Ecological Land Type

ELT 125b

Description: 
Inspiration Rock to Mt. Bigelow, including Bear Wallow
Area: 
311 ha
Area in acres: 
769 acres
Elevation Range
Minimum: 
2278 m
Minimum in ft: 
7475 ft
Maximum: 
2605 m
Maximum in ft: 
8546 ft
Median: 
2443 m
Median in ft: 
8015 ft
Soil Summary: 
detailed soil survey information is not available for this unit; correlates with GES unit 476 characterized by extremely cobbly sandy loams shallow to deep to granite or granite-like bedrock, acid soils lacking lime throughout, minimal soil development, and associated rock outcroppings
Geologic Materials: 
slope alluvium, colluvium and residuum associated with Middle Proterozoic Apache Group and Troy Quartzite (Ya). It comprises 95% of the unit
Landforms: 
moderately dissected mountain slopes with shallow to moderate drainage incision

An additional note on the ecological systems classification: LANDFIRE identifies much of this Madrean Pine-Oak Forest as “Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine.” Although this is an accepted name, Nature Serve’s description places this ecological system to the north of our study area.

LTA 125
Mixed conifer forest on mountains derived mostly from metasedimentary rocks

Map with the ELT 125b polygon highlighted.Photo Point 266Photo Point 267Photo Point 273, Photo Point 274Photo Point 275Photo Point 268, Photo Point 269, Photo Point 270Photo Point 271, Photo Point 272Photo Point 276, Photo Point 277Photo Point 156, Photo Point 157Photo Point 154Photo Point 152

Landform position classes and corresponding vegetation*

Landform Class Area Percentage of ELTsort icon Vegetation and notes
very dry steep slopes 21 ha 7

Ponderosa pine/SW pine/silverleaf oak/netleaf oak and Ceanothus
moderately moist steep slopes 112 ha 36

Doug fir/SW pine/white fir
moderately dry steep slopes 91 ha 29

Ponderosa pine/SW pine/silverleaf oak/netleaf oak
very moist steep slopes 45 ha 15

Doug fir/white fir/SW pine/bigtooth maple
gently sloping ridges and hills 37 ha 12

Doug fir/SW pine/Ponderosa pine/white fir

*Vegetation estimates are based on field observations, data from photo points, and the ReGAP map (http://earth.gis.usu.edu/swgap/).

Region 3 Mid-Scale Vegetation Cover Classes

Cover Class Area Percentage of ELTsort icon
Tree cc 30+% 303 ha 97
Tree cc 10 - 29.9% 6 ha 2
Sparsely vegetated, <10% vegetative cover (includes areas of high severity burns, 2002-03) 1 ha 1