Located in Custer County, Colorado, Hardscrabble Pass is a mountain pass. It sits roughly 29 km (18 mi) SSW of Florence.
Hardscrabble Pass (9,085 ft; 2,769 m) is a mountain pass in South-Central Colorado (USA). It lies between the Wet Mountain Valley to the west and the valley of the Arkansas River to the east. The pass traverses the Wet Mountains. State Highway 96 runs over the pass, linking the towns of Wetmore to the east and Westcliffe to the west. The pass forms part of the Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway. Hardscrabble Pass goes through the San Isabel National Forest.From the Wikipedia article “Hardscrabble Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hardscrabble Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 59° ENE | 8:28 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:45 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Hardscrabble Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | 4:58 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:06 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:16 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:12 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.69 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 56 | 57 | 70 | 74 | 87 | 91 | 91 | 89 | 87 | 78 | 67 | 54 |
| Low °F | -20 | -17 | -8 | 10 | 16 | 28 | 41 | 38 | 21 | -1 | -7 | -16 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
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 Hardscrabble Pass, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mingus Ranch17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Ophir Creek Campground (Co)19.3 km (12.0 mi) · reservable
- Davenport Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Alvarado Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hardscrabble Pass?
What time is golden hour at Hardscrabble Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hardscrabble Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hardscrabble Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hardscrabble Pass?
How far is Hardscrabble Pass from Florence?
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.