Chamisso Wilderness is a wilderness area in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska.
Chamisso Island (Iñupiaq: Iguaġvik) is a small island in Kotzebue Sound, Alaska. It is located off Spafarief Bay at the mouth of Eschscholtz Bay, just south of the Choris Peninsula. The island is roughly triangular. It is 1.4 miles (2.3 km) long and an 0.125 miles (0.201 km) wide. The highest point on Chamisso Island is 226 feet (68.9 m) above sea level. It comprises one large sand spit and a low beach zone surrounding a covering of tundra with a few marshy bogs. Although Chamisso Island is much larger, nearby Puffin Island houses many more nesting birds, especially horned puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, and thick-billed murres which build their nests on the steep-walled cliffs that fall into Spafarief Bay. Iñupiat cross from the mainland to gather eggs, primarily from kittiwakes and murres. With the exception of birds and the occasional fox that crosses frozen sea in winter,...From the Wikipedia article “Chamisso Island”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At this latitude the sun does not rise or set on some days of the year, so check the monthly table below for daylight and twilight.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:48 AM | 88° E | 9:03 PM | 272° W | 24° | 12h 16m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | — | — | — | — | 47° | — |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:31 AM | 88° E | 8:51 PM | 273° W | 24° | 12h 20m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 12:30 PM | 163° SSE | 3:03 PM | 198° SSW | 0° | 2h 33m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10:24 AM | 11:44 AM | — | — | 4:11 PM | 5:31 PM | 4h 27m |
| February | 8:58 AM | 9:54 AM | 11:24 AM | 4:40 PM | 6:10 PM | 7:07 PM | 8h 16m |
| March | 8:16 AM | 9:07 AM | 10:16 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:38 PM | 11h 40m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 7:06 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:18 PM | 10:30 PM | 11:32 PM | 15h 25m |
| May | — | 5:05 AM | 6:43 AM | 10:46 PM | 12:24 AM | — | 19h 18m |
| June | — | — | 5:52 AM | 11:45 PM | — | — | — |
| July | — | 4:19 AM | 6:22 AM | 11:25 PM | 1:29 AM | — | 21h 10m |
| August | 5:08 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:44 AM | 10:02 PM | 11:21 PM | 12:38 AM | 16h 56m |
| September | 7:15 AM | 8:08 AM | 9:16 AM | 8:10 PM | 9:18 PM | 10:12 PM | 13h 10m |
| October | 8:52 AM | 9:45 AM | 11:03 AM | 6:04 PM | 7:22 PM | 8:15 PM | 9h 37m |
| November | 9:30 AM | 10:38 AM | — | — | 4:27 PM | 5:36 PM | 5h 49m |
| December | 10:39 AM | 12:22 PM | — | — | 3:05 PM | 4:48 PM | 2h 43m |
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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | No darkness | — | — | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -15° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -13° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -15° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
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 0.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and October as the cloudiest (76%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 49 | 67 | 74 | 78 | 73 | 62 | 54 | 36 | 36 |
| Low °F | -47 | -47 | -34 | -22 | -1 | 22 | 34 | 35 | 25 | -2 | -26 | -35 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
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 wilderness area
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Chamisso Wilderness, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chamisso Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Chamisso Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chamisso Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chamisso Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chamisso Wilderness?
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.