They are mainly at high mountain elevations. Slopes range from about 10 to 60 percent. Unaka loam on a forested east-facing 25 percent slope. Depth to hard granite or gneiss ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Content of rock fragments in the A and B horizons ranges from about 5 to 20 percent and up to as much as 35 percent in the C horizon.
Soil reaction is strongly acid or very strongly acid.
Flakes of mica range from few to common throughout. The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture of the fine earth is loam, fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam. The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. The fine earth is typically loam, but ranges to clay loam, sandy loam and sandy clay loam in some profiles.