LOCATION TILESTON COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic Typic Glossocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Tileston very cobbly sandy loam, on a northwest facing, convex, 17 percent slope in forest at an elevation of 10,116 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on July 15, 1998 the soil was moist throughout.
The surface is covered by 2 percent stones and 2 percent boulders.
Oe--0 to 3 inches; moderately decomposing plant material. (0 to 4 inches thick)
E--3 to 7 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very cobbly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky and moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium and coarse; 20 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles and 15 percent stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
E/B--7 to 13 inches; 80 percent light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist (E); weak fine subangular blocky and moderate medium granular structure; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly sandy clay loam, 20 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist (Bt); weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium and coarse; 25 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; 80 percent of the total volume is tongues of albic material; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
B/E--13 to 28 inches; 75 percent brown (7.5YR 5/4) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist (Bt); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few fine to coarse roots; common distinct patchy clay films on faces of peds and few distinct patchy clay bridging on faces of peds and in pores; 25 percent pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely cobbly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist (E); 25 percent gravel and 40 percent cobbles and 10 percent stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
Bt--28 to 36 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and medium roots; common distinct continuous clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles and 20 percent stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 23 inches thick)
BC--36 to 64 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) extremely cobbly sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 25 percent gravel and 25 percent cobbles and 15 percent stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Boulder County, Colorado; about 3 miles west of Allenspark, 0.5 miles east of Finch Lake in Wild Basin of Rocky Mountain National Park; located about 600 feet west and 1,600 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 32, T. 3 N., R. 73 W.; Allens Park USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 11 minutes 03 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 34 minutes 57 seconds W., NAD 1927
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths given are measured from the mineral soil surface.)
Soil moisture: Udic moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 36 to 40 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 40 to 44 degrees F
Depth to albic horizon: 0 to 4 inches
Depth to glossic horizon: 3 to 11 inches
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 24 to 50 inches
Base saturation: 30 to 50 percent
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Sand content: 55 to 70 percent
Rock fragments: 50 to 75 percent
Mica content: 15 to 30 percent mica (by grain count)
E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
E/B horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: (E) 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Value: (B) 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: (E) 2 or 3
Chroma: (B) 4 through 6
Texture: very gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly sandy clay loam
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid
B/E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: (Bt) 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Value: (E) 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma: (Bt) 4 through 6
Chroma: (E) 2 or 3
Texture: extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, extremely cobbly sandy loam
Clay content: (Bt) 20 to 30 percent
Clay content: (E) 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid
Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 through 6
Texture: extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, extremely cobbly sandy loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 60 to 75 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid
BC horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 through 6
Texture: extremely cobbly sandy loam, extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam, extremely cobbly loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 60 to 75 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid
COMPETING SERIES: There are presently no competing series in the isotic family. Series in the similar mixed family are the Gambler, Granile, Larand, Leadville, and Tolvar series. Gambler soils have a lithic contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches. Granile, Leadville and Tolvar soils have greater than 50 percent base saturation. In addition, Leadville soils have hues of 5YR or redder.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: colluvium and till derived from granitic rocks, gneiss, and schist
Landform: glaciated mountain slopes, moraines
Slopes: 10 to 40 percent
Elevation: 9,000 to 10,500 feet
Mean annual temperature: 36 to 42 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 24 to 40 inches
Precipitation pattern: continuous throughout the year
Wettest months: March, April, May
Driest months: October and November
Frost-free period: 30 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Enentah, Fallriver, and Tonahutu series. The Enentah soils do not have an argillic horizon, have base saturation greater than 50 percent and are on mountain slopes. The Fallriver soils do not have an argillic horizon and are on mountain slopes. The Tonahutu soils have lamellae, a base saturation greater than 50 percent and are on moraines.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to very rapid runoff, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Recreation and wildlife habitat. Primary vegetation is Engelmann's spruce, subalpine fir, limber pine with an understory of grouse whortleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Rocky Mountains, Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Boulder County, Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park soil survey area, 1999. The name was taken from a mountain peak in the area.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 13 to 33 inches. (B/E and part of the Bt horizons)
Albic horizon: The zone from 3 to 7 inches. (E horizon)
Glossic horizon: The zone from 7 to 13 inches. (E/B horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 13 to 36 inches. (B/E and Bt horizons)
The base saturation of this series is being studied. It is assumed that base saturation (by sum of cations) is greater than 35 percent at a depth of 125 cm below the upper boundary of the argillic horizon. Hence the base saturation is high enough to place this series in the Alfisols class and not in the Ultisols.
Taxonomic Version: Eighth Edition
ADDITIONAL DATA: