The massif runs roughly North-South, and hence appears compressed when viewed from the south (Ranikhet, Kausani), and more stretched out from the Southeast (Chamoli, Bedini Bugyal).

T. G. Longstaff made the first climbing reconnaissance of Trisul, in September 1905, focussing on the western and southern sides.

[8] He returned in 1907 with Charles Granville Bruce, Arnold L. Mumm; the three Alpine guides Moritz Inderbinnen and the brothers Henri and Alexis Brocherel; and a number of Gurkhas, including Karbir Burathoki.

They ascended through the Rishiganga valley, to the north of the peak, onto the Trisul Glacier, which lies on the east side.

The south side was first ascended in 1976 by a Yugoslavian expedition, with Slovenian climbers Andrej Graseli and Štefan Marenče reaching the peak on 15 May, followed by Vanja Matijevec the following day.