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45.9984° N121.7879° W1,548 mBortle 3Los Angeles

East Crater Photography Guide

Volcano in Skamania County, Washington · 1,548 m (5,079 ft)

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

East Crater is a volcano in Skamania County, Washington at about 1,548 m (5,079 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 30 km (19 mi) N of Carson.

Elevation
1,548 m
5,079 ft
Nearest town
Carson
30 km (19 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
25% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:42 PM
sunset 6:23 PM

Light at East Crater

Live
Sunrise
7:31 AM
Sunset
6:14 PM
Golden hour AM
7:13 AM – 8:13 AM
Golden hour PM
5:32 PM – 6:32 PM
Blue hour AM
7:01 AM – 7:13 AM
Blue hour PM
6:32 PM – 6:44 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:53 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:49 PM / 1:14 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 East 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° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 21° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:11 AM89° E7:20 PM271° W44°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:17 AM54° NE9:02 PM306° NW67°15h 45m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:55 AM89° E7:07 PM271° W44°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:47 AM124° SE4:25 PM236° WSW21°8h 38m

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
January7:12 AM7:46 AM8:34 AM4:01 PM4:49 PM5:22 PM9h 03m
February6:40 AM7:11 AM7:53 AM4:51 PM5:34 PM6:04 PM10h 23m
March6:51 AM7:21 AM8:00 AM6:34 PM7:13 PM7:43 PM11h 53m
April5:50 AM6:21 AM7:02 AM7:14 PM7:54 PM8:25 PM13h 33m
May5:01 AM5:36 AM6:19 AM7:50 PM8:33 PM9:08 PM14h 57m
June4:38 AM5:17 AM6:03 AM8:14 PM9:00 PM9:39 PM15h 44m
July4:55 AM5:32 AM6:17 AM8:11 PM8:56 PM9:33 PM15h 24m
August5:35 AM6:08 AM6:49 AM7:36 PM8:18 PM8:50 PM14h 10m
September6:16 AM6:46 AM7:26 AM6:41 PM7:20 PM7:50 PM12h 34m
October6:54 AM7:25 AM8:05 AM5:42 PM6:23 PM6:53 PM10h 58m
November6:36 AM7:09 AM7:54 AM3:51 PM4:37 PM5:09 PM9h 28m
December7:09 AM7:43 AM8:33 AM3:33 PM4:23 PM4:58 PM8h 40m

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 East Crater, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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°—
March5:23 AM – 5:33 AM0.211°SSE → SSE
April3:14 AM – 4:24 AM1.214°SSE → SSE
May1:17 AM – 3:17 AM2.015°SSE → S
June11:43 PM – 2:33 AM2.815°SSE → SSW
July11:23 PM – 1:13 AM1.815°S → SSW
August10:15 PM – 11:15 PM1.014°SSW → SSW
September9:03 PM – 9:13 PM0.211°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
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 ≈ 21.52 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F616074809093999696836457
Low °F-27102429374242321810
Precip. (in)5.33.94.33.02.31.60.40.61.33.25.36.3

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

  • 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.
  • Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
  • Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

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 East Crater, closest first.

Indian Heaven WildernessWilderness Area
Indian Heaven Wilderness1.3 km away · Skamania County
Lemei RockMountain Peak
Lemei Rock3.1 km away · Skamania County · 1,787 m
Red Mountain LookoutFire Lookout
Red Mountain Lookout7.5 km away · Skamania County
Cave
Lava Caves8.6 km away · Skamania County
Scenic Viewpoint
Outlaw Ridge Volcanic Viewpoint9.7 km away · Skamania County · 859 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Mount Saint Helens Viewpoint9.7 km away · Skamania County · 1,315 m
Waterfall
Langfield Falls12 km away · Skamania County · 1,050 m
Waterfall
Falls Creek Falls14 km away · Skamania County · 670 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Big Creek Falls Viewpoint14 km away · Skamania County · 589 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph East 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 East Crater?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:42 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:23 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:05 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at East 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 East 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 East 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 East Crater from Carson?
About 30 km (19 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.