South Etolin Wilderness is a wilderness area in City and Borough of Wrangell, Alaska. It sits roughly 52 km (32 mi) S of Wrangell.
The South Etolin Wilderness is a wilderness area within the Tongass National Forest of Alaska. The designated wilderness encompasses 82,676 acres, including much of Etolin Island along with several smaller islands, all of which are part of the Alexander Archipelago. Designated in 1990 by the Tongass Timber Reform Act, the wilderness protects classic Southeast Alaska temperate rainforest ecosystems, rising from the densely forested coast to the glacially carved summit of 3,720-foot Mount Etolin. An introduced population of Roosevelt elk provides a unique hunting opportunity, both for sport and subsistence purposes.From the Wikipedia article “South Etolin Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At South Etolin Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 43° (NE) at the June solstice and 134° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 317° (NW) in June to 227° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 57° in summer but only 11° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:03 AM | 43° NE | 9:40 PM | 317° NW | 57° | 17h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 88° E | 6:50 PM | 272° W | 34° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:20 AM | 134° SE | 3:16 PM | 227° SW | 11° | 6h 57m |
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 | 7:26 AM | 8:11 AM | 9:21 AM | 2:37 PM | 3:47 PM | 4:32 PM | 7h 36m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 38m |
| March | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:04 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 12m |
| May | 3:47 AM | 4:37 AM | 5:34 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:46 PM | 16h 19m |
| June | 3:01 AM | 4:03 AM | 5:07 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:38 PM | 10:40 PM | 17h 35m |
| July | 3:29 AM | 4:25 AM | 5:26 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:23 PM | 17h 02m |
| August | 4:38 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 07m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:20 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 47m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 29m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:31 AM | 2:39 PM | 3:43 PM | 4:25 PM | 8h 16m |
| December | 7:28 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:34 AM | 1:56 PM | 3:15 PM | 4:02 PM | 6h 59m |
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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| 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: 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 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (82%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 51 | 56 | 70 | 82 | 80 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 48 | 43 |
| Low °F | -16 | -8 | -9 | 11 | 21 | 35 | 42 | 42 | 33 | 9 | -10 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 12.1 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 9.6 | 13.2 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 11.6 |
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
- 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.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 South Etolin Wilderness, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Scenic ViewpointLighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Frosty Bay Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Anan Lake Cabin29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Steamer Bay Cabin30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph South Etolin Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at South Etolin Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at South Etolin Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from South Etolin Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at South Etolin Wilderness?
How far is South Etolin Wilderness from Wrangell?
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.