Located in Teller County, Colorado, Tenderfoot Pass is a mountain pass. The nearest town is Cripple Creek, about 2.6 km (1.6 mi) away (Tenderfoot Pass lies NE of town).
Tenderfoot Pass is a mountain pass northeast of Cripple Creek that reaches a peak elevation of 10,200 feet (3,100 m).From the Wikipedia article “Tenderfoot Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tenderfoot 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) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 59° ENE | 8:30 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 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 Tenderfoot 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:26 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:09 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:06 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:12 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.01 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 (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.
- 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 Tenderfoot Pass, closest first.
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
State Park
Canyon
Mountain PeakCanyon
Mountain Pass
Dark Sky Place
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- The Crags12.5 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- The Bank Campground16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Sand Gulch Campground17.4 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
- Thunder Ridge28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Meadow Ridge28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tenderfoot Pass?
What time is golden hour at Tenderfoot Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tenderfoot Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tenderfoot Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tenderfoot Pass?
How far is Tenderfoot Pass from Cripple Creek?
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.