It is set above the south shore of Tulainyo Lake, 12.5 miles (20.1 km) west of the community of Lone Pine, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) northeast of Mount Whitney, and 0.7 miles (1.1 km) east-northeast of Mount Russell, the nearest higher neighbor.

Carillon has subpeaks, unofficially called "The Cleaver" (13,383 ft (4,079 m), 0.4 mile to the northeast, and "Impala" (12,073+ ft/3,680+ m), on the southeast ridge.

[7] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains.

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).

Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains west to the Kern River via Wallace Creek, and east to Owens Valley via Lone Pine Creek.