Gamskarlsee

The Gamskarlsee is a small alpine lake in the municipality of Bad Gastein in Salzburg. It sits high in the Hohe Tauern National Park at 2,244 metres above sea level. The lake is surrounded by rugged peaks, including the Hölltorkogel to the east and the Palfner Seekogel to the northwest. A stream called the Reedbach begins here and flows down to the Reedsee further down the valley. Several other mountain lakes lie nearby, such as the Obere and Untere Bärmoossee and the Kühkarsee. The lake holds ecological importance as an oligotrophic body of water, meaning it is low in nutrients but rich in specialised life. Rare rotifers like Cephalodella gibba and Trichocerca montana live in its clear waters. Around the shore, rounded rock knolls create pockets of different plant communities. Among them grow sticky primrose, dwarf willow, and tiny soldanella in damp hollows. On the knolls themselves grow alpine species such as three-leaf rush, mountain heather, and wind-loving lichens. Visitors reach the Gamskarlsee by following mountain paths through the national park. The lake’s shoreline is short but varied, with rocky outcrops and patches of turf. The air is thin and cool, and the reflections of the surrounding summits ripple on the surface. Few people come here, so the scene remains quiet and undisturbed. The only sounds are the wind across the knolls and the occasional call of a bird high above the peaks.