Topographic relief is modest as the summit rises 1,200 metres (3,937 ft) above Glacier Lake in 3 km (1.9 mi).

An ascent of the peak involves 1,400 metres of elevation gain covering 16 km round-trip distance, part of which is on the Glacier Lake Trail.

[1] The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on March 31, 1924, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.

[8][2] Like other mountains in Banff Park, Survey Peak is composed of sedimentary rock laid down from the Precambrian to Jurassic periods.

Summer months offer the most favorable weather for climbing the peak, however snowshoeing in the spring is an option, albeit one with avalanche risk.