It is 740 meters tall, and is typically shrouded in mist in all seasons. The temperature varies sharply from day to night, and the slopes are very wet because of all the rain and fog. Because the only way to get to the top is on foot, and you are sure to freeze your toes along the way, the peak has long been known as Tungting, which means "frozen peak."
鹿谷鄉主要茶區──凍頂山，是鳳凰山的支脈，海拔七百四十公尺，終年雲霧常罩，日夜溫差大，由於山坡多雨霧而濕滑，必須繃緊腳趾（台語俗稱凍腳尖）才能走上山頂，故稱凍頂。