Located in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, Mount Igikpak is a mountain peak at about 1,812 m (5,945 ft) above sea level. It is part of Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve.
Mount Igikpak (Iñupiaq: Iġġiqpak) is the highest peak in the Schwatka Mountains region of the Brooks Range. It is also the tallest mountain in Gates of the Arctic National Park, located in the US state of Alaska. Some sources list the height of its summit at 8,510 ft (2,590 m). Mount Igikpak is in the south central part of the national park, very close to the source of the Noatak River and not far from the Arrigetch Peaks. Its name comes from the Iñupiaq word Iġġiqpak, meaning 'big mountain'.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Igikpak”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At this latitude the sun does not rise or set on some days of the year, so check the monthly table below for daylight and twilight.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:20 AM | 88° E | 8:36 PM | 272° W | 23° | 12h 16m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | — | — | — | — | 46° | — |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:03 AM | 88° E | 8:24 PM | 273° W | 23° | 12h 21m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | — | — | — | — | -1° | — |
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
Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10:07 AM | 11:39 AM | — | — | 3:21 PM | 4:52 PM | 3h 42m |
| February | 8:35 AM | 9:34 AM | 11:13 AM | 3:57 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:35 PM | 8h 01m |
| March | 7:46 AM | 8:40 AM | 9:53 AM | 7:06 PM | 8:19 PM | 9:13 PM | 11h 38m |
| April | 5:25 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:53 PM | 10:09 PM | 11:16 PM | 15h 37m |
| May | — | 4:18 AM | 6:07 AM | 10:27 PM | 12:16 AM | — | 19h 59m |
| June | — | — | 5:10 AM | 11:32 PM | — | — | — |
| July | — | 3:04 AM | 5:43 AM | 11:10 PM | 1:49 AM | — | 22h 45m |
| August | 4:20 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 9:39 PM | 11:03 PM | 12:31 AM | 17h 16m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:50 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:49 PM | 13h 14m |
| October | 8:27 AM | 9:22 AM | 10:45 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:46 PM | 9h 28m |
| November | 9:11 AM | 10:26 AM | — | — | 3:45 PM | 5:00 PM | 5h 20m |
| December | 10:26 AM | 12:49 PM | — | — | 1:43 PM | 4:06 PM | 0h 55m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -15° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -13° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | No darkness | — | — | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -15° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 29 | 31 | 33 | 39 | 64 | 70 | 73 | 69 | 55 | 39 | 30 | 29 |
| Low °F | -46 | -45 | -45 | -33 | -18 | 19 | 26 | 20 | -1 | -19 | -37 | -46 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
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 peak
- Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer at high elevations — plan summit hikes for early morning.
- Snow on the summit holds detail best when you expose for the highlights and lift shadows later.
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Mount Igikpak, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Igikpak?
What time is golden hour at Mount Igikpak?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Igikpak?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Igikpak?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Igikpak?
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.