LOCATION CRYOMONT WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Typic Cryorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Cryomont stony ashy fine sandy loam, under a coniferous forest on a low terrace at an elevation of 2,100 feet. The soil was dry when described. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Oi--0 to 0.5 inches; undecomposed forest litter, abrupt smooth boundary. (0.5 to 0.75inches thick)
A--0.5 to 5 inches, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) stony ashy fine sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; 15 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones with 4 percent surface stones and boulders; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 12 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; single grain, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; few medium tubular pores; 30 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones and 5 percent boulders; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
C--12 to 60 inches; multicolored extremely gravelly coarse sand, single grain, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 50 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones and 5 percent boulders; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Chelan County, Washington; about 6 miles west of Lake Wenatchee; 300 feet south and 100 feet west of center *sec. 10, T. 27 N., R. 15 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature ranges from 42 to 44 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days during summer and fall. The particle-size control section averages 55 to 80 percent rock fragments by volume. The upper 4 to 6 inches has more than 60 percent volcanic ash in the fine earth-fraction.
The A horizon has chroma of 1 or 2 moist. It is stony ashy fine sandy loam or very stony ashy fine sandy loam.
The Bw horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 2 or 3 dry. It is very gravelly loamy sand, very gravelly fine sandy loam, or very cobbly stratified fine sandy loam and fine sand. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The C horizon is extremely gravelly coarse sand, extremely gravelly sand, or extremely cobbly sand. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alflack, Canlodore, Castlepeak, Chena, Eklutna, Graylock, Nataga, Nizina, Obscurity, Perfecto, Ragamuffin, Sofgran (T), Stecum, and Studebaker soils.
Alflack soils - 20 to 40 inches deep to lithic bedrock (sandstone)
Canlodore soils - have an albic horizon; mean annual soil temperature of 39 to 42 degrees F; do not have ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass
Castlepeak soils - do not have O horizons or an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass; dry for more than 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Chena soils - mean annual soils temperature of 32 to 34 degrees F.; depth to sand and gravel is 4 to 10 inches; do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass
Eklutna soils - do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass; depth to sand and gravel is 0 to 4 inches
Graylock soils - 40 to 60 inches deep to lithic bedrock (granite); do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass
Nataga soils - depth to sand and gravel is 1 to 3 inches; do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass
Nizina soils - mean annual soil temperature of 32 to 35 degrees F.; depth to sand and gravel is 2 to 8 inches; soil reaction is neutal to moderately alkaline; do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass
Obscurity soils - have 15 to 50 percent volcanic glass and pumice throughout the particle-size control section; udic soil moisture regime
Perfecto soils - do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass; ustic soil moisture regime
Ragamuffin soils - 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact (quartz monzonite); do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass
Sofgram soils - dry for more than 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice; do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass
Stecum soils - 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact (micaceous granite and gneiss); do not have an ash mantle with greater than 60 percent volcanic glass
Studebaker soils - has 15 to 50 percent volcanic glass throughout with volcanic pumice and cinders; udic soil moisture regime
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cryomont soils are on low terraces and alluvial fans. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. The soils formed in alluvium capped with a very thin layer of volcanic ash. Elevations are 2,000 to 3,600 feet. These soils are in a continental climate with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 35 to 75 inches. The average January temperature is about 22 degrees F, and the average July temperature is about 59 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is about 41 degrees F. The growing season at 28 degrees is 100 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Line and Vabus soils. Line and Vabus soils have spodic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, slow and very slow runoff. Very rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for woodland, recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, western hemlock, Pacific silver fir, western redcedar, grand fir, mountain hemlock, and black cottonwood with an understory of Engelmann spruce, vine maple, Sitka alder, huckleberry, western brackenfern, and trillium.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Valleys on east slopes of Cascade Mountains in western Chelan County, Washington; MLRA 6. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Chelan County, 1995.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - from 0.5 to 5 inches
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches that averages 78 percent rock fragments