Santa Susana Pass — a mountain pass in Ventura County, California at about 490 m (1,608 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.0 km (1.9 mi) WNW of Chatsworth.
The Santa Susana Pass, originally Simi Pass, is a low mountain pass in the Simi Hills of Southern California, connecting the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth, to the city of Simi Valley and eponymous valley. It has been featured in numerous movies, including Shooting High (1940), Man's Genesis (1912), Judith of Bethulia (1914), Jack and the Beanstalk (1917) and Range Warfare (1935).From the Wikipedia article “Santa Susana Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Santa Susana Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 61° ENE | 8:10 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 118° ESE | 4:49 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 53m |
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 Santa Susana Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 4:45 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 3:54 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 10:28 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.37 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (42%). 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 | 80 | 84 | 87 | 93 | 99 | 109 | 110 | 107 | 112 | 101 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 50 | 51 | 43 | 35 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
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 Santa Susana Pass, closest first.
State Park
Canyon
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
Canyon
Waterfall
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Santa Susana Pass?
What time is golden hour at Santa Susana Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Santa Susana Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Santa Susana Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Santa Susana Pass?
How far is Santa Susana Pass from Chatsworth?
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.