DACHSTEIN

mountain massif of the northern Alps, Austria, on the borders of the Bundeslnder (federal provinces) Obersterreich, Salzburg, and Steiermark, reaching its maximum elevation at Hoher Dachstein (9,826 ft ). Among the massif's higher reaches are the easternmost and northernmost glaciers of the Alps, the largest of which is the Hallstttergletscher, 2 sq mi (5.3 sq km) in area. The Alpine scenery of the massif attracts skiers and mountain climbers, and the ice and limestone caves of the Dachsteineishhle and Koppenbrllerhhle provide further attractions. Some 240 other caves have been identified on the massif.