Located in Nome Census Area, Alaska, Pilgrim Hot Springs is a ghost town. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pilgrim Hot Springs is a ghost town in the interior of the Seward Peninsula of northwestern Arctic Alaska. Also known as Kruzgamepa, Kruzgamepa Springs and Unaatuq. It is located on the southeast bank of the Kruzgamepa River, about 8 miles (13 km) south of milepost 65 of the Kougarok Road, on the traditional lands of the Kauweramiut, also known as the People of Kauwerak, also known as people of the Village of Mary's Igloo and their descendants. The location gained prominence in the early 20th century because of its thermal hot springs, which made agricultural homesteading possible, and which were adapted to provide a respite for the gold miners of Nome. Early buildings, built 1900–03, were of log construction, and included a log cabin, barn and chicken house. A roadhouse and saloon were built after 1903, but were destroyed by fire in 1908, after the mining boom had ended.From the Wikipedia article “Pilgrim Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pilgrim Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 13° (NNE) at the June solstice and 156° (SSE) in late December. Sunset moves from 348° (NNW) in June to 204° (SSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 48° in summer but only 1° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 9:00 AM | 89° E | 9:15 PM | 272° W | 25° | 12h 15m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:57 AM | 13° NNE | 2:07 AM | 348° NNW | 48° | 22h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:44 AM | 88° E | 9:03 PM | 272° W | 25° | 12h 19m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 12:13 PM | 156° SSE | 3:44 PM | 204° SSW | 1° | 3h 31m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10:27 AM | 11:39 AM | — | — | 4:40 PM | 5:53 PM | 5h 01m |
| February | 9:07 AM | 10:00 AM | 11:24 AM | 5:06 PM | 6:29 PM | 7:23 PM | 8h 29m |
| March | 8:30 AM | 9:19 AM | 10:25 AM | 7:54 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:49 PM | 11h 41m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:32 AM | 9:28 PM | 10:37 PM | 11:35 PM | 15h 14m |
| May | — | 5:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 10:51 PM | 12:20 AM | — | 18h 47m |
| June | — | 4:01 AM | 6:16 AM | 11:46 PM | 2:01 AM | — | 22h 00m |
| July | — | 4:58 AM | 6:44 AM | 11:28 PM | 1:15 AM | — | 20h 17m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:00 AM | 10:10 PM | 11:24 PM | 12:34 AM | 16h 38m |
| September | 7:32 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:28 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:20 PM | 13h 06m |
| October | 9:03 AM | 9:54 AM | 11:07 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:29 PM | 9h 44m |
| November | 9:35 AM | 10:39 AM | 1:05 PM | 2:25 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:55 PM | 6h 13m |
| December | 10:40 AM | 12:07 PM | — | — | 3:45 PM | 5:12 PM | 3h 38m |
Local time (America/Nome), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | No darkness | — | — | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -13° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 55% average cloud cover) and October as the cloudiest (82%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 35 | 34 | 33 | 47 | 73 | 82 | 82 | 75 | 64 | 53 | 36 | 34 |
| Low °F | -44 | -44 | -35 | -21 | -2 | 22 | 30 | 27 | 18 | -3 | -21 | -34 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this ghost town
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Pilgrim Hot Springs, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pilgrim Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Pilgrim Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pilgrim Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pilgrim Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pilgrim Hot Springs?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.