Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri, in Nepal, is the seventh highest mountain on Earth and the highest peak entirely within a single country. Its name comes from Sanskrit, combining *dhawala* (dazzling, white, beautiful) and *giri* (mountain). It is the highest point of the Gandaki river basin. The mountain rises with extraordinary suddenness from lower terrain, gaining immense vertical relief from the Kali Gandaki River 30 kilometers to the southeast. Its South and West faces rise precipitously. The Kali Gandaki flows between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I to the east, through the Kali Gandaki Gorge, the world’s deepest canyon. The town of Pokhara lies south of the Annapurnas, serving as a regional center and gateway for climbers and trekkers. From the plains of India, Dhaulagiri is conspicuous in clear weather as far south as Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. In 1808, survey computations identified it as the highest surveyed mountain, a status it held until 1838. The summit rock layers of Dhaulagiri, like Everest, are limestone and dolomite formed on an ancient ocean floor, unlike the granite summits of other Himalayan eight-thousanders. Dhaulagiri was the penultimate eight-thousander to be climbed, and the last in Nepal. Most ascents follow the Northeast Ridge route of the first successful climb on 13 May 1960 by a Swiss-Austrian-Nepali expedition. That expedition was supported by the first prototype fixed-wing aircraft used in the Himalaya, which set a record for highest fixed-wing landing before crashing and being abandoned. The South Face remains one of alpinism’s greatest unclimbed challenges. As of 2007, there had been 358 successful ascents and 58 fatalities, a summit-to-fatality rate of 16.2%.
- Location
- Nepal
- First ascensionists
- Kurt Diemberger, Peter Diener, Ernst Forrer, Albin Schelbert, Nyima Dorje Sherpa, Nawang Dorje Sherpa
- Prominence parent
- K2
- Notable feature
- Highest mountain within a single country
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Dhaulagiri, whose name derives from the Sanskrit words for "dazzling, white, beautiful" and "mountain," is the seventh highest mountain on Earth and the highest peak contained entirely within a single country. Located in Nepal, it rises with extraordinary vertical relief, gaining over 7,000 meters from the Kali Gandaki River just 30 kilometers to the southeast, while its south and west faces drop precipitously. This sudden rise makes it conspicuous from the plains of northern India, visible as far south as Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The mountain stands east of the Dhaulagiri range, and the Kali Gandaki River flows between it and Annapurna I to the east, carving the world's deepest gorge. Uniquely among Nepal's eight-thousanders, Dhaulagiri's prominence parent is K2, over 1,000 kilometers away, due to its immense isolation. Its summit rock layers are composed of limestone and dolomite, formed at the bottom of an ancient ocean, contrasting with the granite summits of other Himalayan giants. Dhaulagiri was the penultimate eight-thousander to be climbed, first summited on 13 May 1960 by a Swiss-Austrian-Nepali expedition via the northeast ridge, which remains the most common route. The south face is considered one of alpinism's greatest remaining challenges, having repelled all full-length attempts. As of 2007, there had been 358 successful ascents and 58 fatalities, giving a summit-to-fatality rate of 16.2%.
Reader's Guide
Dhaulagiri, whose name derives from Sanskrit for "dazzling white mountain," is the seventh highest peak on Earth and the highest mountain contained entirely within a single country. It is the highest point of the Gandaki River basin. From the Indian plains, it is conspicuously visible in clear weather as far south as Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. In 1808, survey computations identified it as the highest mountain yet surveyed, a status it held until 1838. The mountain’s vertical relief is extraordinary: it rises 7,000 meters from the Kali Gandaki River just 30 kilometers to the southeast, and its south and west faces drop precipitously over immense cliffs. The rock at its summit is limestone and dolomite, formed on an ancient ocean floor, unlike the granite found on other Himalayan eight-thousanders. Dhaulagiri was the penultimate eight-thousander ever climbed, and the last in Nepal to be summited. The first ascent occurred on 13 May 1960 by a Swiss-Austrian-Nepali expedition, which also set a record for the highest fixed-wing aircraft landing. Most ascents have followed the Northeast Ridge route of that first climb, as other approaches are disproportionately dangerous. The South Face, in particular, is regarded as one of the greatest remaining challenges in alpinism, having repelled all full-length attempts. As of 2007, there had been 358 successful summits and 58 fatalities, giving a summit-to-fatality rate of 16.2%. Between 1950 and 2006, 2.88% of expedition members and staff above base camp died, a rate higher than the 1.63% average for all Nepali eight-thousanders.
Did You Know?
- The Kali Gandaki River flows between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I in the world's deepest gorge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Dhaulagiri unique among the world's peaks?
Unlike many other 8,000-metre giants that straddle international borders, Dhaulagiri sits entirely within Nepal, earning it the title of the highest mountain in a single country. It also serves as the highest point in the Gandaki river basin.
What is Dhaulagiri's prominence parent?
Dhaulagiri's topographic prominence parent is K2, meaning that in terms of its key col and elevation hierarchy, K2 is the peak it connects to.
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