Gams Basin

If we look at this time period, 92 million years ago there was a lot going on – the formation of the Alps was in full swing. The rocks of the limestone Alps were pushed together with enormous force. As a result, parts of them were pressed upwards, others were pushed down into the depths. At the same time, the sea flooded parts of the Alpine region that had long been dry land. The sections sinking into the depths took up clay, marl and sand from the islands. They are called the Gosaubecken after the Upper Austrian town of Gosau.

The basin of Gams is also a Gosau basin. The subsidence was only a few millimetres a year. However, the basin existed for 50 million years, from the late Cretaceous to the early Tertiary period. During this time, 2500 metres of rocks were deposited on top of each other. The basin was often filled up just as quickly as it sank into the depths. It was therefore only slightly deeper than the surrounding sea at these times.

The enormous forces of mountain building pressed the basin together like a vice. The layers deposited horizontally in the sea were thereby tilted. 50 million years ago, the Alps rose out of the sea. With this, the deposition of rocks in the basin ceased.

The rocks of the Gams basin are softer than the limestone and dolomite of its margins. As a result of the more rapid weathering of its rocks, the Gams Basin is a gentle hilly area in the midst of steep mountains.