LOCATION TIPSOO                  WA

Established Series
IRD. TMR/MPR
07/2017

TIPSOO SERIES


Landscape--Cascade Mountains
Landform--mountain slopes, cirques, glacial valley walls, ridges
Slope--15 to 100 percent
Parent material--volcanic ash over colluvium derived from andesite
Mean annual precipitation--about 2200 mm
Mean annual air temperature--about 3 degrees C
Depth class--very deep
Drainage class--well drained
Soil moisture regime--udic
Soil temperature regime--cryic
Soil moisture subclass--typic

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, glassy Andic Haplocryods

TYPICAL PEDON: Tipsoo paragravelly medial sandy loam on a forested, north-facing ridge with a slope of 40 percent and an elevation of 1745 m (When described on August 8, 2013, the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed plant material from deciduous shrubs, conifer needles, and twigs; many fine interstitial pores; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); abrupt smooth boundary

Oe--2 to 5 cm; moderately decomposed plant material; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); abrupt wavy boundary

E--5 to 9 cm; paragravelly medial sandy loam, gray (7.5YR 6/1) dry, very dark gray (7.5YR 3/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, common medium, and few coarse roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 5 percent fine pumice paragravel and 10 percent medium and coarse pumice paragravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.7); abrupt wavy boundary

Bhs--9 to 42 cm; paragravelly medial sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) dry, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium to very coarse roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 5 percent fine pumice paragravel and 10 percent medium and coarse pumice paragravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt irregular boundary

Bs1--42 to 57 cm; medial sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) dry, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine to coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent fine pumice paragravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear wavy boundary

Bs2--57 to 73 cm; medial loamy sand, brown (7.5YR 5/3) dry, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine to medium roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 5 percent fine pumice paragravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear irregular boundary

2Bw1--73 to 110 cm; gravelly medial sandy loam, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine to medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent fine subangular andesite gravel, 10 percent medium and coarse subangular andesite gravel, and 5 percent subangular andesite cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4); gradual wavy boundary

2Bw2--110 to 150 cm; gravelly medial fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) dry, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine to medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent fine subangular andesite gravel, 10 percent medium and coarse subangular andesite gravel, and 10 percent subangular andesite cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4)

TYPE LOCATION: Pierce County, Washington, about 6 km west of Sunrise Visitor Center, Mount Rainier National Park, above Wonderland Trail on a ridge between Winthrop Glacier and Granite Creek; about 180 m south and 780 m east of the northwest corner of section 31, T. 17 N., R. 9 E., Willamette Meridian; Sunrise, Washington, U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle; latitude 46.920492 degrees north, longitude -121.718411 degrees west, datum WGS 84 (coordinates determined with a GPS)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--3 to 6 degrees C
Soil moisture control section--dry less than 45 consecutive days in June through October
Depth to lithologic discontinuity--60 to 90 cm
Depth to lithic contact--greater than 150 cm (very deep)

All mineral horizons
*Volcanic glass content--50 to 75 percent
*Ammonium oxalate Al plus 1/2 Fe--greater than 0.5 percent

Particle-size control section
*Clay content--1 to 10 percent
*Pararock and rock fragment content--5 to 35 percent total, with pumice paragravel typically in upper part of profile and subangular andesite gravel and cobbles in lower part in some areas

O horizon
*In lieu of texture--slightly decomposed plant material, moderately decomposed plant material
*Combined thickness--2 to 8 cm

E horizon
*Hue--7.5YR, 10YR
*Value--3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry
*Chroma--1 or 2 moist or dry
*Fine-earth texture--medial sandy loam, medial loamy sand
*Clay content--1 to 5 percent
*Pararock fragment content--0 to 15 percent fine to coarse pumice paragravel
*Reaction--4.5 to 5.5
*Thickness--3 to 15 cm

Bhs horizon
*Hue--7.5YR, 5YR
*Value--2.5 to 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry
*Chroma--2 to 4 moist or dry
*Fine-earth texture--medial sandy loam, medial coarse sandy loam, medial loamy sand
*Clay content--1 to 10 percent
*Pararock fragment content--5 to 30 percent fine to coarse pumice paragravel
*Reaction--4.5 to 5.5
*Thickness--10 to 35 cm

