Located in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, Exit Glacier is a glacier at about 1,080 m (3,543 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Kenai Fjords National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Seward, about 15.8 km (9.8 mi) away (Exit Glacier lies WNW of town).
Exit Glacier is a glacier derived from the Harding Icefield in the Kenai Mountains of Alaska and one of Kenai Fjords National Park's major attractions. It is one of the most accessible valley glaciers in Alaska and is a visible indicator of glacial recession due to climate change. Exit Glacier retreated approximately 187 feet (57 m) from 2013 to 2014 and park scientists continue to monitor and record the glacier's accelerating recession. It received its name for serving as the exit for the first recorded crossing of the Harding Icefield in 1968.From the Wikipedia article “Exit Glacier”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Exit Glacier the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 35° (NE) at the June solstice and 141° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 326° (NW) in June to 219° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 53° in summer but only 6° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:01 AM | 89° E | 8:13 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:33 AM | 35° NE | 11:29 PM | 326° NW | 53° | 18h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:44 AM | 88° E | 8:01 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:03 AM | 141° SE | 3:52 PM | 219° SW | 6° | 5h 49m |
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
Ice shows its blue best under overcast skies or in shade; bright sun turns glaciers white and flat.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:55 AM | 9:48 AM | 11:24 AM | 2:54 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:23 PM | 6h 41m |
| February | 7:54 AM | 8:38 AM | 9:43 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:34 PM | 9h 12m |
| March | 7:34 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:12 AM | 7:05 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:43 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:17 PM | 10:04 PM | 14h 36m |
| May | 4:16 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:28 AM | 9:24 PM | 10:32 PM | 11:36 PM | 17h 12m |
| June | 2:45 AM | 4:34 AM | 5:54 AM | 10:06 PM | 11:27 PM | 1:15 AM | 18h 53m |
| July | 3:42 AM | 5:02 AM | 6:16 AM | 9:55 PM | 11:09 PM | 12:29 AM | 18h 07m |
| August | 5:22 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:54 PM | 9:55 PM | 10:46 PM | 15h 41m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:23 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:22 PM | 9:05 PM | 12h 54m |
| October | 7:57 AM | 8:39 AM | 9:39 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:33 PM | 10h 12m |
| November | 8:10 AM | 8:59 AM | 10:19 AM | 3:09 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:19 PM | 7h 31m |
| December | 9:01 AM | 9:59 AM | 12:08 PM | 1:42 PM | 3:51 PM | 4:49 PM | 5h 53m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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 | — | -11° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.0+ 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 69% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (84%). 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 | 34 | 34 | 37 | 46 | 59 | 76 | 77 | 75 | 62 | 49 | 41 | 36 |
| Low °F | -22 | -18 | -24 | -3 | 13 | 30 | 35 | 32 | 23 | -2 | -15 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.1 | 5.9 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 6.7 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 7.3 |
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 glacier
- Boat tours to tidewater glaciers offer calving shots; use fast shutter speeds and a telephoto.
- Never walk on a glacier without training and gear; crevasses hide under snow bridges.
- Expose carefully: ice and snow fool meters into underexposure, so add +1 to +2 stops.
- A polarizer deepens the blue of glacial ice and the turquoise of meltwater lakes.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Summer offers access; late summer exposes the most bare ice before new snow.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Polarizer, Waterproof shell, Spare batteries (cold drains them). Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Exit Glacier, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Lake
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dale Clemens Cabin16.2 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Upper Russian Lake Cabin24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Primrose Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Aspen Flats Cabin (Chugach National Forest, Ak)27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Exit Glacier?
What time is golden hour at Exit Glacier?
Where does the sun rise and set at Exit Glacier?
Can you see the Milky Way from Exit Glacier?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Exit Glacier?
How far is Exit Glacier from Seward?
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.