In July 2009, Dr. Paul Sanborn undertook the first soils field research at the Fort Selkirk volcanic field in central Yukon, with helicopter support and funding from the Yukon Geological Survey. This file consists of prints of aerial photographs that depict the area accessed for the study, upstream from the confluence of the Yukon River and the Pelly River.

Air photographs include:
Flight line A17210, Photo Nos. 54-60 (taken 1960)
Flight line A22354, Photo Nos. 43-45, 47-48 (taken 1971)
Flight line A27516, Photo Nos. 48-52 (taken 1989)

During the 1980s, Agriculture Canada pedologists Scott Smith (retired from Summerland Research Station, formerly based in Whitehorse) and Charles Tarnocai (retired from Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa) had a large field program which addressed the trends in soil development in the central Yukon. Across this region, particularly between Whitehorse and Dawson City, the land surfaces and surficial deposits vary greatly in age due to the differing extents of glaciations over the past ~2 million years.

Tarnocai and Smith shared the unpublished data and soil samples from this work with Dr. Paul Sanborn, and this resulted in a student project published as:
Daviel, E., P. Sanborn, C. Tarnocai, and C.A.A. Smith. 2011. Clay mineralogy and chemical properties of argillic horizons in central Yukon paleosols. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 91: 83-93. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss10067

This file consists of photocopies of 76 detailed soil description forms from the 1983 Yukon Paleosol Study by Tarnocai and Smith.

During the 1980s, Agriculture Canada pedologists Scott Smith (retired from Summerland Research Station, formerly based in Whitehorse) and Charles Tarnocai (retired from Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa) had a large field program which addressed the trends in soil development in the central Yukon. Across this region, particularly between Whitehorse and Dawson City, the land surfaces and surficial deposits vary greatly in age due to the differing extents of glaciations over the past ~2 million years.

Tarnocai and Smith shared the unpublished data and soil samples from this work with Dr. Paul Sanborn, and this resulted in a student project published as:
Daviel, E., P. Sanborn, C. Tarnocai, and C.A.A. Smith. 2011. Clay mineralogy and chemical properties of argillic horizons in central Yukon paleosols. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 91: 83-93. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss10067

This file consists of photocopies of lab data sheets for Tarnocai & Smith Yukon soil samples from the Land Resource Research Institute, Agriculture Canada.

These lab data sheets were transcribed into an Excel spreadsheet (see item 2023.2.2.6.3).

This file contains the following photographs in both print photograph and negative format:

Slims River delta
Date: August 11, 2003
(location not recorded)
Print roll 5, #1-3 (Corresponding slides: Slides roll 3, #15-14)

Grizzly bear
Date: August 12, 2003
(beside Cultus Bay Rd.; location not recorded)
Print roll 5, #6-7

Y03-08 (Cultus Bay Rd. – at top of switchbacks)
Date: August 12, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 3’ 43.1” N, 138° 21’ 4.0” W, 833.8 m asl (± 5.1 m)
Site Description: good exposure of loess (35 cm) with Slims Soil over glaciofluvial terrace – pinches out downslope [note: this site was sampled because of development of buried paleosol, and was not part of biological crust study by Marsh et al. (2006)]
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-08-01 - 45-48 cm - Ahkb (7.5YR 3/3 d; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-08-02 - 48-56 cm - Bmkb (7.5YR 4/3 d; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-08-03 - 56-70 cm - Ccab (2.5Y 5/2 d; strongly effervescent)
• (not sampled) - 70 cm+ - IICca (glaciofluvial; strongly effervescent)
• Intact sample: 56-36 cm - depth (including Slims Soil)
  Print roll 5, #8-10, 17-18 (Corresponding slides: Slides roll 3, #13-11, 5-4)

Y03-09 (cliff top on E. shore of Kluane L. at Christmas Bay)
Date: August 12, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 4’ 0.0” N, 138° 22’ 35.3” W, 828.3 m asl (± 7.3 m)
Site Description: ~ 60 cm loess over glaciofluvial gravels
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-09-01 - Nostoc crust
• Y03-09-02 - Tortula ruralis – Cetraria crust
• Y03-09-03 - 0-14 cm - ACk (10YR 3\2 d)
• Y03-09-04 - 14-16 cm - Ahkb1 (10YR 2/2 d)
• Y03-09-05 - 16-18 cm - Ck1 (10YR 4/3 d)
• Y03-09-06 - 18-20 cm - Ahkb2 (10YR 3/2 d; discontinuous)
• Y03-09-07 - 20-27 cm - Bmkb1 (10YR 4/3 d)
• Y03-09-08 - 27-33 cm - Bmkb2 (7.5YR 4/3 d)
• Y03-09-09 - 33-46 cm - Bmkb3 (10YR 4/3 d)
• Y03-09-10 - 46-55 cm - Ck2 (2.5Y 5/3 d)
• (not sampled) - 55-60 cm+ - IICk (glaciofluvial gravels)
  Print roll 5, #11-15 (Corresponding slides: Slide roll 3, #10-6)

