Triunfo Pass — a mountain pass in Ventura County, California at about 641 m (2,103 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 8.2 km (5.1 mi) SSE of Casa Conejo.
The Triunfo Pass is a mountain pass in the Santa Monica Mountains, located on Yerba Buena Road in southeastern Ventura County, Southern California. Automobile access to Circle X Ranch Park, part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, is on the west side of the pass. The pass is the site of an earth station.From the Wikipedia article “Triunfo Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Triunfo 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 299° (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) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 61° ENE | 8:11 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 118° ESE | 4:51 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:03 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 54m |
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 Triunfo 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 6 (bright suburban 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 | 4:34 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.2 | 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 | 7:46 PM – 8:26 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.35 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
- 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.
- Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Triunfo Pass, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
State Park
Canyon
State Park
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
BeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Triunfo Pass?
What time is golden hour at Triunfo Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Triunfo Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Triunfo Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Triunfo Pass?
How far is Triunfo Pass from Casa Conejo?
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.