Mores Creek Summit — a mountain pass in Boise County, Idaho — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Hidden Spring, about 52 km (32 mi) away (Mores Creek Summit lies ENE of town).
Mores Creek Summit is a mountain pass in the western United States in southwest Idaho, at an elevation of 6,118 feet (1,865 m) above sea level. Traversed by State Highway 21, the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, it is located in Boise County in the Boise National Forest. Mores Creek Summit marks the divide between the Boise River (north fork) and Payette River (south fork) drainage areas. The summit is northeast of Idaho City and southwest of Lowman. Mores Creek is a tributary of the Boise River.From the Wikipedia article “Mores Creek Summit”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mores Creek Summit the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:47 AM | 90° E | 7:55 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 56° NE | 9:30 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:31 AM | 89° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:15 AM | 123° ESE | 5:08 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 54m |
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 | 7:43 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:00 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:03 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:27 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:34 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:18 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 5:24 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:44 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 27m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:24 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 09m |
| August | 6:16 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:24 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:29 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:37 AM | 6:21 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 7:38 AM | 8:11 AM | 8:58 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:39 PM | 8h 55m |
Local time (America/Boise), 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 Mores Creek Summit, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:36 AM – 6:16 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:32 AM – 5:12 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:37 AM – 4:07 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:53 PM – 3:33 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:39 PM – 2:09 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:41 PM – 12:11 AM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:34 PM – 10:04 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.77 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 49 | 54 | 69 | 81 | 91 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 97 | 89 | 67 | 51 |
| Low °F | -12 | -4 | 1 | 11 | 22 | 30 | 40 | 37 | 27 | 14 | -9 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 3.6 |
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
- 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 Mores Creek Summit, closest first.
Hot Spring
Waterfall
National ForestWaterfallHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hayfork Group Cg3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Edna Creek Campground3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Bad Bear Campground3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Ten Mile Campground5.2 km (3.2 mi) · reservable
- Beaver Creek Cabin (Id)5.9 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mores Creek Summit?
What time is golden hour at Mores Creek Summit?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mores Creek Summit?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mores Creek Summit?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mores Creek Summit?
How far is Mores Creek Summit from Hidden Spring?
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.