Y03-10 (shore bluff N. of Silver City)
Date: August 12, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 2’ 55.0” N, 138° 23’ 17.2” W, 806.7 m asl (± 7.3 m)
Site Description: 70% slope, SW aspect; vegetation: Elymus, Carex, Artemisia, Erigeron
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-10-01 - Crust
• Y03-10-02 - 0-18 cm - ACk (10YR 4/2 m; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-10-03 - 18-25 cm - Ahkb(?) (10YR 4/2 m; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-10-04 - 25-40 cm - Ck (2.5Y 5/2.5 m; strongly effervescent)
• (not sampled) - 40 cm+ - IICk (glaciofluvial gravels; strongly effervescent)
  Print roll 5, #19-22 (Corresponding slides: Slide roll 3, #3-1)

Silver City ghost town (location not recorded)
Date: August 12, 2003
Print roll 5, #23-24

Y03-11 (Silver City road section)
Date: August 12, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 2’ 3.6” N, 138° 22’ 48.8” W, 806.7 m asl (± 8.7 m)
Site Description: roadcut through SW-facing hill exposes loess over glaciofluvial gravel, with 4 paleosols in colluviated loess
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-11-01 - 0-18 cm - ACk (fresh loess)
• Y03-11-02 - 18-47 cm - Soil 1 – Bmk
• Y03-11-03 - 47-100 cm - Loess
• Y03-11-04 - 100-110 cm - Soil 2 – includes charcoal
• Y03-11-05 - 110-160 cm - Loess with secondary carbonate in root channel
• Y03-11-06 - 160-170 cm - Soil 3 – Ahk with charcoal
• Y03-11-07 - 160-170 cm - Soil 3 – Bmk
• Y03-11-08 - 170-198 cm - Loess with secondary carbonate in root channel
• Y03-11-09 - 198-202 cm - Soil 4 – Ahk – laterally continuous for ~ 1.5 m
• Y03-11-10 - 202-230 cm - Loess with secondary carbonates in roots
• Y03-11-11 - 230-255 cm - Soil 5 – Ahk – includes abundant charcoal bands
• Y03-11-12 - 230-255 cm - Soil 5 – Bmk – infilled squirrel burrows immediately below
• Y03-11-13 - 255-300 cm+ - Loess
  Additional notes on modern soil & paleosols:
  Soil 1
• consists of Bmk horizon material with 2 distinct colours: 7.5YR 4/3 d & 10YR 4/3 d
• loess between Soils 1 & 3 is sandier
  Soil 2
• 90% Ahk material, 2-10 cm thick
• Ahk – 10YR 3/2 d
• Bmk – 7.5YR 4/2 d
• less abundant carbonate than in paleosols & loess below
  Soil 3 - most of exposure has Ahk (2-5 cm thick) over Bmk (4-10 cm thick), with carbonates as for Soil 5
  Soil 4 - mostly Ahk (10YR 3/2 d) material 2-8 cm thick, some Bmk (10YR 4/2 d) < 2 cm thick, with carbonates as for Soil 5
  Soil 5
• complex intermixing of Ahk & Bmk material, charcoal most abundant in Ahk
• individual colour bands 2-10 cm thick
• overall dip of horizons (10° to W) is parallel to surface
• similar size & density of secondary carbonates as in loess above & below; associated with root channels, < 5 mm diameter, covering ~ 5% of surface
  Print roll 5, #26-30 (Corresponding slides: Slide roll 4, #36-32)

Slide roll contains the following photographs:

Y03-06
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 4’ 1.5” N, 138° 21’ 57.4” W, 825.3 m asl (± 9.5 m)
Site Description: top of slope, E aspect
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-06-01 - Crust
• Y03-06-02 - 0-6 cm - Ahk (10YR 3/2 m; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-06-03 - 6-14 cm - Bmk (2.5Y 3/3 m; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-06-04 - 14 cm+ - IICk (strongly effervescent)
  Slide roll 3 #36-35 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 4, #1-2)

Y03-07 (peninsula near Kluane visitor centre, Sheep Mt.)
Date: August 11, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 1’ 42.8” N, 138° 29’ 36.2” W, 786.7 m asl (± 5.7 m)
Site Description:

