[3] It is situated in northern Kings Canyon National Park, southwest of Evolution Valley, and 2.3 miles (3.7 km) northwest of Mount McGee, the nearest higher neighbor.

Topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises over 3,500 feet (1,100 meters) above Goddard Canyon in 1.5 mile.

The peak's descriptive name was originally applied in 1895 as "Emerald Point" by Sierra Club explorer Theodore Solomons due to its color, caused by greenish slate.

[3] The first ascent of the summit was made August 8, 1925, by Sierra Club members Norman Clyde, Julie Mortimer, and Eleanor Bartlett.

As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range (orographic lift).