Vorderer Gosausee

The Vorderer Gosausee is a mountain lake in the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria, lying at the foot of the Dachstein massif. It sits at 933 metres above sea level and belongs to the Austrian Federal Forests. The Gosaubach stream flows from the lake into the Traun, which in turn drains into the Danube. Its scenic setting makes it a popular day-trip destination for visitors. The lake’s fame rests on its mirror-like reflections of the Dachstein’s glaciers and peaks. When the water is still, the almost symmetrical image of the ice and rock framed by the Gosaukamm ridge is one of Austria’s most photographed mountain views. The lake was raised by about twelve metres in 1913 to feed a chain of hydro-electric plants, giving it its present size and depth of up to seventy-six metres. In winter, when water is drawn down for power, shingle banks appear along the shore. Paths circle the lake, including a four-and-a-half-kilometre flat trail used each May for a relay race. On the east shore a via ferrata called the Laserer-Alpin-Klettersteig clings to the cliffs of the Lärchkogel. The lake’s clear waters attract divers in summer, and underground springs feed it from the rear. Fish such as grayling, brown trout, rainbow trout, perch and pike live in its depths. The nearby Gosaukammbahn cable-car station at the lake’s entrance marks the start of routes to the Dachstein summits.