Cold Mountain rises over three valleys: the Logar Valley, the Matk Cirque (Slovene: Matkov kot), and the Vellach Combe (German: Vellacher Kotschna, Slovene: Belska kočna).

The border with Austria runs along the northern and western side, and until 1967 it was difficult to access because of political problems.

In 1876, Robert von Lendenfeld and a guide named Matijevec from Luče reached the western peak and they descended, thinking they had reached the highest peak.

In 1877, Karl Blodig (the first to climb every peak over 4,000 meters or 13,000 feet in Europe) tried two times, but quit due to weather well below the top.

In the same year Johannes Frischauf, Piskernik, and Matek finally conquered the top.