Cape Cheerful Cascade is a waterfall in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska. It sits roughly 11.0 km (6.8 mi) NNW of Dutch Harbor.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cape Cheerful Cascade the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 46° (NE) at the June solstice and 131° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 314° (NW) in June to 229° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 59° in summer but only 13° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 9:09 AM | 89° E | 9:20 PM | 271° W | 36° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:35 AM | 46° NE | 11:43 PM | 314° NW | 59° | 17h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:53 AM | 89° E | 9:07 PM | 272° W | 36° | 12h 14m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:24 AM | 131° SE | 5:47 PM | 229° SW | 13° | 7h 22m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9:36 AM | 10:17 AM | 11:21 AM | 5:12 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:57 PM | 7h 58m |
| February | 8:50 AM | 9:27 AM | 10:18 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:53 PM | 9h 49m |
| March | 8:46 AM | 9:22 AM | 10:08 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:46 PM | 11h 49m |
| April | 7:28 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:53 AM | 9:21 PM | 10:08 PM | 10:46 PM | 14h 03m |
| May | 6:18 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:58 AM | 10:10 PM | 11:03 PM | 11:49 PM | 15h 59m |
| June | 5:40 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:34 AM | 10:42 PM | 11:41 PM | 12:35 AM | 17h 06m |
| July | 6:05 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:51 AM | 10:35 PM | 11:31 PM | 12:21 AM | 16h 37m |
| August | 7:05 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:35 AM | 9:48 PM | 10:38 PM | 11:18 PM | 14h 52m |
| September | 8:05 AM | 8:41 AM | 9:27 AM | 8:38 PM | 9:24 PM | 10:00 PM | 12h 43m |
| October | 8:59 AM | 9:35 AM | 10:24 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:46 PM | 10h 35m |
| November | 8:56 AM | 9:35 AM | 10:34 AM | 5:10 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:48 PM | 8h 33m |
| December | 9:36 AM | 10:20 AM | 11:30 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:29 PM | 7h 25m |
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
At this latitude the summer nights are too short or too bright for the Milky Way core to stand high in true darkness; aim for star trails or the aurora.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| June | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.77 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 84% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (90%). August is the warmest month and March 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 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 51 | 52 | 59 | 60 | 57 | 53 | 50 | 45 |
| Low °F | 19 | 19 | 19 | 26 | 30 | 38 | 42 | 45 | 41 | 35 | 30 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 6.5 |
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 waterfall
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cape Cheerful Cascade, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cape Cheerful Cascade?
What time is golden hour at Cape Cheerful Cascade?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cape Cheerful Cascade?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cape Cheerful Cascade?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cape Cheerful Cascade?
How far is Cape Cheerful Cascade from Dutch Harbor?
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.