LOCATION TIPTOP WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy Xeric Vitricryands
TYPICAL PEDON: Tiptop very gravelly loam - under coniferous forest on 55 percent north facing backslope at an elevation of 5,100 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field texture.)
Oi--l/2 to 0 inch; undecomposed forest litter. (l/2 to 1 inch thick)
A--0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 30 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles, and 5 percent soft pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); NaF pH l0.0; abrupt smooth boundary. (l/4 to 2 inches thick)
Bw1--2 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and weakly smeary; many fine and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones and 5 percent soft pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); NaF pH 11.0; gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)
Bw2--12 to 28 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic, and weakly smeary; many fine and medium roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 50 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones; and 5 percent soft pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); NaF pH 11.0; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
C--28 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; 65 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones and 5 percent soft pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6) NaF pH l0.5.
TYPE LOCATION: Chelan County, Washington; about 15 miles south of Peshastin; 250 feet east and 750 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 2l, T. 22 N., R. 17 E., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 41 to 43 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive days following summer solstice. The 0 to 40 inch particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.80 to 0.95 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of more than 2.0 percent, 15-bar water retention of 5 to 12 percent for air dried samples, and 35 to 70 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has value of 4 through 7 dry, 2 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is extremely gravelly loam, extremely gravelly fine sandy loam, very gravelly loam or very gravelly sandy loam. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
The C horizon has value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 through 6 dry or moist. It is extremely gravelly fine sandy loam, extremely gravelly sandy loam, or extremely cobbly sandy loam. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Azwell, Bagmont, Fears, Hallihan, Pird and Saydab series. Azwell and Saydab soils are 20 to 40 inches to lithic contact. Bagmont soils are 20 to 40 inches to paralithic contact. Hallihan soils have 35 to 60 percent rhyolite rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Fears and Pird soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tiptop soils are on mountainsides with northerly aspects at elevations of 4,600 to 5,700 feet. Slopes are 30 to 65 percent. These soils formed in volcanic ash mixed with colluvium and residuum from sandstone from the Swauk formation. They are in a climate with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 25 to 45 inches. The mean January temperature is about 22 degrees F; the mean July temperature is about 59 degrees F; and the mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F. The growing season at 28 degrees F is about 100 to 140 days and the average frost-free season is about 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Scotties and Blewett soils. Blewett soils have bedrock at a depth of 10 to 20 inches. Blewett and Scotties soils are frigid.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium or rapid runoff, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland, wildlife habitat, watershed, and recreation. Vegetation is subalpine fir, western larch, lodgepole pine, grand fir, and Douglas-fir with an understory of huckleberry, lupine and elk sedge.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Southern Chelan County. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Chelan County, Washington, l980.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an ochric epipedon from the mineral surface to 2 inches and a cambic horizon from 2 to 28 inches. The 0 to 40 inches particle-size control section meets andic soil properties and averages 68 percent rock fragments. This description reflects a change in classification due to Andisols order from medial-skeletal Andic Cryochrepts to ashy-skeletal Xeric Vitricryands.