It is located 193 kilometres (120 mi) west of the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region of the South Island.

[2] The mountain's toponym honours Sea Captain William Sibbald, the first runholder at nearby Lilybank Station in 1868.

[5] Prevailing westerly winds blow moist air from the Tasman Sea onto the mountains, where the air is forced upward by the mountains (orographic lift), causing moisture to drop in the form of rain or snow.

This climate supports small unnamed glaciers on this mountain's slopes.

The months of December through February offer the most favourable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.