LOCATION LUMPYRIDGE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, micaceous, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lumpyridge coarse sandy loam, on a north facing, convex, 9 percent slope in grass and scattered ponderosa pine at an elevation of 7,783 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on July 10, 1998 the soil was moist from 0 to 45 inches.
The surface is covered by 5 percent gravel
A1--0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly coarse sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots and common very fine; 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A2--6 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots and common very fine; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
Bt1--11 to 25 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few distinct continuous clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
Bt2--25 to 39 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots and few very fine; common prominent continuous clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
2BC--39 to 45 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; 37 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
2C--45 to 80 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 40 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Larimer County, Colorado; about 1.0 miles north of Estes Park in Rocky Mountain National Park; Estes Park USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 23 minutes 40 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 32 minutes 08 seconds W., NAD 1927
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Ustic moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 60 to 62 degrees F
Depth to argillic horizon: 8 to 15 inches
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 25 to 45 inches
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 25 to 45 inches
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 8 to 15 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Sand content: 50 to 65 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 30 percent, dominantly fine and very fine gravel
Mica content: 40 to 70 percent (by grain count)
A horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: gravelly coarse sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 25 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Bt horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6
Texture: gravelly sandy loam, gravelly sandy clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
2BC horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 through 6
Texture: very gravelly coarse sandy loam, very gravelly loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 3 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 4 through 6
Texture: very gravelly loamy coarse sand, very gravelly coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the paramicaceous family. Similar series in the mixed family are the Beartooth(MT), Beeno(WY), Bookcliff(UT), Empedrado(CO), Fairfield(MT), Hangdo(UT), Hoppers(MT), Hyalite(MT), Lininger(CO), Maudlin(CO), Meagher(MT), Moen(CO), Pianohill(MT), Reedwest(MT), Sponsellor(AZ), Trag(CO), Trazuni(NM), Tschicoma(NM), and Ulrant(WY) series. Beartooth, Empedrado, Fairfield, and Meagher soils have horizons of secondary carbonate. Beeno, Hoppers, Lininger, and Reedwest soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Bookcliff, Tschicoma, and Ulrant soils have a lithic contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches. Hangdo soils are slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline. Hyalite soils have a lithologic discontinuity above 25 inches. Maudlin, Moen, and Pianohill soils have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Sponsellor soils have a hue of 5YR or redder. Trag soils do not have a lithologic discontinuity. Trazuni soils have redoximorphic features at depths of 35 to 50 inches and are dry in the months of May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium derived from granite, gneiss, and schist
Landform: fans
Slopes: 1 to 15 percent
Elevation: 7,500 to 8,700 feet
Mean annual temperature: 42 to 46 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 16 to 22 inches
Precipitation pattern: Wettest months: May, June, July and August
Driest months: December and January
Frost-free period: 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cathedral, Chasmfalls, and Rofork series. The Cathedral and Rofork soils have bedrock at depths less than 20 inches and are on structural benches. The Chasmfalls soils have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches and are on structural benches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to very rapid runoff, permeability is moderate in the upper part and rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for recreation and wildlife habitat. Native plant community is widely spaced ponderosa pine, mountain muhly, western wheatgrass, needleandthread, and antelope bitterbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Rocky Mountains of Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Larimer County, Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park soil survey area, 1999. The name is taken from a geographic feature.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 11 to 31 inches. (Bt1 and part of the Bt2 horizons)
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 11 inches. (A1 and A2 horizons)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 11 to 39 inches. (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: At the upper boundary of the 2BC horizon.
Taxonomic Version: Eighth Edition
ADDITIONAL DATA:
The mineralogy class was changed from paramicaceous to micaceous in 07/2010 by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the responsible MLRA regional office. The change was necessary based on the eleventh edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2010.