Located in Placer County, California, East Snow Mountain Falls is a waterfall. The nearest town is Truckee, about 25 km (15 mi) away (East Snow Mountain Falls lies WSW of town).
East Snow Mountain Falls is a seasonal waterfall in the Sierra Nevada in Placer County, California. At 2,200 feet (670 m), it is the second tallest measured waterfall in California after Yosemite Falls. The falls are a long cascade consisting of dozens of smaller drops. Due to the small size of its drainage basin, the falls usually flow only from December through to July. The falls occur on an unnamed stream on the eastern face of Snow Mountain, which drains into the Royal Gorge of the North Fork American River. They are accessed by a strenuous 7-mile (11 km), one-way hike from Cascade Lakes, near Soda Springs.From the Wikipedia article “East Snow Mountain Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At East Snow Mountain Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:32 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 25m |
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 Snow Mountain Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:19 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:31 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:03 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:04 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 64 | 67 | 70 | 76 | 89 | 98 | 102 | 100 | 98 | 90 | 77 | 62 |
| Low °F | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 24 | 27 | 39 | 38 | 27 | 21 | -1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.6 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 7.9 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 East Snow Mountain Falls, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Fire Lookout
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Lake
State ParkScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hampshire Rocks8.9 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- Big Bend Group (Yuba River)9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Ahart Campground11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- Gates Group11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Coyote Group12.2 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph East Snow Mountain Falls?
What time is golden hour at East Snow Mountain Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at East Snow Mountain Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from East Snow Mountain Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at East Snow Mountain Falls?
How far is East Snow Mountain Falls from Truckee?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.