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  5. Portage Overlook
60.7684° N148.7502° WBortle 2Anchorage

Portage Overlook Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Chugach Census Area, Alaska

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 218°–327°
  • Clearest: March

Portage Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Chugach Census Area, Alaska. It sits roughly 30 km (18 mi) SE of Girdwood.

Nearest town
Girdwood
30 km (18 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
March
69% cloud
Golden hour (Oct)
5:45 PM
sunset 6:46 PM

Light at Portage Overlook

Live
Sunrise
8:50 AM
Sunset
6:31 PM
Golden hour AM
8:23 AM – 9:53 AM
Golden hour PM
5:28 PM – 6:58 PM
Blue hour AM
8:06 AM – 8:23 AM
Blue hour PM
6:58 PM – 7:15 PM
Full darkness
8:54 PM – 6:30 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
5:21 PM / 1:10 AM
Day length
9h 41m
Sunrise azimuth
110°
Sunset azimuth
250°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Anchorage. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Portage Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 33° (NNE) at the June solstice and 142° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 327° (NNW) in June to 218° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 53° in summer but only 6° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:57 AM89° E8:10 PM272° W29°12h 13m
June solstice (Jun 21)4:22 AM33° NNE11:33 PM327° NNW53°19h 11m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:40 AM88° E7:57 PM272° W29°12h 17m
December solstice (Dec 21)10:06 AM142° SE3:42 PM218° SW6°5h 37m

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

Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January8:54 AM9:49 AM11:32 AM2:39 PM4:21 PM5:16 PM6h 32m
February7:51 AM8:37 AM9:43 AM4:37 PM5:44 PM6:29 PM9h 07m
March7:30 AM8:12 AM9:09 AM7:00 PM7:57 PM8:39 PM11h 45m
April5:48 AM6:36 AM7:34 AM8:17 PM9:15 PM10:03 PM14h 39m
May4:04 AM5:12 AM6:21 AM9:23 PM10:33 PM11:40 PM17h 21m
June—4:23 AM5:46 AM10:06 PM11:30 PM—19h 07m
July3:26 AM4:52 AM6:09 AM9:55 PM11:11 PM12:37 AM18h 19m
August5:14 AM6:07 AM7:09 AM8:52 PM9:54 PM10:47 PM15h 47m
September6:40 AM7:23 AM8:19 AM7:23 PM8:19 PM9:02 PM12h 56m
October7:54 AM8:37 AM9:38 AM5:45 PM6:46 PM7:29 PM10h 09m
November8:08 AM8:59 AM10:23 AM2:58 PM4:22 PM5:13 PM7h 23m
December9:01 AM10:01 AM——3:41 PM4:41 PM5h 41m

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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-12°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—-6°—
MarchBelow 10° in darkness—-5°—
AprilBelow 10° in darkness—-8°—
MayNo darkness———
JuneNo darkness———
JulyNo darkness———
AugustBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
SeptemberBelow 10° in darkness—-7°—
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—-7°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-12°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 21.88 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 69% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (84%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F353540465375757261494237
Low °F-17-12-19015313634272-12-12
Precip. (in)10.19.66.97.96.85.97.19.712.812.110.811.8

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 scenic viewpoint

  • Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
  • Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
  • Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
  • Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
  • A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.

Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Portage Overlook, closest first.

Portage GlacierGlacier
Portage Glacier2.6 km away · Kenai Peninsula Borough
Portage LakeLake
Portage Lake3.7 km away · Anchorage Municipality · 36 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Begich/Boggs Visitor Center Portage Lake View5.2 km away · Chugach Census Area
Byron PeakMountain Peak
Byron Peak7.6 km away · Kenai Peninsula Borough · 1,400 m
Turnagain PassMountain Pass
Turnagain Pass24 km away · Kenai Peninsula Borough · 293 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Portage Overlook?
March has the clearest skies on average. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
What time is golden hour at Portage Overlook?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:45 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:46 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 9:38 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Portage Overlook?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 33° in June to 142° in December; sunset ranges from 327° to 218°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Portage Overlook?
The Milky Way core stays very low or the nights are too bright at this latitude. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Portage Overlook?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Portage Overlook from Girdwood?
About 30 km (18 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.