Anaktuvuk Pass — a mountain pass in North Slope Borough, Alaska at about 665 m (2,182 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers.
The Anaktuvuk Pass ("the place of caribou droppings", el. 2,200 ft.) is a mountain pass located in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve within the Brooks Range in northern Alaska. The Anaktuvuk Pass lies at where the Anaktuvuk River begins to flow south into the John River. To the east is Anaktuvuk Valley, which is crossed by the continental divide. Anaktuvuk Pass is also the name of the settlement in the pass, the home of the only concentrated population of the Nunamiut, the inland Iñupiat group in Alaska.From the Wikipedia article “Anaktuvuk Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At this latitude the sun does not rise or set on some days of the year, so check the monthly table below for daylight and twilight.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:07 AM | 88° E | 8:24 PM | 272° W | 22° | 12h 17m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | — | — | — | — | 45° | — |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:49 AM | 88° E | 8:11 PM | 273° W | 22° | 12h 22m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | — | — | — | — | -2° | — |
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 | 10:02 AM | 11:44 AM | — | — | 2:50 PM | 4:32 PM | 3h 06m |
| February | 8:24 AM | 9:26 AM | 11:12 AM | 3:32 PM | 5:18 PM | 6:20 PM | 7h 51m |
| March | 7:32 AM | 8:28 AM | 9:43 AM | 6:50 PM | 8:05 PM | 9:01 PM | 11h 37m |
| April | 5:04 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:42 PM | 10:00 PM | 11:11 PM | 15h 46m |
| May | — | 3:49 AM | 5:48 AM | 10:20 PM | 12:19 AM | — | 20h 30m |
| June | — | — | 4:47 AM | 11:29 PM | — | — | — |
| July | — | — | 5:22 AM | 11:05 PM | — | — | — |
| August | 3:50 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 9:30 PM | 10:58 PM | 12:34 AM | 17h 31m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:38 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:39 PM | 13h 17m |
| October | 8:15 AM | 9:12 AM | 10:39 AM | 5:08 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:32 PM | 9h 22m |
| November | 9:03 AM | 10:23 AM | — | — | 3:22 PM | 4:42 PM | 4h 58m |
| December | 10:23 AM | — | — | — | — | 3:43 PM | — |
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 | — | -15° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -13° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| April | No darkness | — | — | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | No darkness | — | — | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -15° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -16° | — |
| 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 January as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 31 | 27 | 34 | 39 | 64 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 56 | 46 | 32 | 33 |
| Low °F | -50 | -45 | -52 | -34 | -18 | 17 | 24 | 17 | -1 | -17 | -39 | -45 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.8 |
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 mountain pass
- 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.
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Anaktuvuk Pass?
What time is golden hour at Anaktuvuk Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Anaktuvuk Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Anaktuvuk Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Anaktuvuk Pass?
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.