Lake Fork Peak Explained

Lake Fork Peak
Elevation Ft:12881
Elevation Ref:[1] [2]
Prominence Ft:652
Prominence Ref:[3]
Isolation Mi:1.63
Parent Peak:Wheeler Peak
Map:New Mexico#USA
Label Position:right
Map Size:250
Part Type:Protected area
Part:Wheeler Peak Wilderness
Country:United States
State:New Mexico
Region:Taos
Region Type:County
Range:Taos Mountains
Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Rocky Mountains
Coordinates:36.5503°N -105.4453°W
Coordinates Ref:[4]
Topo:USGS Wheeler Peak
Easiest Route: hiking

Lake Fork Peak is a 12881adj=midNaNadj=mid mountain summit in Taos County, New Mexico, United States.

Description

Lake Fork Peak is part of the Taos Mountains which are a subset of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It is the second-highest point in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness and ranks as the sixth-highest summit in New Mexico.[3] The mountain is located within the Carson National Forest, 12 miles northeast of the town of Taos and 1.24 miles west-southwest of Wheeler Peak, the highest point in the state.[1] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains to the Rio Hondo which is a tributary the Rio Grande. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2900abbr=offNaNabbr=off above the South Fork Rio Hondo in less than one mile (1.6 km). The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names,[4] and the name refers to Lake Fork which is a creek that originates between this peak and Wheeler Peak.[5] The peak has also been known as Fairview Mountain.[4]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Lake Fork Peak has an alpine climate with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[6] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter and as thunderstorms in summer. Climbers can expect afternoon rain, hail, and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August. This climate supports the Taos Ski Valley area immediately north of Lake Fork Peak.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. 5939. Lake Fork Peak, New Mexico. 2024-03-22.
  2. Robert Julyan (2006), The Mountains of New Mexico, University of New Mexico Press,, p. 323.
  3. Web site: Lake Fork Peak - 12,881' NM. listsofjohn.com. 2024-03-22.
  4. 907826. Lake Fork Peak. 2024-03-22.
  5. Robert Julyan (1996), The Place Names of New Mexico, University of New Mexico Press,, p. 195.
  6. Peel, M. C. . Finlayson, B. L. . McMahon, T. A. . 2007 . Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification . Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. . 11 . 1027-5606.