Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 4,875 feet (1,486 m) above the Hayes Glacier in two miles (3.2 km).

The first ascent of the summit was made on April 19, 1970, by Theodore Nicolai, Ed Johann, Terry Simonitch, and Price Zimmermann via the Northeast Ridge.

[5] The mountain was named by Troy L. Péwé for Dr. Ivar Skarland (1899–1965), head of the Department of Anthropology of the University of Alaska at the time of his death.

[7] Dr. Skarland worked with Otto W. Geist who also has an adjacent peak named after him (Mt.

[9] Skarland and Geist were personal friends of Bernt Balchen, who also had a nearby peak (Mt.