LOCATION HIGHPARK COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Highpark very gravelly sandy loam, 5 to 40 percent slope in grassland at an elevation of 7,800 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Described on September 25, 1990.
A1--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft; very friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; 30 percent gravel, 5 percent cobble, and 2 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)
A2--5 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft; very friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; 85 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
R--10 to 60 inches; indurated volcanic breccia.
TYPE LOCATION: Teller County, Colorado; about 5 miles west of Cripple Creek, Colorado; located about 1000 feet south and 875 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 25, T. 15 S., R. 71 W.; High Park USGS quad; lat. 38 degrees 43 minutes 25 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 16 minutes 47 seconds W., NAD 1983.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is usually dry in some part in early summer, moist in some or all parts in late July and August, and intermittently dry in fall; ustic regime, typic subclass.
Mean annual soil temperature: 44 to 46 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 59 to 65 degrees F.
Depth to lithic contact: 8 to 12 inches to volcanic breccia
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 8 to 12 inches
Volcanic glass content: 1 to 5 percent (estimated)
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 7 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 60 percent
A1 horizon:
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 through 3
Texture: very gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly loam
Clay content: 7 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 55 percent
A2 horizon (a Bw in some pedons):
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 through 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: extremely gravelly loam, extremely gravelly sandy loam
Clay content: 7 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 80 to 85 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Castner,
Catgulch,
Celeste,
Comodore,
Duffymont,
Firo,
Moonset,
Nivean,
Paunsaugunt,
Vershal, and
Whitlash series.
Castner soils have secondary carbonate accumulations.
Catgulch and Nivean soils have a paralithic layer above the lithic contact.
Celeste soils have hues of 5YR through 10R.
Comodore and Firo soils have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Duffymont soils have an ustic bordering on aridic soil moisture regime.
Moonset and Vershal soils have 18 to 27 percent clay in the particle size control section.
Paunsaugunt soils have disseminated carbonates.
Whitlash soils are moist in all parts of the soil moisture control section in
May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: residuum derived from volcanic breccia.
Landform: bedrock controlled knobs
Slopes: 5 to 40 percent
Elevation: 7000 to 8600 feet
Mean annual temperature: 42 to 50 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 14 to 16 inches
Precipitation pattern: Monthly precipitation is lowest in winter and greatest in July and August.
Frost-free period: 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Howbert series. Howbert soils are very deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for grazing. Potential native vegetation is mainly Arizona fescue, mountain muhly, Parry's oatgrass, big bluestem, blue grama, little bluestem, prairie Junegrass, sideoats grama, western wheatgrass, needleandthread, and mountain mahogany.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Teller County, Colorado, Teller-Park Soil Survey Area, 2010. The name comes from High Park Ridge that is nearby.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 10 inches.
Particle-size control section: The zone from 0 to 10 inches. (A1, A2 horizons)
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 10 inches. (A1, A2 horizons)
Lithic contact: The contact with volcanic breccia at 10 inches. (R layer)
Frigid temperature regime.
Taxonomic Version: Tenth edition, 2006