Mount Symons is set along the boundary shared by the Marlborough and Canterbury Regions of the South Island.

Topographic relief is significant as the north face rises over 800 metres (2,625 feet) in approximately one kilometre.

The nearest higher neighbour is Mitre Peak, 4.56 kilometres to the northeast.

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

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