Sulzer — a ghost town in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 39 km (24 mi) ESE of Craig.
Sulzer, Alaska is a ghost town on Prince of Wales Island in the U.S. state of Alaska. The community centered on a copper mine established by William Sulzer on the shore of Hetta Inlet. Operated by the Alaska Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company, the Jumbo Mine was active from 1907 to 1918 and was one of Alaska's largest copper producers. Charles August Sulzer, brother of William and delegate to the United States Congress from the Territory of Alaska, lived in Sulzer when he took ill in April 1919 and died while on board a boat en route to Ketchikan.From the Wikipedia article “Sulzer, Alaska”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sulzer the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 44° (NE) at the June solstice and 133° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 316° (NW) in June to 228° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 58° in summer but only 11° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 35° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:10 AM | 44° NE | 9:36 PM | 316° NW | 58° | 17h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 272° W | 35° | 12h 14m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:16 AM | 133° SE | 3:22 PM | 228° SW | 11° | 7h 06m |
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 | 7:25 AM | 8:08 AM | 9:16 AM | 2:45 PM | 3:53 PM | 4:36 PM | 7h 44m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 42m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:07 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 08m |
| May | 3:54 AM | 4:42 AM | 5:38 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:42 PM | 16h 12m |
| June | 3:11 AM | 4:10 AM | 5:12 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:34 PM | 10:33 PM | 17h 24m |
| July | 3:37 AM | 4:31 AM | 5:30 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:23 PM | 10:17 PM | 16h 53m |
| August | 4:43 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:09 PM | 15h 02m |
| September | 5:47 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:21 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 46m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 31m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:27 AM | 2:45 PM | 3:47 PM | 4:28 PM | 8h 22m |
| December | 7:26 AM | 8:12 AM | 9:27 AM | 2:06 PM | 3:21 PM | 4:07 PM | 7h 09m |
Local time (America/Juneau), 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
At this latitude the summer nights are too short or too bright for the Milky Way core to stand high in true darkness; aim for star trails or the aurora.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
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 2.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show February as the clearest month (about 73% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 51 | 50 | 62 | 69 | 74 | 87 | 80 | 83 | 75 | 66 | 53 | 49 |
| Low °F | -4 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 27 | 37 | 43 | 44 | 36 | 18 | -2 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 11.0 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 12.1 | 11.5 | 10.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Sulzer, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Josephine Lake Cabin6.2 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Polk Camp9.9 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Twelvemile Cabin10.9 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Harris River Campground25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Trollers Cove Cabin28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sulzer?
What time is golden hour at Sulzer?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sulzer?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sulzer?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sulzer?
How far is Sulzer from Craig?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.