LOCATION CYPHER                  NM+CO

Established Series
RD: GWA/BDS/KLS
07/2022

CYPHER SERIES

The Cypher series consists of shallow, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed from acid igneous rocks on convex mountain sides and ridge crests. Slopes are 8 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 500 mm, and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Haplustepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Cypher gravelly loam--forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 1 cm; slightly decomposed forest litter (1 to 3 cm thick)

Oe--1 to 3 cm; moderately decomposed forest litter (2 to 4 cm thick)

A--3 to 13 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky parting to weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, common medium and coarse roots; many fine interstitial pores; 15 percent pebbles; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)

Bw--13 to 36 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 25 cm thick)

C--36 to 49 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable; common medium and coarse roots; common medium tubular pores; 50 percent pebbles; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick)

2R--49 cm; intrusive acid igneous bedrock fractured in the upper few inches and with some soil material in cracks.

TYPE LOCATION: Colfax County, New Mexico; about 18 km north-northwest of Eagle Nest; about 760 meters south and 170 meters east of the junction of State Highway 38 and the Taos County line.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--4 to 7 degrees C
Mean summer soil temperature--9 to 12 degrees C
Depth to bedrock--25 to 50 cm
Total rock fragments--5 to 60 percent in the surface horizon, mostly pebbles; 40 to 85 percent in underlying horizons
Reaction--pH 5.6 to 6.5

A horizon
Hue--7.5YR or 10YR
Value--2 through 5 dry, 2 through 4 moist
Chroma--2 through 4
Texture--loam or sandy loam

Bw horizon
Hue--7.5YR or 10YR
Value--5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma--2 through 4
Texture--sandy loam or loam
Clay content--10 to 25 percent

C horizon
Hue--5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR
Value--6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--2 through 4
Texture--sandy loam or loam
Clay content--10 to 25 percent

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cinnadale and Sharrott soils. Cinnadale soils have hues redder than 7.5YR and are neutral. Sharrott soils are moist for longer periods of time in the spring and early summer.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--mountain sides and ridge crests
Elevation--2100 to 3200 meters
Slope--8 to 60 percent
Parent material--weathered acid igneous rocks
Mean annual precipitation--460 to 580 mm, with about 60 percent falling during the frost-free period
Mean annual air temperature--3 to 7 degrees C
Mean summer air temperature--8 to 11 degrees C
Frost-free period--less than 100 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat, recreation, woodland, and watershed. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, white fir, limber pine, and scattered ponderosa pine. Understory is kinnikinnick, Oregon grape, Arizona fescue, Junegrass, mountain muhly and mountain brome.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Cypher soils are of moderate extent in northern New Mexico and in the mountains of Colorado; MLRA 48A

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colfax County, New Mexico, 1974

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--3 to 13 cm (A horizon)
Surface horizons that meet the color and organic carbon requirements for a mollic epipedon are less than 18 cm thick.
Cambic horizon--13 to 36 cm (Bw horizon)
Lithic contact--49 cm to hard bedrock

Particle-size control section--25 to 49 cm (part of Bw and C horizon)

Converted to metric and O horizons were updated to start at zero; 3/2022

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.