Alpowa Summit is a mountain pass in Garfield County, Washington. It sits roughly 14.4 km (8.9 mi) ESE of Pomeroy.
Alpowa Summit (el. 2785 ft./849 m.) is a mountain pass in the state of Washington. The pass connects Pomeroy on the west with Clarkston on the east. The pass separates the Blue Mountains' foothills on the south with the rolling Palouse to the north. The Washington State portion of U.S. Route 12 connects the cities of Lewiston, Idaho and Walla Walla, Washington by passing over this summit.From the Wikipedia article “Alpowa Summit”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alpowa Summit the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:58 AM | 54° NE | 8:47 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 124° SE | 4:06 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 35m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:18 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 00m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 21m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:32 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 4:41 AM | 5:17 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:52 PM | 15h 00m |
| June | 4:18 AM | 4:57 AM | 5:44 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 47m |
| July | 4:35 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:17 PM | 15h 27m |
| August | 5:16 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 12m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:38 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 26m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:18 AM | 3:13 PM | 4:04 PM | 4:39 PM | 8h 37m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Alpowa Summit, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:09 AM – 4:09 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:04 AM – 2:54 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:34 PM – 2:04 AM | 2.5 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:12 PM – 12:52 AM | 1.7 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 10:51 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 8:47 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.69 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 29% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 58 | 60 | 72 | 81 | 89 | 101 | 101 | 104 | 100 | 88 | 69 | 58 |
| Low °F | -13 | -8 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 36 | 44 | 42 | 28 | 14 | 1 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 3.0 |
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.
- 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 Alpowa Summit, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Clearwater Lookout Cabin28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Tucannon Guard Station28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Clearwater Big House28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alpowa Summit?
What time is golden hour at Alpowa Summit?
Where does the sun rise and set at Alpowa Summit?
Can you see the Milky Way from Alpowa Summit?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Alpowa Summit?
How far is Alpowa Summit from Pomeroy?
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.