M332Ek Ruby/Tobacco Root Mountains

Landscape Characteristics:

Fault block mountains that formed in gneiss, quartzite, granite, shale, sandstone, and limestone. Alpine glaciation has modified much of the landscape. Elevations range from 5000 to 10600 feet. Drainage density is moderate to high.

Climate:

Mean annual precipitation ranges from 13 to 35 inches, about 60 percent falling as snow. The soil temperature and moisture regimes are cryic and typic ustic.

Potential Vegetation:

Douglas-fir forest/Western spruce-fir forest/Alpine meadows and barren

Relationships of Dominant Map Unit Components:

Landform Geology Soil Taxa
Mountainsides/ridges/foothills Till/limestone/shale/sandstone/gneiss Cryochrepts/Cryoborolls
Cirquelands Limestone/gneiss/granitic materials Cryochrepts/Cryoborolls

Disturbance and Land Use:

The primary natural disturbance is fire. Land use is predominantly timber harvest, livestock grazing, mining, and recreation.