The remote peak is situated on land managed by Chugach National Forest, 72 mi (116 km) northeast of Cordova, and 20 mi (32 km) north of the Bering Glacier, North America's largest glacier.

[1][3] The first ascent of the mountain was made in 1973 by Story Clark, Chris Hall, Tom Kizzia, William Resor, Sarah Robey, and Don White.

[3] The peak was named for Thomas George White, an early pioneer of the southeastern Alaska Territory who first went to Alaska as a camp hand with the first Geological Survey-National Geographic St. Elias Expedition, and returned with the second St. Elias expedition in 1891.

[4] Following the end of the second expedition, Tom stayed in Alaska "to try his fortune in gold mining".

[7] Winds coming off the Gulf of Alaska are forced upwards by the Chugach Mountains (orographic lift), causing heavy precipitation in the form of rainfall and snowfall.