LOCATION FREELPEAK CAEstablished Series
The Freelpeak series consists of moderately deep, excessively drained soils that formed in colluvium over residuum derived from granodiorite. The Freelpeak soils are on the summit and shoulders of mountains. Slopes range from 30 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1016 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 2 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Typic Cryorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Freelpeak gravel on a north facing (4 degree), 50 percent slope at an elevation of 3,231 meters. When described on 09/19/2002 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. The soil surface is covered with 95 percent fragments consisting of 80 percent and 15 percent cobbles.
C--0 to 4 cm; gravel; 50 percent gravel 2 to 5 mm, 30 percent gravel 5 to 75 mm and 15 percent cobbles; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 10 cm thick)
2A--4 to 9 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) crushed extremely gravelly coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) crushed moist; 90 percent sand; 10 percent silt; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and common very fine roots throughout; many medium interstitial pores; 35 percent gravel ranging from 2 to 5 mm and 35 percent gravel ranging from 5 to 75 mm, 5 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; strongly acid, pH 5.4 by Chlorophenol red; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 15 cm thick)
2Bw--9 to 21 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) crushed very gravelly sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) crushed moist; 92 percent sand; 8 percent silt; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots throughout and common very fine roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel ranging from 2 to 5 mm, 15 percent gravel ranging from 5 to 75 mm and 5 percent cobbles; strongly acid, pH 5.4 by Chlorophenol red; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 25 cm thick)
2C--21 to 91 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) crushed very cobbly loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) crushed moist; 85 percent sand; 14 percent silt; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots throughout and few very fine roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 8 percent gravel ranging from 5 to 75 mm, 12 percent gravel ranging from 2 to 5 mm, 12 percent cobbles and 8 percent stones; strongly acid, pH 5.4 by Chlorophenol red; abrupt wavey boundary.
3Cr--91 to 101 cm; Moderately cemented granodiorite bedrock
TYPE LOCATION: El Dorado County, California, On Freel Peak, 787.5 meters north and 44.5 meters east of the sw corner of Section 31, Township 12N, Range 19E, 38 degrees, 51 minutes, 35 seconds North latitude and 119 degrees, 53 minutes, 58 seconds West longitude, NAD83 - U.S.G.S Quad: Freel Peak, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in the moisture control section during late fall, winter, and spring; dry from mid-July to early October for 60 to 80 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice; Typic xeric moisture regime.
Surface rock fragment content: 75 to 100 percent, with 25 to 75 percent gravel, 15 to 50 percent cobbles, 5 to 25 percent stones, and 0 to 5 percent boulders.
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 100 centimeters to a paralithic contact.
Reaction: strongly acid to moderately acid
Control section:
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, with 35 to 65 percent gravel, 5 to 15 percent cobbles and 5 to 15 percent stones.
Clay content: averages 0 to 6 percent clay
Mineralogy: mixed
C horizon:
Rock fragments: 80 to 100 percent as a rock veneer
30 to 75 percent gravel 2 to 5 mm
20 to 50 percent gravel 5 to 75 mm
10 to 25 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones
2A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Organic matter: 1 to 5 percent
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Coarse sand, sand or loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent, with
30 to 85 percent gravel
1 to 20 percent cobbles
0 to 20 percent stones
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.0
2Bw horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Organic matter: 0.5 to 1 percent
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Coarse sand, sand or loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 65 percent, with
25 to 60 percent gravel
1 to 15 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.0
2C horizon(s):
Hue: 10YR
Value: 7 dry; 5 moist
Chroma: 3 dry; 3 moist
Organic matter: 0.25 to 1 percent
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Coarse sand, loamy coarse sand, sand or loamy fine sand
Clay content: 0 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
20 to 35 percent gravel
5 to 20 percent cobbles
3 to 15 percent stones
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.0
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alflack, Canlodore, Castlepeak, Chena, Cryomont, Dagget, Eklutna, Graylock, Nataga, Nizina, Obscurity, Perfecto, Ragamuffin, Sofgran, Stecum, Studebaker, and Whittell soils. The Canlodore, Castlepeak, Chena, Cryomont, Eklutna, Nataga, Nizina, Obscurity, Perfecto, Sofgran, and Studebaker soils are greater than 150 centimeters deep to bedrock. Dagget and Graylock soils are 100 to 150 centimeters to bedrock. Of the three soils with bedrock at 50 to 100 centimeters Alflack is formed in sandstone with coarse fragments consisting of channers and flagstones. Stecum soils are formed in micaceous granite and gneiss on foothills with a soil temperature of 5.5 to 8 degrees centigrade. Whittell soils have an Oi horizon and lack a C horizon on the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Freelpeak soils are on summits and shoulders of mountains. Slopes range from 15 to 80 percent. These soils formed in colluvium over residuum derived from granodiorite. Elevation is 2860 to 3320 meters. The climate is subhumid-continental with cool, dry summers and cold, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 1016 to 1397 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is 1 to 3 degrees C. The frost free season is less than 30 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Windyridge, Jobsis and Whittell soils. The Windyridge and Jobsis soils are less than 50 centimeters to bedrock. Whittell is typically lower in elevation on less convex slopes with more vegetation.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained, rapid permeability, high runoff.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for wildlife and recreation. Vegetation is alpine fell field with alpine forbs and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are of minor extent in California in MLRA 22A -- Sierra Nevada Mountains.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: El Dorado County, (Tahoe Basin area), California. Source of name from a nearby peak.
REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 25 to 87 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon - 4 to 9 centimeters (2A horizon)
Paralithic Contact - 91 centimeters (3Cr layer)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon information for this type location only: H47