They have developed in alluvium and colluvium derived from basaltic tuffs, andesite, and basalt with admixtures from loess of similar parent rocks, and volcanic ash. They are at elevations of 7,000 to 8,500 feet in a cold, continental climate with nearly a mean annual precipitation of about 30 inches, most of which comes as snow. In addition to the aforementioned Windy soils Longval soils occur in the same general area as Lyonman and Snag. Lyonman soils differ by having fine-loamy control sections. Permeability is moderately rapid.
Surface runoff is slow.
These soils are used for watershed, wildlife habitat, and as a source of wood products. The vegetation consists primarily of lodgepole pine, quaking aspen and Western white pine with an understory that is dominated by snowberry, big sagebrush, Western needlegrass, Columbia needlegrass, mountain brome, pine bluegrass, and dryland sedge. These soils occur in mountainous areas of northeastern California and possibly southeastern Oregon, and are of limited extent. These soils were formerly classified as Regosols.