Located in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, Abraham-Temnac Pass is a mountain pass at about 359 m (1,178 ft) above sea level.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Abraham-Temnac Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 47° (NE) at the June solstice and 130° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 313° (NW) in June to 230° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 61° in summer but only 14° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 9:31 AM | 89° E | 9:42 PM | 271° W | 37° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 7:04 AM | 47° NE | 11:58 PM | 313° NW | 61° | 16h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 9:15 AM | 89° E | 9:28 PM | 272° W | 37° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:40 AM | 130° SE | 6:15 PM | 230° SW | 14° | 7h 35m |
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
Mountain passes sit above valleys, so they reward sunrise and sunset with layered ridges, valley fog and long shadows.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9:54 AM | 10:34 AM | 11:34 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:23 PM | 8h 09m |
| February | 9:10 AM | 9:46 AM | 10:36 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:17 PM | 9h 55m |
| March | 9:09 AM | 9:43 AM | 10:29 AM | 8:47 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:07 PM | 11h 50m |
| April | 7:53 AM | 8:30 AM | 9:16 AM | 9:41 PM | 10:28 PM | 11:05 PM | 13h 58m |
| May | 6:47 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:23 AM | 10:28 PM | 11:20 PM | 12:04 AM | 15h 49m |
| June | 6:13 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:00 AM | 10:59 PM | 11:56 PM | 12:47 AM | 16h 53m |
| July | 6:35 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:17 AM | 10:53 PM | 11:47 PM | 12:35 AM | 16h 24m |
| August | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 8:59 AM | 10:08 PM | 10:56 PM | 11:35 PM | 14h 45m |
| September | 8:29 AM | 9:04 AM | 9:49 AM | 9:00 PM | 9:45 PM | 10:20 PM | 12h 42m |
| October | 9:21 AM | 9:55 AM | 10:43 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:09 PM | 10h 39m |
| November | 9:15 AM | 9:53 AM | 10:49 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:13 PM | 8h 42m |
| December | 9:54 AM | 10:36 AM | 11:41 AM | 5:08 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:55 PM | 7h 37m |
Local time (America/Adak), 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 | — | -7° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| June | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| 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 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 83% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (95%). 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 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 45 | 48 | 54 | 56 | 57 | 52 | 49 | 46 |
| Low °F | 23 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 33 | 36 | 41 | 44 | 43 | 36 | 27 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 3.6 |
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 mountain pass
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
- Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Warm layers, Road-condition app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Abraham-Temnac Pass, closest first.
Mountain PassMountain Pass
BeachMountain PassBeachBeachMountain PassMountain PassMountain PassFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Abraham-Temnac Pass?
What time is golden hour at Abraham-Temnac Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Abraham-Temnac Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Abraham-Temnac Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Abraham-Temnac Pass?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.