Schofield Pass — a mountain pass in Gunnison County, Colorado at about 3,268 m (10,722 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 16.9 km (10.5 mi) NNW of Crested Butte.
Schofield Pass, elevation 10,707 ft (3,263 m), is a mountain pass in the Elk Mountains of Colorado. The pass is the high point on Gothic Road, which connects the towns of Marble and Crested Butte. The pass is closed for most of the year due to snow or mud, and is open only for one or two months in late summer. The road over the summit to the townsite of Schofield is suitable for a passenger car with moderate clearance if traveling from Crested Butte; however, between Schofield and the town of Crystal it becomes recommended for Jeeps and ATVs only as it descends into the Devil's Punchbowl Canyon and becomes an exposed, narrow, rocky shelf road. From the northwest, high clearance vehicles can make it from Marble to Crystal via two routes. The road west of the pass is considered one of the most dangerous in Colorado. In 1970, an over-loaded vehicle ran off the road and into Crystal...From the Wikipedia article “Schofield Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Schofield 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 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 59° ENE | 8:38 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| 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 25m |
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 | 4:29 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 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 | 4:16 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Schofield 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 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 | 12:22 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:18 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:09 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: 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 ≈ 21.81 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 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 48 | 52 | 65 | 73 | 87 | 91 | 93 | 90 | 89 | 76 | 64 | 48 |
| Low °F | -25 | -22 | -8 | 7 | 18 | 27 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 5 | -15 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Schofield Pass, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Lake
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Gothic5.1 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Oh Be Joyful Campground11.3 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- Maroon Bells Amphitheatre12.5 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Lake Irwin15.8 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- East Maroon Portal Picnic Site17.3 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Schofield Pass?
What time is golden hour at Schofield Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Schofield Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Schofield Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Schofield Pass?
How far is Schofield 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.