Kebler Pass — a mountain pass in Gunnison County, Colorado at about 3,049 m (10,003 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Crested Butte, about 10.0 km (6.2 mi) away (Kebler Pass lies WSW of town).
Kebler Pass (el. 10,007 ft.) is a high mountain pass in Colorado. The Colorado Department of Transportation designates the road as Gunnison County Road (GCR) 12. The eastern terminus of GCR 12 is Crested Butte. At its western terminus, GCR 12 intersects State Highway 133 near the southern end of Paonia State Park. It is a mostly gravel road and is closed during the winter months. A few portions of the road near the top of the pass have been paved. In the summer, the road is accessible by all passenger vehicles.From the Wikipedia article “Kebler Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kebler 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (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) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 59° ENE | 8:38 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 120° ESE | 4:50 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 28m |
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 Kebler 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 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:43 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:13 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.3 | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.84 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 June as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 53 | 52 | 66 | 72 | 87 | 92 | 93 | 88 | 86 | 76 | 64 | 51 |
| Low °F | -21 | -15 | -8 | 6 | 18 | 22 | 35 | 33 | 22 | 1 | -5 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 |
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.
- Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
- 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 Kebler Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lake Irwin3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Oh Be Joyful Campground9.3 km (5.8 mi) · reservable
- Gothic16.8 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Erickson Springs18.7 km (11.6 mi) · reservable
- Cement Creek23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kebler Pass?
What time is golden hour at Kebler Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kebler Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kebler Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kebler Pass?
How far is Kebler Pass from Crested Butte?
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.