Original Monarch Pass is a mountain pass in Chaffee County, Colorado at about 3,515 m (11,532 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 30 km (19 mi) W of Salida.
Original Monarch Pass (elevation 11,532 feet (3,515 m)) is a mountain pass on the border of Gunnison and Chaffee counties of west-central Colorado. It is located on the Continental Divide on the western boundary of Monarch Ski Area, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of U.S. Route 50. Original Monarch Pass divides the watersheds of No Name Creek, a tributary of Tomichi Creek and the Gunnison River, to the west and the South Arkansas River to the east. The name Monarch comes from nearby Monarch Ridge and the community of Monarch. Original Monarch Pass has also been referred to as Old Old Monarch Pass.From the Wikipedia article “Original Monarch Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Original Monarch 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 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) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:48 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Original Monarch 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 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 | 5:02 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:12 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:16 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: 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 ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 44 | 48 | 63 | 68 | 82 | 86 | 87 | 83 | 82 | 72 | 60 | 49 |
| Low °F | -28 | -25 | -13 | 2 | 11 | 23 | 35 | 34 | 19 | -3 | -21 | -23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
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.
- Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.
- 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 Original Monarch Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Hot Spring
Mountain PeakHot Spring
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Monarch Park2.0 km (1.3 mi) · reservable
- Snowblind6.1 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- North Fork Campground11.4 km (7.1 mi)
- North Fork Campground (Salida, Co)11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Angel Of Shavano Group13.6 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Original Monarch Pass?
What time is golden hour at Original Monarch Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Original Monarch Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Original Monarch Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Original Monarch Pass?
How far is Original Monarch Pass from Salida?
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.