Ridgewood Summit — a mountain pass in Mendocino County, California — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 8.4 km (5.2 mi) SSE of Willits.
Ridgewood Summit is a low mountain pass in Mendocino County, California, traversed by U.S. Route 101 at an altitude of 1,956 feet (596 m). It crosses the Mendocino Range, connecting Ukiah and the watershed of the Russian River, on the south of the pass, to Willits and the watershed of the Eel River on the north. It is the highest pass on U.S. Route 101 in California. Greenough Ridge and Irene Peak rise to the west of the pass. The spur of the Mendocino Range to the east of the pass is called the Laughlin Range. Ridgewood Ranch, the last resting place of racehorse Seabiscuit, lies immediately to the south of the pass, in the Walker Valley.From the Wikipedia article “Ridgewood Summit”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ridgewood Summit the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 58° ENE | 8:44 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 57m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 56m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 25m |
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 Ridgewood Summit, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:42 PM – 3:42 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:14 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:20 AM | 2.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.45 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 23% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). August 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 | 71 | 73 | 71 | 75 | 81 | 88 | 87 | 87 | 89 | 85 | 75 | 67 |
| Low °F | 34 | 35 | 34 | 36 | 39 | 45 | 49 | 49 | 45 | 41 | 35 | 34 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.3 | 7.4 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 5.3 | 10.2 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Ridgewood Summit, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Pomo Day Use Area16.4 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
- Kyen Campground And Oak Grove Day Use Area16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Bushay Recreation Area17.5 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- Chekaka Recreation Area Lake Mendocino19.0 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
- Pine Mountain Lookout26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ridgewood Summit?
What time is golden hour at Ridgewood Summit?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ridgewood Summit?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ridgewood Summit?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ridgewood Summit?
How far is Ridgewood Summit from Willits?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.