Bs1 horizon
*Hue--7.5YR, 5YR
*Value--3 or 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry
*Chroma--2 to 4 moist or dry
*Fine-earth texture--medial sandy loam, medial fine sandy loam, medial coarse sandy loam
*Clay content--1 to 10 percent
*Pararock fragment content--0 to 30 percent fine to coarse pumice paragravel
*Reaction--4.5 to 5.5
*Thickness--10 to 30 cm

Bs2 horizon
*Hue--7.5YR, 5YR
*Value--3 or 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry
*Chroma--2 to 4 moist or dry
*Fine-earth texture--medial loamy sand, medial coarse sandy loam, medial sandy loam
*Clay content--1 to 10 percent
*Pararock and rock fragment content--0 to 35 percent total, including 0 to 20 percent fine to coarse pumice paragravel, 0 to 5 percent fine to coarse subangular andesite gravel, and 0 to 5 percent subangular andesite cobbles
*Reaction--4.5 to 5.5
*Thickness--15 to 30 cm

2Bw1 horizon
*Hue--7.5YR, 10YR
*Value--2.5 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry
*Chroma--2 to 4 moist or dry
*Fine-earth texture--medial sandy loam, medial fine sandy loam, medial coarse sandy loam
*Clay content--1 to 10 percent
*Rock fragment content--15 to 35 percent total, including 5 to 30 percent fine to coarse subangular andesite gravel, 0 to 20 percent subangular andesite cobbles, and 0 to 15 percent subangular andesite stones
*Reaction--5.1 to 6.0
*Thickness--35 to 50 cm

2Bw2 horizon
*Hue--7.5YR, 10YR
*Value--2.5 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry
*Chroma--2 to 4 moist or dry
*Fine-earth texture--medial fine sandy loam, medial sandy loam, medial coarse sandy loam
*Clay content--1 to 10 percent
*Rock fragment content--20 to 60 percent total, including 5 to 30 percent fine to coarse subangular andesite gravel, 0 to 20 percent subangular andesite cobbles, and 0 to 15 percent subangular andesite stones
*Reaction--5.1 to 6.0

COMPETING SERIES:
Owyhigh--lithic contact at a depth of 50 to 100 cm (moderately deep)

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Elevation--1000 to 2000 m
Climate--cool, dry summers; cold, wet winters
Mean annual precipitation--1700 to 2800 mm
Mean annual air temperature--2 to 5 degrees C
Frost-free period--30 to 60 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Ipsut--lithic contact within 50 cm (shallow); on similar landforms near areas of Rock outcrop
Owyhigh--lithic contact at a depth of 50 to 100 cm (moderately deep); on similar landforms near areas of Rock outcrop
Mysticlake--aquic conditions with an upper limit of 25 cm from the soil surface; on similar landforms in gentler sloping positions that receive runoff from upslope areas
Unicornpeak--aquic conditions with an upper limit of 50 cm from the soil surface; on similar landforms in gentler sloping positions that receive runoff from upslope areas
Summerland--no albic horizon; umbric epipedon; associated with deciduous forests in active avalanche paths
Burroughs, Littletahoma, Tatoosh--no albic horizon; umbric epipedon; associated with subalpine meadows

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class--well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat)--high, very high

USE AND VEGETATION:
Use--wildlife habitat, recreation
Potential natural vegetation--subalpine fir, mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, Alaska yellow-cedar, Engelmann spruce, Cascade azalea, black huckleberry, false azalea, five-leaved bramble, dwarf bramble, one-sided wintergreen, Sitka valerian, common beargrass

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Cascade Mountains, Washington; MLRA 3; moderate extent

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mount Rainier National Park, Pierce County, Washington; 2014; name from Tipsoo Lake in Mount Rainier National Park

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and other features in this pedon
*Particle-size control section--zone from 30 to 105 cm
*Ochric epipedon
*Albic horizon--zone from 5 to 9 cm
*Spodic horizon--zone from 9 to 73 cm
*Andic soil properties--zone from 5 to 150 cm
*Volcanic glass content--zone from 5 to 150 cm
*Depth to lithologic discontinuity--73 cm
*Distinguishable tephra layers--Mount St. Helens Wn tephra ( E horizon), Mount Rainier C tephra (Bhs horizon), Mount St. Helens P set tephra (Bs1 horizon), Mount St. Helens Yn tephra (Bs2 horizon)

3/2017--This official series description was updated according to SSR1 Technical Note 11--Content and Format of Official Series Descriptions (revised 12/2015). Most of the changes were in formatting; no major technical changes were made.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.