Zmarzły Staw Mięguszowiecki — known in Slovak as Ľadové pleso v Zlomiskách, or simply the 'Ice Lake' — is one of the most rugged and atmospheric mountain tarns in the High Tatras. Sitting at 1,925 metres above sea level in the Zlomisková Valley, it rewards those willing to venture off the beaten track with raw alpine scenery and a profound sense of solitude.
The lake is framed by a dramatic high-mountain panorama dominated by the peaks of Vysoka and Ganek. Rocky debris fields and steep walls surround the water on all sides, giving the place a wild, almost primordial character. The lake covers around 2.25 hectares and reaches nearly 10 metres in depth, and from it flows Ľadový potok — the main tributary of the lower Popradské pleso. In late spring the shoreline is still draped in snow, summer brings crisp alpine light, and autumn wraps the whole valley in a cool, crystalline stillness.
How to get thereThe lake has been the subject of scientific study since at least 1928, when Josef Schaffer carried out precise measurements of its dimensions — a testament to the long-standing fascination this remote spot has held for explorers and researchers alike.