LOCATION BACHELOR CO+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Calcic Haplocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Bachelor gravelly loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 20 percent angular rock fragments, mostly less than 1 inch in diameter; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 9.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
AC--7 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 10 percent angular rock fragments, mostly less than 1 inch in diameter; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
C1--15 to 21 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 10 percent angular rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Ck--21 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10Yr 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 16 percent angular rock fragments; violently effervescent with calcium carbonate occurring as a few fine distinct white spots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Mineral County, Colorado; two miles southwest of Creede, on east side of road along Miners Creek. Approximately 1,030 feet north and 412 feet west of the southeast corner of Sec. 2, T. 41 N., R. 1 W. U.S.G.S. Creede quad.; Lat. 37 degrees, 49 minutes, 33 seconds N., and Long. 106 degrees, 56 minutes, 33 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 38 to 42 degrees F. Mean summer soil temperature ranges from 52 to 59 degrees F. Rock fragments range from 10 to 34 percent in the particle-size control section. Calcium carbonate is usually present in all parts, except the surface layer may be leached in some pedons. Lime is visible as a few fine white spots and streaks in some pedons, with no visible lime in others. Texture of the fine earth fraction is sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam, with clay content ranging from 18 to 30 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family. The closely related Pishkun series has more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bachelor soils are on mountainsides, ridges, foot slopes and alluvial fans. Slopes range from 5 to 65 percent. Bachelor soils formed in colluvium and alluvium from sedimentary rocks and tuff. Mean annual precipitation is 15 to 22 inches. The mean annual temperature is 35 to 40 degrees F., and the mean annual summer temperature is 50 to 57 degrees F. Elevation is 8,700 to 10,000 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lymanson and competed Pishkun soils. Lymanson soils have mollic epipedons and argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for recreation, wildlife habitat, livestock grazing, and homesites. Native vegetation is mountain muhly, western wheatgrass, blue grama, fringed sage, and rabbitbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The series is of small extent with about 2,500 acres currently classified.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Grande National Forest (West Part), Mineral County, Colorado; 1987.
REMARKS: The name is taken from a prominent mountain near the type location. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized are: an ochric epipedon; fine-loamy texture control section; and a cryic temperature regime. Last updated by the state 6/95.