LOCATION HIGHPOINT WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, nonacid, frigid, shallow Ustic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Highpoint gravelly loam-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/30 gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 40 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
C--3 to 8 inches thick; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 40 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Cr--8 to 60 inches; gravelly or conglomeritic loamstone and interbedded shale and sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Carbon County, Wyoming; SE1/4 NW1/4 of sec. 16, T. 18 N., R. 88 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a paralithic contact is 3 to 20 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is about 43 to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature is about 59 to 66 degrees F. The fine earth fraction in the control section is loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, or sandy clay loam. Pebbles and channers range from 35 to 60 percent. Cobbles range from 0 to 5 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction is slightly acid through moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 5Y to 7.5YR. Value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction is slightly acid through moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils in this class. The Blazon, Cragosen, Cragola, and Rentsac soils are similar. Blazon soils have loamy control sections and are calcareous throughout. Cragosen and Cragola soils are calcareous throughout. In addition, Cragola soils are usually moist. Rentsac soils have a lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Highpoint soils are on hills and ridges. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. The soils formed in material weathered from underlying conglomerate that is interbedded with loamstone, sandstone, and shale. Elevation is 5,200 to 7,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches of which about half occurs as snow or rain in April, May, and early June. The mean annual temperature is 39 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 58 to 65 degrees F. The frost-free season is 60 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Blazon soils and the Blackhall soils. Blackhall soils are calcareous throughout.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well to somewhat excessively drained; medium to very rapid runoff depending upon slope; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for range. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, redleaf sedge, Sandberg bluegrass, and phlox.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the cold intermountain basins of Wyoming. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Wyoming, Lander Area; 1975.
REMARKS:
The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Reno MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.