LOCATION SADDLEPEAK OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Saddlepeak very channery loam - woodland, on a 40 percent east-facing slope at 3,150 feet elevation. (When described on August 16, 1989, the soil was dry to 19 inches and moist below. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--1 inch to 0; partially decomposed needles, leaves, twigs, and woody materials.
A--0 to 8 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very channery loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent (2 to 5 millimeters) manganese concretions, 40 percent channers, 10 percent flagstones and 5 percent stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.7); clear smooth boundary.
BA--8 to 19 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very channery clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium and few coarse roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 15 percent (2 to 5 millimeters) manganese concretions, 40 percent channers and 10 percent flagstones; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Bw1--19 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very channery clay loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium and few coarse roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 25 percent (2 to 5 millimeters) manganese concretions, 40 percent channers and 10 percent flagstones; strongly acid (pH 5.2); gradual wavy boundary.
Bw2--28 to 43 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very channery clay loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 5 percent (2 to 5 millimeters) manganese concretions, 35 percent channers and 15 percent flagstones; strongly acid (pH 5.4); gradual wavy boundary,
Bw3--43 to 68 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely channery clay loam, very pale brown (10YR 8/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and medium roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 40 percent channers and 20 percent flagstones; strongly acid (pH 5.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Curry County, Oregon; about 2,310 feet south and 1,650 feet west of the northeast corner of section 30, T. 37 1/2 S., R. 12 W. (Latitude 42 degrees, 19 minutes, 02 seconds N; Longitude 124 degrees, 09 minutes, 33 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 41 to 46 degrees F. The soils are usually moist and are dry for less than 45 consecutive days in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches in the four months following the summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 27 to 35 percent clay and 45 to 85 percent rock fragments. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. Hue is 10YR or 7.5YR.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 moist, 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 4 to 6 moist and dry. It is very channery loam with 20 to 25 percent clay. It has 30 to 40 percent channers, 5 to 10 percent flagstones, 0 to 5 percent stones and 10 to 25 percent (2 to 5 millimeters) concretions. It is extremely to very strongly acid throughout.
The Bw horizon has value of 5 or 6 moist, 6 to 8 dry and chroma of 4 to 8 moist and dry. It is very channery clay loam, extremely channery clay loam, or very flaggy clay loam with 27 to 35 percent clay. It has 35 to 50 percent channers, 5 to 25 percent flagstones, 0 to 10 percent stones, and 0 to 35 percent (2 to 5 millimeters) concretions. It is very strongly to strongly acid throughout.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Lagross, Macomber, Mandy, Mosinee, Rilea (T), Threetrees (T) and Vly series. Lagross, Macomber, Mandy, Mosinee and Vly soils average less than 27 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Rilea soils have angular-shaped rock fragments throughout the solum which are metasedimentary or metavolcanic in origin and are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Threetrees soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Saddlepeak soils are on metastable broad ridgetops and active side slopes of mountains. Slopes are 0 to 90 percent. The soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from schist or phyllite rock types of the Colebrooke Schist Formation. Elevations are 2,500 to 4,500 feet. The climate is characterized by cool wet winters and warm moist summers. The mean annual precipitation is 130 to 160 inches. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Coffeebutte (T), Scalerock (T), Soldiercamp (T) and Threetrees (T) soils. Threetrees and Scalerock soils occur on broad ridgetops and side slopes of mountains. In addition, Threetrees soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Scalerock soils are 10 to 20 inches deep to bedrock. Soldiercamp and Coffeebutte soils occur in open grassland areas on ridgetops and south-facing side slopes of mountains. Soldiercamp soils are 10 to 20 inches deep to bedrock and have an umbric epipedon. Coffeebutte soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock and have an umbric epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are mainly used for timber production, watershed, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is Douglas fir, tanoak, golden chinkapin, Pacific madrone, canyon live oak, Pacific rhododendron, evergreen huckleberry, red huckleberry, salal, western swordfern, common beargrass, cascade Oregongrape, Sadler oak, western brackenfern, and evergreen violet.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of southwestern Oregon; MLRA 1. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Curry County, Oregon, 1991. The source of the name is Saddle Peak Mountain along the Coos-Curry county line in northern Curry County.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon -
Cambic horizon - from a depth of 19 to 68 inches (Bw1, Bw2, Bw3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches. With a weighted average of 52 percent rock fragments.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial laboratory data available for pedon 90P 307, sample 90P1901 from Curry County, Oregon sampled by NSSL at Lincoln, Nebraska - 3/90.