mountain massif of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal, on the western side of the deep Kāli Gandak River gorge. Many of its snow- and glacier-covered peaks exceed 25,000 feet (7,620 m), including Dhaulāgiri I, II, III, and IV. At 26,795 feet (8,167 m), Dhaulāgiri I is one of the world's highest mountains. With a south wall 15,000 feet (4,600 m) high, the peak's steep sides and bitter climate prevented an ascent to the top until May 13, 1960, when a Swiss expedition led by Max Eiselin reached the summit. The name of the peak is derived from two Sanskrit words meaning “white mountain.”