247

Site number:

247

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1969/12/12

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Valley floor surface at the head of Long Valley; a series of glacial retreat surfaces with hummocky patterned ground topography; the site is on the north side of the valley on remnant bench surface

Altitude:

1750 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Inland Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-35 °C

Frozen ground depth:

60 cm

Frozen type:

Dry frozen over ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

60cm

Geology

Geological setting:

The valley floor moraines are formed by northward down-valley retreat of ice from Long Valley; moraine patterns are complicated by local ice stranding on the valley sides; the soils and till on benches on the valley side may be older than on the valley floor; the till composition reflects the geology of local rocks, dominantly granite with some sandstone and dolerite

Patterned ground:

Surface weathering or surface features:

Distinct staining on dolerite boulders and also some pitting; some cavernous weathering; salts beneath some surface boulders

Soil

Soil parent material:

Bouldery till and accumulated fragmental erosion detritus with boulders up to 1.5m

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Scattered snow patches but no thaw observed

Biological activity:

Nil observed