LOCATION SLIGTING CO+UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic Pachic Palecryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Sligting very stony loam - Aspen woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless othewise noted.)
A1--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very stony loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure;
soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 20 percent stones; neutral;
clear smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
A2--7 to 24 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very stony loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 45 percent stones; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (16 to 18 inches thick)
E--24 to 30 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely cobbly clay
loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; 15 percent pebble, 40 percent cobbles and 10 percent stones; neutral; gradual irregular boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
E/B--30 to 36 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very cobbly clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common moderate clay films on peds; 20 percent pebbles and 20 percent cobbles; medium acid; clear wavy
boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--36 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very stony clay, brown (7.5YR
4/4) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many moderately thick clay films on peds and rock fragments; 10 percent pebbles, 15 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones; medium acid. (22 to 26 inches thick.
TYPE LOCATION: Eagle County, Colorado; about 7 miles north of Eagle County or 3,200 feet north and 2,600 feet west of the southeast corner of
Sec. 36, T. 3 S., R. 85 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 22 to 26 inches thick.
The solumn thickness to the base of the Bt horizon is 52 to 68 inches. The depth to the upper boundary of the Bt ranges from 30 to 42 inches. The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 40 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 51 to
58 degrees F. Reaction ranges from neutral through medium acid in the solum. Coarse fragments are dominately stones, but include pebbles and cobbles in a range of 35 to 70 percent in the particle size control section.
The A1 and A2 horizons have hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 through 3.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 6 or 7 dry and 3 through
5 moist and chroma of 2 or 3.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
and chroma of 3 through 6. It ranges from clay loam to clay textures with clay from 35 to 55 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the tentative
Epoke and
Toone soils. These
soils lack E horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sligting soils are on mountain slopes at elevations
of 7,500 to 9,500 feet. Slopes range from 10 to 50 percent. These soils
formed in colluvium and residuum from sandstone and basalt. Mean annual
precipitation ranges from 18 to 22 inches. The mean annual temperature is 36 to 44 degrees F., and the summer temperature is about 50 to 53 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 50 to 95 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Anvik and
Skylick series.
Anvik soils have less then 35 percent clay and coarse fragments in their
particle size control section. Skylick soils have less than 35 percent clay in their particle size control sections.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for woodland, rangeland, and recreation. The vegetation is aspen and in open areas grasses include bearded wheatgrass
fescues, native bromes and mountain snowberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of western Colorado and adjacent parts of Utah. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: The Aspen-Gypsum Area, Colorado, 1982.