• recent (?) landslide with loess accumulation in pockets, thinner on boulder surfaces, dominated by dark cyanobacteria crusts
• limited loess accumulation due to exposure of site
• crust is calcareous at surface
  Sample Depths & Descriptions:
• Y03-07-01 - Crust
• Y03-07-02 - 0-6 cm - Ck
• Y03-07-03 - 6-9 cm - Ahkb
• Y03-07-03 - 9 cm+ - Rock
  Slide roll 3 #34-30 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 4, #3-10)

Lower Slims River (lookout knoll at parking lot N of visitor centre)
Date: August 11, 2003
Location Coordinates: 60° 59’ 56.4” N, 138° 33’ 36.4” W, 844.8 m asl (± 7.3 m)
Site Description: some fire disturbance, but lower slopes have more intact crusts on loess (calcareous to surface)
Slide roll 3 #29-26 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 4, #11-17)

Lower Slims R (lowest bench below lookout knoll)
Date: August 11, 2003
Location Coordinates: 60° 59’ 51.8” N, 138° 33’ 36.2” W, 814.3 m asl (± 7.9 m)
Site Description: not burned; good intact crust; vegetation: A. frigida, Calamogrostis purpurea, Erigeron caespitosus, Linnaea, Carex filifolia (sparse cover ~ 50%)
Slide roll 3, #25-23 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 4, #18-20)

Slims Soil
(Holocene paleosol with well-developed B horizon under Neoglacial calcareous loess – location not recorded, but likely from roadcut exposure along main Slims R trail)
Slides roll 3, #22 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 4, #21)

Lower end of Sheep Creek
Date: August 11, 2003
Misc. views of grassland vegetation and landscape (locations not recorded)
Slides roll 3, #21-18 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 4, #26-33)

Overlook at lower end of Sheep Creek canyon
Date: August 11, 2003
Location Coordinates: 60° 59’ 42.2” N, 138° 34’ 38.1” W, 878.0 m asl (± 9.5 m)
Site Description: heavy use by sheep (abundant droppings) but still has ~ 50% crust coverage
Slides roll 3, #17-16 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 4, #34-35)

Slims River delta
Date: August 11, 2003
(location not recorded)
Slides roll 3, #15-14: salt efflorescences (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 5, #1-3)

Y03-08 (Cultus Bay Rd. – at top of switchbacks)
Date: August 12, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 3’ 43.1” N, 138° 21’ 4.0” W, 833.8 m asl (± 5.1 m)
Site Description: good exposure of loess (35 cm) with Slims Soil over glaciofluvial terrace – pinches out downslope [note: this site was sampled because of development of buried paleosol, and was not part of biological crust study by Marsh et al. (2006)]
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-08-01 - 45-48 cm - Ahkb (7.5YR 3/3 d; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-08-02 - 48-56 cm - Bmkb (7.5YR 4/3 d; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-08-03 - 56-70 cm - Ccab (2.5Y 5/2 d; strongly effervescent)
• (not sampled) - 70 cm+ - IICca (glaciofluvial; strongly effervescent)
• Intact sample: 56-36 cm - depth (including Slims Soil)
  Slides roll 3, #13-11, 5-4 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 5, #8-10, 17-18)

Y03-09 (cliff top on E. shore of Kluane L. at Christmas Bay)
Date: August 12, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 4’ 0.0” N, 138° 22’ 35.3” W, 828.3 m asl (± 7.3 m)
Site Description: ~ 60 cm loess over glaciofluvial gravels
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-09-01 - Nostoc crust
• Y03-09-02 - Tortula ruralis – Cetraria crust
• Y03-09-03 - 0-14 cm - ACk (10YR 3\2 d)
• Y03-09-04 - 14-16 cm - Ahkb1 (10YR 2/2 d)
• Y03-09-05 - 16-18 cm - Ck1 (10YR 4/3 d)
• Y03-09-06 - 18-20 cm - Ahkb2 (10YR 3/2 d; discontinuous)
• Y03-09-07 - 20-27 cm - Bmkb1 (10YR 4/3 d)
• Y03-09-08 - 27-33 cm - Bmkb2 (7.5YR 4/3 d)
• Y03-09-09 - 33-46 cm - Bmkb3 (10YR 4/3 d)
• Y03-09-10 - 46-55 cm - Ck2 (2.5Y 5/3 d)
• (not sampled) - 55-60 cm+ - IICk (glaciofluvial gravels)
  Slide roll 3, #10-6 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 5, #11-15)

