Silver Peak is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, 3.2 miles northeast of Ebbetts Pass in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, on land managed by Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest.

Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,400 feet (1,000 meters) above Noble Canyon in 1.6 mile (2.6 km).

The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.

[6] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains.

As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range.