Holgate Glacier — a glacier in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska at about 673 m (2,208 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Kenai Fjords National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 37 km (23 mi) SW of Seward.
Holgate Glacier is a glacier located in the U.S. state of Alaska, in Kenai Fjords National Park. It flows outward from the Harding Icefield toward Holgate Arm of Aialik Bay. Tour boats from Seward, Alaska offer tourists the opportunity to view the glacier.From the Wikipedia article “Holgate Glacier”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Holgate Glacier the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 35° (NE) at the June solstice and 140° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 325° (NW) in June to 220° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 54° in summer but only 7° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:02 AM | 89° E | 8:14 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:38 AM | 35° NE | 11:27 PM | 325° NW | 54° | 18h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:45 AM | 88° E | 8:01 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:01 AM | 140° SE | 3:56 PM | 220° SW | 7° | 5h 55m |
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 | 8:54 AM | 9:47 AM | 11:20 AM | 3:00 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:25 PM | 6h 46m |
| February | 7:54 AM | 8:38 AM | 9:42 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:35 PM | 9h 14m |
| March | 7:36 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:12 AM | 7:07 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:43 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:17 PM | 10:03 PM | 14h 34m |
| May | 4:20 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:30 AM | 9:24 PM | 10:31 PM | 11:34 PM | 17h 07m |
| June | 2:58 AM | 4:38 AM | 5:57 AM | 10:05 PM | 11:24 PM | 1:04 AM | 18h 46m |
| July | 3:49 AM | 5:06 AM | 6:18 AM | 9:54 PM | 11:07 PM | 12:24 AM | 18h 01m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:55 PM | 9:54 PM | 10:45 PM | 15h 38m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:23 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:23 PM | 9:05 PM | 12h 54m |
| October | 7:58 AM | 8:40 AM | 9:39 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:35 PM | 10h 13m |
| November | 8:09 AM | 8:58 AM | 10:17 AM | 3:14 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:21 PM | 7h 34m |
| December | 9:00 AM | 9:57 AM | 11:58 AM | 1:54 PM | 3:55 PM | 4:52 PM | 5h 58m |
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 | — | -5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.93 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 76% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (83%). August is the warmest month and March 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 | 47 | 44 | 45 | 53 | 59 | 68 | 69 | 69 | 64 | 54 | 52 | 48 |
| Low °F | 15 | 17 | 13 | 22 | 33 | 42 | 46 | 50 | 41 | 32 | 20 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.6 | 6.3 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 5.6 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 7.8 |
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
- Include a person or boat for scale — glaciers are much larger than they look.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Holgate Glacier, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Holgate Glacier?
What time is golden hour at Holgate Glacier?
Where does the sun rise and set at Holgate Glacier?
Can you see the Milky Way from Holgate Glacier?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Holgate Glacier?
How far is Holgate 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.