Ptarmigan Pass — a mountain pass in Eagle County, Colorado at about 3,588 m (11,772 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 16.1 km (10.0 mi) SW of Frisco.
Note: There are at least three separate mountain passes in Colorado named Ptarmigan Pass. This article concerns the one between Eagle County and Summit County.[1] Ptarmigan Pass (elevation 11,765 ft) is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States. It is located on the crest of the northern end of the Sawatch Range, along the border of Eagle and Summit counties, south of Vail Pass. The pass is traversed by a jeep trail that is passable by four-wheel drive vehicles and on foot. 2WD vehicles will only make it to the summit from the west; the east side is rocky and boggy at times. The trail connects Interstate 70 east of Vail Pass with the Eagle River Valley near Red Cliff.From the Wikipedia article “Ptarmigan Pass (Sawatch Range)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ptarmigan 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) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 58° ENE | 8:36 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:45 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 | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:13 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 Ptarmigan 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 | 5:12 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 3:52 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:03 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:07 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 ≈ 21.56 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 February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 36 | 34 | 55 | 61 | 75 | 82 | 82 | 78 | 78 | 69 | 54 | 43 |
| Low °F | -26 | -34 | -23 | -12 | 4 | 19 | 29 | 27 | 10 | -7 | -29 | -28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Ptarmigan Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Hale East Fork Group8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Camp Hale Memorial9.7 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- Tigiwon Community House14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Gore Creek Campground15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Gold Park Campground18.5 km (11.5 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ptarmigan Pass?
What time is golden hour at Ptarmigan Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ptarmigan Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ptarmigan Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ptarmigan Pass?
How far is Ptarmigan Pass from Frisco?
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.