Pacific Tarn

Pacific Tarn
Pacific Tarn in the Tenmile Range of Colorado
Pacific Tarn Show map of Colorado Pacific Tarn Show map of the United States
Location	Summit County, Colorado, United States
Coordinates	39°25′11″N 106°07′11″W
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	560 ft (170 m)
Max. width	464 ft (141 m)
Surface area	4.7 acres (1.9 ha)
Max. depth	28 ft (8.5 m)
Surface elevation	13,420 ft (4,090 m)

Pacific Tarn is a small lake located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains in the United States. It is notable for its 13,420 foot (4,090 m) elevation,^[1] making it the highest lake in the United States whose name is recognized by the United States Board on Geographic Names, surpassing other lakes such as Hawaii's Lake Waiau on Mauna Kea, and California's Tulainyo Lake near Mount Whitney.

The lake sits atop the broad eastern ridge of Pacific Peak in the Tenmile Range.

Efforts to name the lake were spearheaded by Carl Drews, a Boulder, Colorado resident who organized an expedition to the lake in 2002 to measure the size, depth and water chemistry. The lake remained unnamed until January 8, 2004, when the United States Board of Geographic Names officially approved the name Pacific Tarn for the lake.

See also

• List of lakes in Colorado

References

1. "Pacific Tarn". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 11 August 2012.

External links

• Trip report detailing numerous scientific measurements taken at the lake
• Highest lakes in the United States