525

Site number:

525

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1988/01/05

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering exmination

Description:

At the western end of Alatna Valley and to the east of Battleship Promontory; the site is about 100m away from site 513 but on a flatter surface

Altitude:

870 m

Aspect:

NNE

Slope:

2 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Mountain, xerous to subxerous

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-28 °C

Frozen ground depth:

24 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

24cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Alatna Valley has formed through ice recession from the Benson Glacier and ice from Staten Island Heights; the local rocks are extensive Beacon Sandstone outcrops capped with Ferrar Dolerite; the tills include granites (pink Irizar granite) and gneissic rocks which occur nearer the coast and indicate ice movement from the east; some hollows may be kettle holes

Patterned ground:

Moderately developed nets; 50cm deep active cracks containing boulders

Surface weathering or surface features:

Moderate surface staining dominantly on the lee sides; up-wind sides strongly abraded; a moderately developed cobble to small boulder pavement with distinct clast rounding; salts beneath some surface clasts

Soil

Soil parent material:

Sandy bouldery till from dolerite, sandstone and granite

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Local snow patches but no water or soil moistening observed

Biological activity:

Nil observed