Precipitation runoff and glacial meltwater from the mountain's slopes drains into tributaries of the Columbia River.

[1] Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,700 metres (5,577 ft) above Austerity Creek in 5 km (3.1 mi) and 2,600 m (8,530 ft) above Kinbasket Lake in 15 km (9.3 mi).

The first ascent of the summit was made on July 20, 1911, by Howard Palmer, Edward Holway, and Frederic King Butters.

"[7] Photographs of Austerity appeared in Howard Palmer's 1914 book, "Mountaineering and Explorations in the Selkirks".

[4] The mountain's current toponym was officially adopted on March 31, 1924, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.