LOCATION RAVENSROOST WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy, amorphic over isotic Ultic Vitricryands
TYPICAL PEDON: Ravensroost ashy sandy loam - forestland, on a 12 percent southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 3,710 feet. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures).
Oi--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed forest litter mixed with a small amount of 1980 Mount St. Helens ash.
C--2 to 4 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) ashy loamy sand, light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; single grain; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; NaF pH 10.1; moderately acid (6.0 pH); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)
A--4 to 10 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; NaF pH 10.1; slightly acid (6.4 pH); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
BA--10 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) ashy fine sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 10.6; slightly acid (6.4 pH) gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)
2Bt--20 to 28 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) cobbly fine sandy loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; common distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) clay films lining pores and on the faces of peds; 10 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 9.6; slightly acid (6.2 pH); clear smooth boundary.
2Cr--28 inches; weathered andesite
TYPE LOCATION: Yakima County, Washington; about 8 miles northwest of Cliffdell, Washington; about 1,100 feet south and 1,600 feet west of the northeast corner of section 12, T. 18 N., R. 12 E.; Latitude 47 degrees, 03 minutes, 54 seconds N. and Longitude 121 degrees, 17 minutes, 05 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 40 to 44 degrees F. Estimated average summer soil temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. These soils are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 30 to 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice. These soils have a volcanic ash mantle 14 to 25 inches thick. The upper 14 to 25 inches of the 0 to 40 inch particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.75 to 0.85 g/cc, glass content of 5 to 30 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of more than 2 percent and 15-bar water retention of less than 12 percent for air dried samples. The lower part of the particle-size control section averages 10 to 20 percent rock fragments. Reaction is slightly acid or moderately acid.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 3 to 6 moist or dry. Texture is gravelly loam, loam, or cobbly fine sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ravensroost soils are on mountain summits and side slopes. Slopes are 5 to 30 percent. These soils formed in volcanic ash over residuum and colluvium from andesite, basalt, or saprolitic tuffs. Elevations range from 3,500 to 6,000 feet. These soils are in a climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 50 to 90 inches. The average January temperature is about 22 degrees F., and the average July temperature is about 60 degrees F., The mean annual temperature is 37 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free season is 35 to 75 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gilpar, Twolakes and Walupt soils. Gilpar soils are on side slopes, are very deep and lack an argillic horizon. Twolakes soils are on side slopes, are very deep and skeletal. Walupt soils are on summits, plateaus and side slopes and are very deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for timber production, wildlife habitat and recreation. Native vegetation is mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, subalpine fir, Douglas fir and Engelmann spruce, with an understory of Cascade azalea, big huckleberry, queencup beadlily, beargrass, princes pine and smooth woodrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kittitas and Yakima Counties, Washington. MLRA 3. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wenatchee National Forest, Naches Area; Yakima County Washington, 2003.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon - 2 to 20 inches (C, A and BA horizons)
Argillic horizon - 20 to 28 inches (2Bt horizon) with an assumed base saturation of less than 35 percent.
Paralithic contact begins at 28 inches
PSCS - zone from 2 to 28 inches ( C, A, BA and 2Bt horizons).
Depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral layer.