Located in Skagway Municipality, Alaska, Chilkoot Pass is a mountain pass at about 1,068 m (3,504 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 27 km (17 mi) N of Skagway.
Chilkoot Pass (el. 3,759 feet or 1,146 metres) is a high mountain pass through the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the U.S. state of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. It is the highest point along the Chilkoot Trail, which leads from Dyea, Alaska, to Bennett Lake, British Columbia. The Chilkoot Trail was long a route used by the Tlingit for trade. During the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 19th century, it was used by prospectors and packers to get through the mountains. During the gold rush, three aerial tramways and several surface hoists were constructed and operated briefly over the pass. When the White Pass and Yukon Route railroad was built in neighboring White Pass, the Chilkoot Pass route fell out of favor with miners.From the Wikipedia article “Chilkoot Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chilkoot Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 36° (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) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:41 AM | 36° NE | 10:26 PM | 325° NW | 54° | 18h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 88° E | 7:03 PM | 272° W | 31° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 9:01 AM | 140° SE | 2:59 PM | 220° SW | 7° | 5h 58m |
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 | 7:55 AM | 8:47 AM | 10:18 AM | 2:04 PM | 3:35 PM | 4:27 PM | 6h 48m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 15m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:08 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:00 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:18 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 32m |
| May | 3:24 AM | 4:26 AM | 5:32 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:31 PM | 10:33 PM | 17h 05m |
| June | 2:05 AM | 3:41 AM | 4:59 AM | 9:06 PM | 10:23 PM | 12:00 AM | 18h 42m |
| July | 2:53 AM | 4:08 AM | 5:20 AM | 8:55 PM | 10:07 PM | 11:22 PM | 17h 58m |
| August | 4:27 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 37m |
| September | 5:48 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:24 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 54m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:39 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 14m |
| November | 7:10 AM | 7:58 AM | 9:16 AM | 2:17 PM | 3:35 PM | 4:23 PM | 7h 37m |
| December | 8:00 AM | 8:56 AM | 10:53 AM | 1:01 PM | 2:58 PM | 3:54 PM | 6h 01m |
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
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 ≈ 21.95 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 February as the clearest month (about 68% average cloud cover) and September as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 38 | 32 | 39 | 42 | 56 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 59 | 47 | 36 | 34 |
| Low °F | -42 | -40 | -32 | -15 | 5 | 23 | 31 | 29 | 16 | -11 | -35 | -40 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 5.7 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
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.
- 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.
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 Chilkoot Pass, closest first.
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfall
Ghost TownScenic ViewpointWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Laughton Glacier Cabin18.9 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
- Denver Caboose Cabin22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Dyea Campground22 km (14 mi)
- Chilkoot Trail Camping Permits27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chilkoot Pass?
What time is golden hour at Chilkoot Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chilkoot Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chilkoot Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chilkoot Pass?
How far is Chilkoot Pass from Skagway?
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.