 5383763 meters N, zone 10N.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 8 degrees C. Frigid soil temperature regime.
Soil moisture control section: dry for less than 45 consecutive days from June to October. Udic soil moisture regime.
Thickness of volcanic ash mantle: 35 to 90 centimeters
The particle-size control section in this soil is contrasting. Most characteristics are listed by horizon.

E horizon:
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 7 dry
Chroma - 1 or 2 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy FSL, ashy SL, or ashy LS
Rock fragments - 0 to 30 percent total
0 to 30 percent gravel
0 to 10 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones
Clay content - 1 to 6 percent
Volcanic glass - 15 to 50 percent
Reaction - extremely acid to strongly acid
Thickness - 1 to 11 centimeters

Bhs horizons are sometimes present with thickness ranging from 1 to 9 centimeters, textures of ashy SL or ashy FSL, reaction of very strongly acid or strongly acid, hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, moist value of 2 to 4, and moist chroma of 3 or 4.

Bs horizons:
Hue - 5YR or 7.5YR
Value - 2 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 3 or 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy FSL or ashy SL
Rock fragments - 10 to 35 percent total
10 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 20 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones
Clay content - 3 to 10 percent
Volcanic glass - 15 to 50 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to moderately acid
Thickness - 13 to 60 centimeters

2BC horizons:
Hue -10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 4 or 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - SL, COSL, or LCOS
Rock fragments - 35 to 80 percent total
25 to 50 percent gravel
10 to 20 percent cobbles
0 to 10 percent stones
Clay content - 1 to 8 percent
Volcanic glass - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to slightly acid
Thickness - 30 to 70 centimeters

2C horizon:
Hue -2.5Y
Value - 4 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - SL, COSL, or LS
Rock fragments - 40 to 80 percent total
30 to 50 percent gravel
10 to 25 percent cobbles
0 to 10 percent stones
Clay content - 0 to 6 percent
Volcanic glass - 0 to 10 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Easy soils are on debris aprons, valley walls, Pleistocene moraines and bedrock benches at elevations of 400 to 1,100 meters. Slopes are 10 to 50 percent. These soils formed in mixed volcanic ash and glacial drift over glacial drift. The climate consists of cool, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 1,500 to 2,300 millimeters, and mean annual air temperature ranges from 5 to 8 degrees C. Frost-free season is 60 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cosho (T), Ledeir (T) and Thorton (T) soils. Cosho soils are ashy over sandy or sandy-skeletal and lack spodic horizons. Ledeir soils form on more active areas of each landform and are ashy over sandy or sandy-skeletal. Thorton soils are found on slightly more unstable portions of each landform and lack spodic horizons.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high to very high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for watershed, recreation, woodland, and wildlife habitat. Potential natural vegetation consists of western hemlock, Douglas-fir, and minor amounts of grand fir with an understory of red huckleberry, Alaska huckleberry, rattlesnake plantain, vine maple, Oregon-grape and sword fern.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western slopes of the North Cascade Mountains, Washington. MLRA 3. Series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: North Cascades National Park Service Complex soil survey, 2011.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle size control section: 25 to 100 centimeters
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 18 centimeters (Oi, Oe, E, and upper 6 centimeters of the Bs1 horizon)
Albic horizon: 6 to 12 centimeters (E horizon)
Spodic horizon: 12 to 41 centimeters (Bs1 and Bs2 horizons)
Andic soil properties: 6 to 41 centimeters (E, Bs1, and Bs2 horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: 41 centimeters

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data is available for this series. National Soil Survey Laboratory Pedon number 06N0800 (User pedon ID 06WA057003).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.