Ptarmigan Peak — a mountain peak in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska at about 1,344 m (4,409 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Chugach State Park. The nearest town is Elmendorf Air Force Base, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Ptarmigan Peak lies S of town).
Ptarmigan Peak is a 5,053-foot (1,540 m) mountain in the Chugach Mountains near Anchorage, Alaska. Its north face is extremely steep and is sometimes attempted by mountaineers. Hikers generally reach the mountain's summit from the less steep southern side, often via the west ridge that begins at Ptarmigan Pass. In winter, ski mountaineering is also possible on the mountain. In 1997, 14 members of a mountaineering expedition from the University of Alaska Anchorage (two instructors and twelve students) fell 1,000 feet down the mountain's north face. Two people died, and 11 more were seriously injured.From the Wikipedia article “Ptarmigan Peak (Alaska)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ptarmigan Peak the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 32° (NNE) at the June solstice and 143° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 328° (NNW) in June to 217° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 52° in summer but only 6° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:00 AM | 89° E | 8:13 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:22 AM | 32° NNE | 11:40 PM | 328° NNW | 52° | 19h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:43 AM | 88° E | 8:00 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:12 AM | 143° SE | 3:43 PM | 217° SW | 6° | 5h 30m |
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 | 8:59 AM | 9:55 AM | 11:41 AM | 2:36 PM | 4:22 PM | 5:18 PM | 6h 27m |
| February | 7:55 AM | 8:41 AM | 9:48 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:31 PM | 9h 05m |
| March | 7:33 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:13 AM | 7:03 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:43 PM | 11h 44m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:20 PM | 10:08 PM | 14h 41m |
| May | 4:03 AM | 5:13 AM | 6:23 AM | 9:28 PM | 10:38 PM | 11:48 PM | 17h 26m |
| June | — | 4:22 AM | 5:48 AM | 10:12 PM | 11:37 PM | — | 19h 15m |
| July | 3:22 AM | 4:53 AM | 6:10 AM | 10:00 PM | 11:17 PM | 12:48 AM | 18h 25m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:56 PM | 9:59 PM | 10:53 PM | 15h 50m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:23 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:23 PM | 9:06 PM | 12h 56m |
| October | 7:57 AM | 8:41 AM | 9:43 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:32 PM | 10h 07m |
| November | 8:13 AM | 9:04 AM | 10:30 AM | 2:58 PM | 4:24 PM | 5:15 PM | 7h 19m |
| December | 9:06 AM | 10:07 AM | — | — | 3:42 PM | 4:43 PM | 5h 34m |
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 | — | -12° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
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 ≈ 21.13 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.5+ 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 63% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 40 | 40 | 52 | 62 | 70 | 81 | 83 | 80 | 67 | 56 | 43 | 39 |
| Low °F | -25 | -20 | -21 | -1 | 15 | 33 | 39 | 35 | 19 | -1 | -18 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Ptarmigan Peak, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
Botanical GardenScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Porcupine Cabin14.6 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Porcupine (Ak)14.6 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Crow Pass Cabin26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ptarmigan Peak?
What time is golden hour at Ptarmigan Peak?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ptarmigan Peak?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ptarmigan Peak?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ptarmigan Peak?
How far is Ptarmigan Peak from Elmendorf Air Force Base?
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.