M332Ab Central Idaho Glaciated Mountains

Landscape Characteristics:

Glaciated mountain slopes, ridges, and cirquelands that formed in quartz monzonite, gneiss, and granite. Many surface soils are influenced by volcanic ash. Elevations range from 3000 to 8500 feet. Drainage density is moderate. Lakes occur in cirque basins and on glacial valley floors.

Climate:

Mean annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 70 inches, about 60 to 70 percent falling as snow. The soil temperature and moisture regimes are cryic and udic.

Potential Vegetation:

Western spruce-fir forest/Grand fir-Douglas-fir forest

Relationships of Dominant Map Unit Components:

Landform Geology Soil Taxa
Valleys/terraces/moraines Alluvium/loess Vitricryands/Cryaquepts/Cryochrepts
Glaciated mountain slopes and ridges Granitic rocks/till Cryochrepts/Cryoboralfs/Vitricryands
Cirqueland Granitic rocks Cryochrepts

Disturbance and Land Use:

The primary natural disturbances are fire, insects, disease, and mass wasting. Since much of the subsection is either roadless or designated wilderness, human disturbances are slight.