San Gorgonio Mountain — a mountain peak in San Bernardino County, California at about 3,502 m (11,490 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 17.9 km (11.1 mi) SSE of Big Bear Lake.
San Gorgonio Mountain, also known locally as Mount San Gorgonio, or Old Greyback, San Gor and San G is a 11,503-foot (3,506 m) mountain in the San Bernardino Mountains of the US state of California. The highest peak in Southern California and the Transverse Ranges, it lies 27 miles (43 km) east of the city of San Bernardino and 12 miles (19 km) north-northeast of San Gorgonio Pass. It lies within the San Gorgonio Wilderness, part of the Sand to Snow National Monument managed by the San Bernardino National Forest. Spanish missionaries in the area during the early 17th century named the peak after Saint Gorgonius. Since it is the highest point in a region which is separated from higher peaks (e.g. in the Sierra Nevada) by relatively low terrain, San Gorgonio Mountain is one of the most topographically prominent peaks in the United States. It is ranked 7th among peaks in the 48...From the Wikipedia article “San Gorgonio Mountain”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Gorgonio Mountain the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 61° ENE | 8:03 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 118° ESE | 4:43 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 54m |
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 San Gorgonio Mountain, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:25 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:38 AM – 5:28 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 4:46 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:39 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:45 PM – 3:45 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:41 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:07 PM – 12:17 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 10:19 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.31 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (39%). 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 | 81 | 85 | 91 | 99 | 108 | 114 | 114 | 113 | 112 | 100 | 88 | 79 |
| Low °F | 22 | 23 | 28 | 33 | 39 | 48 | 59 | 55 | 47 | 32 | 26 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 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 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 San Gorgonio Mountain, closest first.
Wilderness Area
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
LakeWaterfall
Mountain Pass
Lake
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Skyline7.2 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Wild Horse Equestrian Family7.4 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- Coon Creek Group Campground7.5 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Heart Bar Equestrian7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Heart Bar Campground7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Gorgonio Mountain?
What time is golden hour at San Gorgonio Mountain?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Gorgonio Mountain?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Gorgonio Mountain?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Gorgonio Mountain?
How far is San Gorgonio Mountain from Big Bear Lake?
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.