Y03-10 (shore bluff N. of Silver City)
Date: August 12, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 2’ 55.0” N, 138° 23’ 17.2” W, 806.7 m asl (± 7.3 m)
Site Description: 70% slope, SW aspect; vegetation: Elymus, Carex, Artemisia, Erigeron
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-10-01 - Crust
• Y03-10-02 - 0-18 cm - ACk (10YR 4/2 m; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-10-03 - 18-25 cm - Ahkb(?) (10YR 4/2 m; strongly effervescent)
• Y03-10-04 - 25-40 cm - Ck (2.5Y 5/2.5 m; strongly effervescent)
• (not sampled) - 40 cm+ - IICk (glaciofluvial gravels; strongly effervescent)
  Slide roll 3, #3-1 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 5, #19-22)

File consists of Kluane Lake photographs from 2003 in digital format.

Slide roll contains the following photographs:

Cultus Bay / Rat Lake
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 09’ 57.1” N, 138° 25’ 25.5” W, 806 m asl (± 6.2 m)
Slides #17-15: Rat Lake area (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 3, #13A-16A)
Slides #14-13: Collema & Psora crusts on exposed ridge on coarser substrate where loess has blown off (Corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 3, #17A-19A)

Y03-03 (Rat Lake)
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 10’ 3.5” N, 138° 25’ 37.2” W, 798.3 m asl (± 13.0 m)
Site Description: SW aspect, 45% slope; vegetation: Carex filifolia, A. frigida, Elymus trachycaulis
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-03-01 - Crust
• Y03-03-02 - 0-9 cm - Ahk (10YR 4/2 m; weak-moderate, fine granular)
• Y03-03-03 - 9-53 cm+ - Ck (2.5Y 6/3 m; massive)
  Slides #12-10 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 3, #20A-22A)

Y03-04 (Rat Lake)
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 10’ 10.5” N, 138° 26’ 3.7” W, 800.2 m asl (± 8.7 m)
Site Description: S aspect, 40% slope; vegetation: Elymus, Artemisia, flax, Penstemon, Linum lewisii
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-04-01 - Crust
• Y03-04-02 - 0-6 cm - Ck (strongly effervescent)
• Y03-04-03 - 6-16 cm - Ahkb
• Y03-04-04 -16-75 cm+ - Ck (strongly effervescent; includes Bmk pockets)
  Slides #9-7 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 3, #25A-28A)

Y03-05 (SE of Rat Lake)
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 9’ 43.2” N, 138° 25’ 34.8” W, 811.5 m asl (± 8.9 m)
Site Description: upper slope / crest; recent local sandy eolian veneer over older loess; vegetation: Carex, Elymus, Poa, Erigeron
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-05-01 - Crust
• Y03-05-02 - 0-5 cm - Ahk
• Y03-05-03 - 5-19 cm - Ck1
• Y03-05-04 - 19-31 cm - Ahkb (siltier)
• Y03-05-05 - 31-50 cm+ - Ck2
  Slides #6-1 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 3, #34A-#E)

Slide roll contains the following photographs:

Y03-11 (Silver City road section)
Date: August 12, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 2’ 3.6” N, 138° 22’ 48.8” W, 806.7 m asl (± 8.7 m)
Site Description: roadcut through SW-facing hill exposes loess over glaciofluvial gravel, with 4 paleosols in colluviated loess
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-11-01 - 0-18 cm - ACk (fresh loess)
• Y03-11-02 - 18-47 cm - Soil 1 – Bmk
• Y03-11-03 - 47-100 cm - Loess
• Y03-11-04 - 100-110 cm - Soil 2 – includes charcoal
• Y03-11-05 - 110-160 cm - Loess with secondary carbonate in root channel
• Y03-11-06 - 160-170 cm - Soil 3 – Ahk with charcoal
• Y03-11-07 - 160-170 cm - Soil 3 – Bmk
• Y03-11-08 - 170-198 cm - Loess with secondary carbonate in root channel
• Y03-11-09 - 198-202 cm - Soil 4 – Ahk – laterally continuous for ~ 1.5 m
• Y03-11-10 - 202-230 cm - Loess with secondary carbonates in roots
• Y03-11-11 - 230-255 cm - Soil 5 – Ahk – includes abundant charcoal bands
• Y03-11-12 - 230-255 cm - Soil 5 – Bmk – infilled squirrel burrows immediately below
• Y03-11-13 - 255-300 cm+ - Loess
  Additional notes on modern soil & paleosols:
  Soil 1
• consists of Bmk horizon material with 2 distinct colours: 7.5YR 4/3 d & 10YR 4/3 d
• loess between Soils 1 & 3 is sandier
  Soil 2
• 90% Ahk material, 2-10 cm thick
• Ahk – 10YR 3/2 d
• Bmk – 7.5YR 4/2 d
• less abundant carbonate than in paleosols & loess below
  Soil 3 - most of exposure has Ahk (2-5 cm thick) over Bmk (4-10 cm thick), with carbonates as for Soil 5
  Soil 4 - mostly Ahk (10YR 3/2 d) material 2-8 cm thick, some Bmk (10YR 4/2 d) < 2 cm thick, with carbonates as for Soil 5
  Soil 5
• complex intermixing of Ahk & Bmk material, charcoal most abundant in Ahk
• individual colour bands 2-10 cm thick
• overall dip of horizons (10° to W) is parallel to surface
• similar size & density of secondary carbonates as in loess above & below; associated with root channels, < 5 mm diameter, covering ~ 5% of surface
  Slide roll 4, #36-32 (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 5, #26-30)

