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55.2931° N130.6519° W42 mBortle 1Sitka

Fish Ladder Photography Guide

Waterfall in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska · 42 m (138 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 228°–316°
  • Clearest: February

Fish Ladder is a waterfall in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska. It sits roughly 63 km (39 mi) E of Ketchikan.

Elevation
42 m
138 ft
Nearest town
Ketchikan
63 km (39 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
February
71% cloud
Golden hour (Oct)
4:54 PM
sunset 5:45 PM

Light at Fish Ladder

Live
Sunrise
7:23 AM
Sunset
5:33 PM
Golden hour AM
7:00 AM – 8:15 AM
Golden hour PM
4:41 PM – 5:56 PM
Blue hour AM
6:46 AM – 7:00 AM
Blue hour PM
5:56 PM – 6:10 PM
Full darkness
7:35 PM – 5:23 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:49 PM / 12:20 AM
Day length
10h 09m
Sunrise azimuth
107°
Sunset azimuth
253°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Sitka. 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 Fish Ladder the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 44° (NE) at the June solstice and 133° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 316° (NW) in June to 228° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 58° in summer but only 11° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:45 AM89° E6:56 PM271° W35°12h 11m
June solstice (Jun 21)4:02 AM44° NE9:28 PM316° NW58°17h 27m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:29 AM89° E6:43 PM272° W35°12h 14m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:08 AM133° SE3:15 PM228° SW11°7h 06m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:17 AM8:00 AM9:08 AM2:37 PM3:45 PM4:28 PM7h 44m
February6:29 AM7:07 AM8:01 AM3:55 PM4:49 PM5:27 PM9h 42m
March6:22 AM6:58 AM7:47 AM5:58 PM6:46 PM7:23 PM11h 48m
April5:00 AM5:39 AM6:28 AM6:58 PM7:47 PM8:27 PM14h 08m
May3:46 AM4:34 AM5:30 AM7:50 PM8:46 PM9:34 PM16h 12m
June3:03 AM4:02 AM5:04 AM8:24 PM9:26 PM10:25 PM17h 24m
July3:29 AM4:23 AM5:22 AM8:16 PM9:15 PM10:09 PM16h 53m
August4:35 AM5:17 AM6:09 AM7:27 PM8:19 PM9:01 PM15h 02m
September5:39 AM6:16 AM7:04 AM6:14 PM7:02 PM7:39 PM12h 46m
October6:36 AM7:13 AM8:04 AM4:54 PM5:45 PM6:22 PM10h 31m
November6:36 AM7:17 AM8:19 AM2:38 PM3:39 PM4:21 PM8h 22m
December7:18 AM8:04 AM9:19 AM1:58 PM3:13 PM3:59 PM7h 09m

Local time (America/Sitka), 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-9°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
MarchBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
AprilBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
MayBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
JuneNo darkness———
JulyBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
AugustBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
SeptemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-8°—
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show February as the clearest month (about 71% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (82%). 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 °F413957647490908280665044
Low °F-29-18-13-2133541403011-16-14
Precip. (in)14.59.89.88.16.26.67.79.913.415.314.713.0

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

  • Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
  • Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
  • A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Fish Ladder?
February has the clearest skies on average. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
What time is golden hour at Fish Ladder?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 4:54 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:45 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:04 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Fish Ladder?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 44° in June to 133° in December; sunset ranges from 316° to 228°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Fish Ladder?
The Milky Way core stays very low or the nights are too bright at this latitude. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fish Ladder?
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 Fish Ladder from Ketchikan?
About 63 km (39 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.