Cryolophosaurus originally was collected during the 1990–91 austral summer on Mount Kirkpatrick in the Beardmore Glacier region of the Transantarctic Mountains.
The discovery was made by Hammer, a professor at Augustana College, and his team.
The fossils were found in the siliceous siltstone of the Hanson Formation, formerly the upper Falla Formation, and dated to the Pliensbachian Stage of the early Jurassic.
Cryolophosaurus was the second dinosaur, and first theropod, to be discovered in Antarctica.
It was discovered after Antarctopelta, but named earlier.

In 1991, both Hammer and the Ohio State University geologist David Elliot excavated separate outcrops near Beardmore Glacier, sharing logistical expenses.
Elliot's team first came across the remains of Cryolophosaurus in a rock formation around the altitude of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) high and about 640 km (400 mi) from the South Pole.
When the discovery was made, they soon notified Hammer.
Over the next three weeks, Hammer excavated 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) of fossil-bearing rock.
The team recovered over 100 fossil bones, including those of Cryolophosaurus.
The specimens were formally named and described in 1994 by Hammer and Hickerson, in the journal Science.

During the 2003 season, a field team returned and collected more material from the original site.
A second locality was discovered about 30 metres (98 ft) higher in the section on Mt. Kirkpatrick.

The name Cryolophosaurus ellioti is derived from the Greek words κρυος (meaning 'cold' or 'frozen', in reference to its discovery in Antarctica), λοφος (meaning 'crest') and σαυρος (meaning 'lizard'), thus "cold crest lizard".
Hammer and Hickerson named the species C. ellioti, after David Elliot, who had made the initial discovery of the fossils.
Cryolophosaurus originally was collected during the 1990–91 austral summer on Mount Kirkpatrick in the Beardmore Glacier region of the Transantarctic Mountains. The discovery was made by Hammer, a professor at Augustana College, and his team. The fossils were found in the siliceous siltstone of the Hanson Formation, formerly the upper Falla Formation, and dated to the Pliensbachian Stage of the early Jurassic. Cryolophosaurus was the second dinosaur, and first theropod, to be discovered in Antarctica. It was discovered after Antarctopelta, but named earlier.
In 1991, both Hammer and the Ohio State University geologist David Elliot excavated separate outcrops near Beardmore Glacier, sharing logistical expenses. Elliot's team first came across the remains of Cryolophosaurus in a rock formation around the altitude of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) high and about 640 km (400 mi) from the South Pole. When the discovery was made, they soon notified Hammer. Over the next three weeks, Hammer excavated 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) of fossil-bearing rock. The team recovered over 100 fossil bones, including those of Cryolophosaurus. The specimens were formally named and described in 1994 by Hammer and Hickerson, in the journal Science.
During the 2003 season, a field team returned and collected more material from the original site. A second locality was discovered about 30 metres (98 ft) higher in the section on Mt. Kirkpatrick.
The name Cryolophosaurus ellioti is derived from the Greek words κρυος (meaning 'cold' or 'frozen', in reference to its discovery in Antarctica), λοφος (meaning 'crest') and σαυρος (meaning 'lizard'), thus "cold crest lizard". Hammer and Hickerson named the species C. ellioti, after David Elliot, who had made the initial discovery of the fossils.
Cryolophosaurus