Y03-12 (island off Slims River delta)
Date: August 13, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 1’ 9.1” N, 138° 29’ 27.9” W, 819 m asl (± 6.0 m)
Site Description: good grassland development on undulating aeolian veneer over bedrock, SW aspect; vegetation: A. frigida, C. purpurescens, P. glauca, Erigeron, Plantago, Oxytropis; good crust cover, mossy on more northerly aspects
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-12-01 - Crust
• Y03-12-02 - 0-10 cm - ACk
  Slide roll 4, #31-10 (miscellaneous site views of Y03-12 & Slims R delta island)

This file contains the following photographs in both print photograph and negative format:

Slims River delta
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 00’ 16.5” N, 138° 30’ 45.6” W, 790 m asl (± 11.0 m)
Print roll 3, #5A-6A: delta surface with salt efflorescences (Deschampsia caespitosa, Puchinella nuttalli, Aster siberica, Triglauca palustre); Juncus & Ranunculus on more active surface near river.

7A-9A: moister Deschampsia site, polygonal cracking patterns (W side of highway)

10A-12A: closeups of efflorescences

Cultus Bay / Rat Lake
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 09’ 57.1” N, 138° 25’ 25.5” W, 806 m asl (± 6.2 m)
Slides #17-15: Rat Lake area (corresponding prints and negatives: Print roll 3, #13A-16A)
Print roll 3, #17A-19A: Collema & Psora crusts on exposed ridge on coarser substrate where loess has blown off (Corresponding slides: Slide Roll 2 #14-13)

Y03-03 (Rat Lake)
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 10’ 3.5” N, 138° 25’ 37.2” W, 798.3 m asl (± 13.0 m)
Site Description: SW aspect, 45% slope; vegetation: Carex filifolia, A. frigida, Elymus trachycaulis
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-03-01 - Crust
• Y03-03-02 - 0-9 cm - Ahk (10YR 4/2 m; weak-moderate, fine granular)
• Y03-03-03 - 9-53 cm+ - Ck (2.5Y 6/3 m; massive)
  Print roll 3, #20A-22A (Corresponding slides: Slide Roll 2: #12-10)

Y03-04 (Rat Lake)
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 10’ 10.5” N, 138° 26’ 3.7” W, 800.2 m asl (± 8.7 m)
Site Description: S aspect, 40% slope; vegetation: Elymus, Artemisia, flax, Penstemon, Linum lewisii
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-04-01 - Crust
• Y03-04-02 - 0-6 cm - Ck (strongly effervescent)
• Y03-04-03 - 6-16 cm - Ahkb
• Y03-04-04 -16-75 cm+ - Ck (strongly effervescent; includes Bmk pockets)
  Print roll 3, #25A-28A (Corresponding Slides: Slide Roll 2: #9-7)

Y03-05 (SE of Rat Lake)
Date: August 10, 2003
Location Coordinates: 61° 9’ 43.2” N, 138° 25’ 34.8” W, 811.5 m asl (± 8.9 m)
Site Description: upper slope / crest; recent local sandy eolian veneer over older loess; vegetation: Carex, Elymus, Poa, Erigeron
Sample Depths & Descriptions:

• Y03-05-01 - Crust
• Y03-05-02 - 0-5 cm - Ahk
• Y03-05-03 - 5-19 cm - Ck1
• Y03-05-04 - 19-31 cm - Ahkb (siltier)
• Y03-05-05 - 31-50 cm+ - Ck2
  Print roll 3, #34A-#E (Corresponding Slides: Slide Roll 2: Slides #6-1)