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46.1984° N122.1887° W2,148 mBortle 3Los Angeles

1980 Crater Photography Guide

Volcano in Skamania County, Washington · 2,148 m (7,047 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 236°–306°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug

1980 Crater — a volcano in Skamania County, Washington at about 2,148 m (7,047 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 38 km (23 mi) NNE of Amboy.

Elevation
2,148 m
7,047 ft
Nearest town
Amboy
38 km (23 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:43 PM
sunset 6:24 PM

Light at 1980 Crater

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:15 PM
Golden hour AM
7:15 AM – 8:15 AM
Golden hour PM
5:33 PM – 6:34 PM
Blue hour AM
7:03 AM – 7:15 AM
Blue hour PM
6:34 PM – 6:45 PM
Full darkness
7:55 PM – 5:55 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:51 PM / 1:16 AM
Day length
10h 42m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. 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 1980 Crater 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 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:13 AM89° E7:21 PM271° W44°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:18 AM54° NE9:05 PM306° NW67°15h 47m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:56 AM89° E7:08 PM271° W44°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:49 AM124° SE4:26 PM236° SW20°8h 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

Volcanic cones and lava fields have strong shapes that read well in side-light; dark basalt needs careful exposure.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:14 AM7:48 AM8:36 AM4:01 PM4:50 PM5:23 PM9h 02m
February6:42 AM7:13 AM7:55 AM4:52 PM5:35 PM6:06 PM10h 22m
March6:52 AM7:22 AM8:02 AM6:35 PM7:15 PM7:45 PM11h 52m
April5:51 AM6:23 AM7:03 AM7:16 PM7:56 PM8:27 PM13h 33m
May5:02 AM5:37 AM6:20 AM7:52 PM8:35 PM9:10 PM14h 58m
June4:39 AM5:17 AM6:04 AM8:16 PM9:03 PM9:42 PM15h 45m
July4:55 AM5:33 AM6:18 AM8:13 PM8:58 PM9:35 PM15h 25m
August5:36 AM6:09 AM6:50 AM7:38 PM8:20 PM8:52 PM14h 11m
September6:18 AM6:48 AM7:27 AM6:43 PM7:22 PM7:52 PM12h 34m
October6:56 AM7:26 AM8:07 AM5:43 PM6:24 PM6:54 PM10h 57m
November6:38 AM7:11 AM7:57 AM3:52 PM4:38 PM5:10 PM9h 27m
December7:11 AM7:46 AM8:36 AM3:34 PM4:24 PM4:59 PM8h 38m

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 1980 Crater, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-5°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
March5:25 AM – 5:35 AM0.211°SSE → SSE
April3:27 AM – 4:27 AM1.014°SSE → S
May1:21 AM – 3:11 AM1.815°SSE → S
June11:48 PM – 2:28 AM2.715°SSE → SSW
July11:28 PM – 1:18 AM1.815°S → SSW
August10:19 PM – 11:09 PM0.814°SSW → SSW
September9:06 PM – 9:16 PM0.211°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
DecemberBelow 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.45 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 48% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). August is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6059708490951019895836557
Low °F45162229374142302263
Precip. (in)9.66.87.55.43.72.60.71.23.06.610.19.8

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 volcano

  • Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
  • Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
  • Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
  • Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.

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

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of 1980 Crater, closest first.

Crater GlacierGlacier
Crater Glacier0.2 km away · Skamania County
Loowit FallsWaterfall
Loowit Falls2.8 km away · Skamania County · 1,510 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Windy Ridge Viewpoint7.0 km away · Skamania County · 1,230 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Sheep Canyon Viewpoint7.1 km away · Cowlitz County · 916 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Smith Creek Viewpoint8.1 km away · Skamania County · 1,301 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Lahar Viewpoint8.4 km away · Skamania County · 893 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Donnybrook Viewpoint8.6 km away · Skamania County · 1,321 m
Waterfall
Lava Canyon Falls8.7 km away · Skamania County
Spirit LakeLake
Spirit Lake9.3 km away · Skamania County · 1,040 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph 1980 Crater?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.
What time is golden hour at 1980 Crater?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:43 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:24 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:07 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at 1980 Crater?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 54° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 306° to 236°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from 1980 Crater?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at 1980 Crater?
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 1980 Crater from Amboy?
About 38 km (23 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.