It is the northernmost of the volcanoes which comprise the Executive Committee Range in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica and was active during the Miocene.

[11] Based on outcrops, it appears that most of the volcano is formed by flow rocks[12] but cinder and lava bombs occur at parasitic vents.

[15] Owing to climate conditions, the persistence of permanent ice atop of the mountain is unlikely over the long term;[16] erosion there appears to have been episodic[17] with maxima during interglacials[18] and there is no evidence of cirque formation.

[32] As at other volcanoes of Marie Byrd Land, the parasitic activity at Mount Hampton occurred after a long period of dormancy.

[33] However, the presence around the caldera rim of snow-covered[34] inactive 10–20 metres (33–66 ft) high ice towers[c] indicate that the mountain is geothermally active[37] and may have erupted during the Holocene.