LOCATION SKYVIEW MT
Established Series
Rev. PEM-JAL-KLS
05/2023
SKYVIEW SERIES
The Skyview series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium, slope alluvium or residuum derived from granite and other coarse grained igneous rocks. These soils are on escarpments, ridges and sideslopes of hills. Slopes are 8 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 430 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 4 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Skyview very cobbly sandy loam, very bouldery, forested (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oe--0 to 5 cm; partially decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves. (3 to 8 cm thick)
A--5 to 15 cm; gray (10YR 5/1) very cobbly sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine and few medium pores; 35 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 13 cm thick)
E--15 to 45 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) very cobbly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular and interstitial pores; 10 percent stones, 25 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 36 cm thick)
Bt/E--45 to 68 cm; Bt part (75 percent) brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; E part (25 percent) light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very cobbly sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular and interstitial pores; Bt part, many faint clay films bridging sand grains; 10 percent stones, 25 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (23 to 36 cm thick)
Cr--68 to 78 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) decomposed granite bedrock (grus) that crushes to very gravelly coarse sand; neutral (pH 6.9). (10 to 41 cm thick)
R--78 cm; hard granite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; about 430 meters north and 305 meters west of the SE corner of sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--3 to 7 degrees C
Soil moisture control section--10 to 30 cm
Depth to argillic horizon--23 to 40 cm
Depth to Cr horizon--50 to 100 cm
Depth to bedrock--55 to 100 cm
The surface when mixed to 18 cm will not meet the thickness requirements for a mollic epipedon
Surface stones or boulders--0 to 3 percent
A horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma--1, 2, or 3
Texture--sandy loam or loam
Clay content--10 to 25 percent
Rock fragments--20 to 60 percent--0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 35 percent cobbles, and 15 to 25 percent pebbles
Rock fragments, surface cover--0.1 to 3 percent boulders
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
E horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--1, 2, or 3
Texture--sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content--10 to 25 percent
Rock fragment content--35 to 60 percent; 0 to 10 percent stones, 15 to 25 percent cobbles, and 20 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt/E horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--Bt part 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist; E part 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma--2, 3, or 4
Texture--Bt part sandy clay loam; E part sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content--18 to 30 percent
Rock fragment content--35 to 60 percent; 0 to 10 percent stones, 20 to 25 percent cobbles, and 15 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Mocmont (MT) - does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 150 cm; has more than 60 percent rock fragments below a depth of 80 cm.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--escarpments, ridges and sideslopes of hills
Elevation--1350 to 1825 meters
Slope--8 to 60 percent
Parent material--colluvium, slope alluvium or residuum derived from granite and other coarse grained igneous rocks
Climate--long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation--380 to 480 mm
Mean annual air temperature--3 to 6 degrees C
Frost-free period--70 to 105 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Skyview soils are primarily used for timber production and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, pinegrass, common snowberry, heartleaf arnica, Kinnikinnick, white spiraea, Oregongrape, rough fescue, Idaho fescue, and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Skyview soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana; MLRA 43B.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT3012.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Layer of partially decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves--0 to 5 cm (Oe horizon)
Ochric epipedon--5 to 45 cm (A, E horizons)
Argillic horizon--45 to 68 cm (Bt/E horizon)
Paralithic contact--68 to 78 cm to a layer of decomposed granite (grus) (Cr horizon)
Lithic contact--78 cm to hard granite bedrock (R horizon)
Particle-size control section--45 to 68 cm (Bt/E horizon)
Skyview soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic soil moisture regime.
Converted to metric and O horizons were updated to start at zero. Competing series section was not updated. 05/2023
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.