Turnagain Pass is a mountain pass in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska at about 293 m (961 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Girdwood, about 15.5 km (9.6 mi) away (Turnagain Pass lies S of town).
Turnagain Pass (el. 900 feet (274 m)) is a mountain pass just south of the municipal limits of Anchorage, Alaska. It is located in the northeastern part of Kenai Peninsula Borough. The pass marks the highest point on the Seward Highway at approximately milepost 70. Traveling north, the Seward Highway descends to skirt the edge of Turnagain Arm. The pass is a popular winter recreation area for skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers. The designated recreation area is located within the Chugach National Forest, which maintains the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center, whose forecasting area is centered on Turnagain Pass.From the Wikipedia article “Turnagain Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Turnagain Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 33° (NNE) at the June solstice and 142° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 327° (NNW) in June to 218° (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) | 7:59 AM | 89° E | 8:11 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:24 AM | 33° NNE | 11:35 PM | 327° NNW | 53° | 19h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:42 AM | 88° E | 7:59 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:08 AM | 142° SE | 3:44 PM | 218° SW | 6° | 5h 36m |
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 | 8:56 AM | 9:51 AM | 11:34 AM | 2:40 PM | 4:22 PM | 5:17 PM | 6h 31m |
| February | 7:53 AM | 8:38 AM | 9:45 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:30 PM | 9h 07m |
| March | 7:32 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:11 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:41 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:17 PM | 10:05 PM | 14h 40m |
| May | 4:05 AM | 5:13 AM | 6:23 AM | 9:25 PM | 10:35 PM | 11:43 PM | 17h 21m |
| June | — | 4:24 AM | 5:48 AM | 10:08 PM | 11:32 PM | — | 19h 08m |
| July | 3:27 AM | 4:54 AM | 6:10 AM | 9:56 PM | 11:13 PM | 12:40 AM | 18h 19m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:10 AM | 8:54 PM | 9:56 PM | 10:49 PM | 15h 47m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:21 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:21 PM | 9:04 PM | 12h 56m |
| October | 7:56 AM | 8:39 AM | 9:40 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:31 PM | 10h 09m |
| November | 8:10 AM | 9:01 AM | 10:25 AM | 2:59 PM | 4:24 PM | 5:14 PM | 7h 23m |
| December | 9:03 AM | 10:03 AM | — | — | 3:43 PM | 4:43 PM | 5h 40m |
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 | — | -12° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.5+ 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 mountain pass
- 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.
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Turnagain Pass, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Lake
Mountain PassScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Bertha Creek Campground6.9 km (4.3 mi)
- Bertha Creek Campground7.0 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- Granite Creek10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop Group Campground14.0 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Spencer Bench Cabin14.5 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Turnagain Pass?
What time is golden hour at Turnagain Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Turnagain Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Turnagain Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Turnagain Pass?
How far is Turnagain Pass from Girdwood?
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.