Ben Lomond series

The Ben Lomond series consists of deep, well drained soils on mountains. These soils formed in material weathered from sandstone or granitic bedrock. Slope ranges from 5 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from about 35 to 60 inches, and the mean an nual air temperature is about 55 degrees F.

Ben Lomond soils are similar to Catelli and Pfeiffer soils. They are mapped in a complex with Catelli, Felton, and Sur soils and are near Aptos, Catelli, Felton, Lompico, Nisene, Sur, and Zayante soils. Catelli soils have paralithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Pfeiffer soils have a thermic soil temperature regime. Aptos' Felton, Lompico, and Nisene soils have a fine-loamy control section. Sur soils have lithic contact at a depth of 20 and  40 inches. Zayante soils have a sandy control section.

Typical pedon of Ben Lomond sandy loam, 50 to 75 percent slopes, about miles west of Summit Road on Bear Creek Road and 250 feet southwest on a private road commencing at mailbox number 21890; then 70 feet uphill, near a clump of redwoods in SE 1/4SE 1/4, sec. 3, T. 9 S., R. 2 W. (projected):

0-2 inches to 0; redwood needles and twigs in various stages of decomposition.

A11-0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

A12-7 to 19 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.

B2-19 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; medium acid; clear wavy boundary.

C1-30 to 46 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4M) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots and many medium and coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; medium acid; gradual wavy boundary.

C2r-46 to 50 inches; weathered sandstone.

Depth to paralithic contact is 40 to 60 inches. The mollic epipedon is thicker than 20 inches. Pebble content in the profile ranges from 0 to 10 percent.

The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is medium acid to neutral.

The B horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 1OYR and chroma of 3 or 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam. It is strongly acid to slightly acid.

The C horizon has value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 3 or 4. It has sand grains that have hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 8, and chroma of 1 or 3. It is strongly acid to medium acid.