LOCATION HOSSICK COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic Typic Humicryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Hossick gravelly loam - alpine turf. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A11--0 to 5 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; strong fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 15 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
A12--5 to 11 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure that parts to strong fine crumbs and granules; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 15 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
B2--11 to 18 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 20 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 36 inches thick)
C--18 to 23 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very cobbly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 40 percent cobbles; 30 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 32 inches thick)
R--23 to 40 inches; hard massive andesite or latite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Mineral County, Colorado; SW 1/4, Sec. 31, T. 38 N., R. 2 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the lithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The solum is strongly or very strongly acid. The control section is gravelly or very gravelly loam or silt loam but clay ranges from 10 to 25 percent. Rock fragments range from 35 to 85 percent in the major part of the control section.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR through 5YR, value of 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3.
The B2 horizon has hue of 5YR through 10R, and value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6.
The C horizon, if present, has hue of 5YR through 10R. It is medium or strongly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Buell, Hummington, and Penitente series. Buell and Penitente soils lack a lithic contact above depth of 40 inches. Hummington soils have hue no redder then 10YR and are formed in material weathered from basalt.
SETTING: Hossick soils are on ridges and mountain sides on alpine areas and the margins of alpine areas. Slopes typically range from about 4 to 75 percent. These soils formed in moderately thin gravelly or very gravelly medium textured materials weathered residually or locally transported from areas of andesite or similar rocks. At the type location the mean annual precipitation is about 50 to 60 inches. Mean annual temperature is 34 degrees F., mean summer temperature is 46 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Endlich and Grenadier soils. Endlich soils have an ochric epipedon. Grenadier soils have an ochric epipedon and lack bedrock above depth of 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soils are used principally as wildlife summer habitat, watershed management, and for some recreation. Native vegetation is mainly alpine fir in open stands and alpine grasses and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Piedra Area, Colorado, 1974.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 5/74.