Sandy skeletal, mixed Typic Cryochrept formed in coarse glacial 

 till on steep valley and mountain slopes. This is a deep well- 

 drained soil containing 20-35% boulders and 25-35% gravel and 

 cobbles. Base saturation is greater than 60%. These soils also 

 generally support the Abies lasiocarpa / Vaccinium scoparium 

 habitat type. 



Sandy skeletal, mixed Typic Cryorthent developed in coarse 

 glacial till and colluvium on steep slopes at elevations of 

 9,000-10,500 ft. The soil is deep and well-drained and supports 

 the Abies lasiocarpa / Vaccinium scoparium or Pinus albicaulis 

 habitat types. 



Loamy skeletal, mixed Typic Cryumbrept formed in coarse residuum 

 or glacial till on frost-churned, glacially-scoured plateaus and 

 ridge tops at 8,500 -11,000 ft. It is a well-drained soil with 

 coarse fragment content ranging from 10-15% gravels in the A 

 horizon to greater than 60% in the C horizon. The soil supports 

 mainly high elevation grassland and alpine tundra vegetation. 



Along the east slope of the Line Creek Plateau is a long, 

 narrow ridge of Madison Limestone. Veseth and Montagne (1980) 

 describe typical soils formed from Madison Limestone from the Big 

 Snowy Mountains north of the study area: 



Moderately deep soils form from colluvium and residuum on 

 moderate to very steep slopes at 5,000-8,000 ft. Soils are well- 

 drained. B and C horizons contain 25-35% clay and greater than 

 40% silt in the fine fraction. Typical vegetation is dominated 

 by Pseudotsuqa menziesii , Juniperus scopulorum and JL_ communis . 



Alpine soils for the Beartooth Mountains were described by 

 Nimlos and McConnel (1962, 1965). The Ptarmigan Series underlies 

 most of the turf and grassland communities. Soils are well- 

 drained and medium to strongly acidic loams or sandy loams 

 without marked clay increase in the B horizon. The Vasquez 

 (Beartooth) Series occurs along stream terraces and on 

 solifluction lobes. Soils are poorly drained and acidic with a 

 peaty organic horizon. Lower horizons display iron oxides and 

 gley indicating prevailing anoxic conditions. Textures are loam 

 and clay loam. Associated vegetation is willow and Deschampsia 

 cespitosa / Caltha leptosepala community types. 



Lesica and Antibus (1986) report pH, percent organic matter, 

 textural classes and available nutrients for soil supporting 

 cushion plant communities in the Beartooth Mountains. Johnson 

 and Billings (1962) provide general morphological descriptions of 

 alpine turf, meadow and bog soils as well as a lengthy discussion 

 of cryopedogenic patterns and processes. Bamberg (1961) also 

 provides descriptions of representative soil profiles from the 

 Beartooth Mountains. 



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