LOCATION INSPIRATION             WA

Established Series
Rev. CAB/SBC
06/2011

INSPIRATION SERIES

The Inspiration series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in volcanic ash mixed with glacial drift over glacial drift on debris aprons, valley walls, and stable debris cones. Slopes are 15 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1,450 millimeters. The mean annual temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal over loamy-skeletal, glassy over isotic, frigid Humic Vitrixerands

TYPICAL PEDON: Inspiration very gravelly ashy sandy loam, on a debris apron landform with a SW facing slope of 32 percent at 1005 meters elevation under coniferous forest vegetation. When described on July 13, 2006 the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi -- 0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed plant material; clear smooth boundary.

Oe -- 2 to 9 cm; moderately decomposed plant material; clear smooth boundary.

Oa -- 9 to 15 cm; highly decomposed plant material; abrupt wavy boundary.

A1 -- 15 to 25 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry, very gravelly ashy sandy loam; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine and coarse and many medium roots throughout, 10 percent fine gravel, 20 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 10 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear wavy boundary.

A2 -- 25 to 37 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry, extremely cobbly ashy sandy loam; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and coarse roots and many medium roots throughout; 10 percent fine gravel, 20 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 35 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.9); abrupt wavy boundary.

Bw -- 37 to 64 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) dry, very gravelly ashy sandy loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; 15 percent fine gravel, 10 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 10 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.1); abrupt wavy boundary.

2BC -- 64 to 150 m; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry, extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few medium roots throughout; 10 percent fine gravel, 30 percent medium and coarse gravel, 25 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8).

TYPE LOCATION: North Cascades National Park, Chelan County, Washington; 460 meters east and 377 meters south of NW corner of Section 8, T34N, R17E Willamette Meridian; McGregor Mountain, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees 27 minutes 56 seconds north latitude and 120 degrees 46 minute 7 seconds west longitude; NAD83; UTM 664941 meters E, 5370442 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 60 to 90 consecutive days from June to October. Xeric soil moisture regime.
Thickness of volcanic ash mantle: 40 to 80 centimeters
The particle-size control section in this soil is contrasting. Most characteristics are listed by horizon.

A horizons:
Hue - 10YR
Value - 2 to 3 moist, 4 to 5 dry
Chroma - 1 or 2 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy FSL or ashy SL
Rock fragments - 35 to 70 percent total
10 to 35 percent gravel
10 to 40 percent cobbles
0 to 10 percent stones
Clay content - 3 to 6 percent
Volcanic glass - 15 to 50 percent
Reaction - very strongly acid to strongly acid
Thickness - 19 to 40 centimeters

Bw horizon:
Hue - 10 YR or 7.5YR
Value - 2 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 2 to 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy FSL or ashy SL
Rock fragments - 25 to 50 percent total
10 to 45 percent gravel
5 to 30 percent cobbles
0 to 20 percent stones
Clay content - 2 to 7 percent
Volcanic glass - 15 to 50 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to moderately acid
Thickness - 20 to 60 centimeters

2BC horizons:
Hue -10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 3 to 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - SL or COSL
Rock fragments - 35 to 75 percent total
25 to 50 percent gravel
10 to 30 percent cobbles
0 to 20 percent stones
Clay content - 1 to 5 percent
Volcanic glass - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to slightly acid
Thickness - 0 to 40 centimeters

C horizons are sometimes present with textures of COSL, SL or LS, hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, moist value of 3 to 4, moist chroma of 2 or 3, clay percentages of 1 to 3 percent, 25 to 80 percent gravel, and 0 to 15 percent cobbles, and reaction of strongly acid to slightly acid,.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Scarpal and Timberbutte series. Scarpal soils have a clay content of 7 to 18 percent in the upper part and 18 to 35 percent in the lower part of the particle-size control section, and have a mollic epipedon. Timberbutte soils are ashy loam or ashy silt loam in the upper part of the particle-size control section, have a mollic epipedon, and have 7 to 12 percent clay throughout the particle-size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Inspiration soils are on debris aprons, valley walls, and debris cones at elevations 350 to 1,100 meters. Slopes are 15 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 600 to 1600 millimeters, and mean annual air temperature ranges from 5 to 10 degrees C. Frost-free season is 70 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Goode (T), Mesahchie (T), Sawtooth (T), and Terror (T) soils. Sawtooth soils have andic soil properties less than 36 cm thick and are moderately deep, forming on steeper slopes or bedrock benches. Mesahchie soils have andic soil properties less than 36 cm thick and form on younger or less stable landforms. Goode soils have andic soil properties less than 36 cm thick, lack an umbric epipedon and form on more active portions of the landscape. Terror soils are not skeletal, are moderately deep, and typically form on bedrock benches.

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 Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine overstory, and pachistima, serviceberry, and birchleaf spirea understory.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The southeastern most portion of the Western slopes of North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 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: 15 to 115 centimeters (0 to 100 centimeters from the mineral surface)
Folistic epipedon: 0 to 15 centimeter (Oi, Oe, and Oa horizons)
Umbric epipedon: 15 to 37 centimeters (A horizons)
Cambic horizon: 37 to 64 centimeters (Bw horizon)
Andic soil properties: 15 to 64 centimeters (A and Bw horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: 64 centimeters
The combined thickness of organic horizons is too thin to meet the folistic epipedon requirements in some pedons.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data for this series was sent to the National Soil Survey Laboratory for analysis April 2008 (User pedon ID 06WA007003).

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.