LOCATION CATAMOUNT COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, micaceous, shallow Ustic Dystrocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Catamount gravelly sandy loam - forest. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise indicated.)
0i--0 to 1 inches; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, and twigs.
A--1 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bw--3 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly coarse sandy loam; brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 45 percent gravel; common fine and medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C--9 to 13 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) extremely gravelly loamy sand, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; single grain; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 60 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Cr--13 to 29 inches; weathered, coarse grained granite (grus).
TYPE LOCATION: El Paso County, Colorado, along Pikes Peak toll road, 75 feet east of road by Crystal Creek Reservoir, Sec. 17, T. 13 S., R. 68 W. (SW 1/4, SW 1/4 Sec. 17.); Woodland Park USGS quad; latitude 38 deg. 54 minutes 56 seconds N., longitude 105 deg. 01 minutes 30 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths given are measured from the mineral soil surface)
Soil moisture: udic moisture regime bordering ustic
The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 39 to 45 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 43 to 54 degrees F.
Thickness of ochric epipedon: 2 to 6 inches
Depth to cambic horizon: 2 to 6 inches
Depth to the paralithic contact: 10 to 20 inches.
Mica content: 35 to 60 percent (by grain count)
Lithology of rock fragments: granitic rocks, gneiss, and schist
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 7 to 18 percent
Sand content: 60 to 80 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 60 percent
The A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 2 through 6 moist
Chroma: 1 through 4.
Texture: gravelly or very gravelly sandy loam, loam, or fine sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 15 to 45 percent gravel.
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
The Bw horizon:
Hue: 5YR through 10YR
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6
Texture: very gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly coarse sandy loam or very gravelly loam
Rock fragment content: 40 to 60 percent.
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
The C horizon:
Hue: 5YR through 10YR
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6
Texture: extremely gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly coarse sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or loamy sand, extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, extremely gravelly loamy sand
Rock fragment content: 40 to 75 percent.
Base saturation: 30 to 60 percent
Reaction: strongly acid or moderately acid
The Cr horizon is weathered granite (grus). When excavated this grus becomes strong brown extremely gravelly sand. The pebble size fractions range from 1/8 inch to 1 1/2 inches in diameter and is 80 to 90 percent of this horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family. A soil in a closely related family is the Hiamovi series. Hiamovi soils have a lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent Material: slope alluvium over residuum from granitic rocks, gneiss and schist
Landform: mountain slopes, ridges, and structural benches
Slope: 5 to 70 percent
Elevation: 8,000 to 11,500 feet
Mean annual temperature: 37 to 43 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 14 to 24 inches
Frost-free season: 40 to 80 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Earcree,
Sphinx, and
Tecolote soils.
Earcree soils are deep.
Sphinx soils are sandy-skeletal
Tecolote soils have an albic and argillic horizon and are very deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively or somewhat excessively drained; medium through very high runoff; moderately rapid to rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed and limited timber production. Dominant vegetation is Limber-pine, lodgepole pine, Engelmann's spruce, Douglas fir, and aspen forest. Subordinate vegetation consists of dwarf juniper, kinnikinnick, sedge, wheatgrass, and Oregon grape.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of the Front Range of Colorado. LRR E, MLRA 48A; This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Pike National Forest, East Part, 1984.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 1 to 3 inches (A horizon).
Cambic horizon: 3 to 9 inches (Bw horizon).
Paralithic contact: at 13 inches (Cr layer).
Particle-size control section: The zone from 1 to 13 inches. (all mineral horizons)
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 23 inches.
The contact with weathered granite (grus) may be more accurately described as a densic contact; clods of this material were described during sampling as very fragile hence are probably not cemented.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil sampled in 1981 in El Paso County as lab sample number S82CO-041-001 and in Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest as lab sample number S91CO-069-005. Surface type indicated is a loam, but clay and coarse fragments are minimal in the sampled pedon.
The mineralogy class was changed from paramicaceous to micaceous in 07/2010 by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the responsible MLRA regional office. The change was necessary based on the eleventh edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2010.