Georgia Pass is a mountain pass in Summit County, Colorado at about 3,535 m (11,598 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Breckenridge, about 10.7 km (6.6 mi) away (Georgia Pass lies ESE of town).
Georgia Pass, elevation 11,598 ft (3,535 m), is a mountain pass that crosses the Continental Divide in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado in the United States.From the Wikipedia article “Georgia Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Georgia Pass 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) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 58° ENE | 8:35 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 57m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 120° ESE | 4:44 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 | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 56m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 24m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Georgia Pass, 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 | 5:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:02 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:06 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 ≈ 21.39 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 46 | 47 | 64 | 68 | 81 | 86 | 87 | 85 | 82 | 73 | 62 | 49 |
| Low °F | -21 | -30 | -20 | -8 | 4 | 23 | 34 | 31 | 16 | -6 | -14 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
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
- 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.
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Georgia Pass, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassScenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jefferson Creek5.4 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Michigan Creek5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Lodgepole (Jefferson Lake, Fairplay Colorado)7.4 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- Aspen (Co)7.5 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Hall Valley10.0 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Georgia Pass?
What time is golden hour at Georgia Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Georgia Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Georgia Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Georgia Pass?
How far is Georgia Pass from Breckenridge?
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.