Fandango Pass — a mountain pass in Modoc County, California at about 1,870 m (6,135 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Modoc National Forest. The nearest town is Lakeview, about 44 km (28 mi) away (Fandango Pass lies SSE of town).
The Fandango Pass (previously Lassen Pass; variants Lassen Cut-off, Lassen Horn) is a gap in the Warner Mountains of Modoc County, California, United States. Located in the Modoc National Forest, its elevation is 6,135 feet (1,870 m) above sea level. It is approximately 5 mi (8.0 km) southwest of Fort Bidwell. Fandango Pass was historically notable for its location as the convergence of two trails, the Applegate and the Lassen, that were traveled by emigrant pioneers between 1846 and 1850. The pass can now be traversed on a 10 mi (16 km) section of graded gravel, 1.5 lanes wide. It is closed during winter storms.From the Wikipedia article “Fandango Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fandango Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 57° ENE | 8:40 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 122° ESE | 4:34 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 4:52 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 10m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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
From Fandango Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:32 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:40 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 3:09 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 1:49 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 11:48 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 9:47 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 61 | 64 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 98 | 102 | 99 | 98 | 88 | 74 | 59 |
| Low °F | -10 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 21 | 29 | 39 | 38 | 28 | 19 | 4 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Fandango Pass, closest first.
Hot SpringHot Spring
Scenic Viewpoint
State ParkHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fandango Pass?
What time is golden hour at Fandango Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fandango Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fandango Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fandango Pass?
How far is Fandango Pass from Lakeview?
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.