Carson-Iceberg Wilderness is a wilderness area in Alpine County, California. The nearest town is Topaz Ranch Estates, about 38 km (24 mi) away (Carson-Iceberg Wilderness lies SW of town).
The Carson–Iceberg Wilderness is a federal wilderness area located 80 miles (130 km) northeast of Stockton, California. It encompasses 160,000 acres (650 km2) and was designated by the California Wilderness Act of 1984. It protects an area of High Sierra landscape with elevations from 4,800 feet (1,500 m) to 11,462 feet (3,494 m) along the Sierra Mountains from Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass in the south. The US Forest Service manages the wilderness which is in both the Stanislaus National Forest and the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest. Located in the wilderness are the headwaters of the Carson River draining the east side of the crest, as well as the North and Middle Forks of the Stanislaus River on the west slopes. The name Carson–Iceberg comes from two prominent geographical features: the Carson River (named for noted scout and explorer Kit Carson) and the distinctive granite...From the Wikipedia article “Carson–Iceberg Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Carson-Iceberg Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:27 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | 4:56 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:06 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 12:03 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 61 | 66 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 98 | 93 | 92 | 83 | 71 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | -6 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
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 wilderness area
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
Natural Arch
Mountain PassWaterfall
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sand Flat Campground6.2 km (3.8 mi)
- Sand Flat Campground (4Wd Only)6.2 km (3.9 mi)
- Clark Fork Campground7.5 km (4.7 mi)
- Eureka Valley Campground12.8 km (7.9 mi)
- Pigeon Flat Campground13.2 km (8.2 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Carson-Iceberg Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Carson-Iceberg Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Carson-Iceberg Wilderness?
How far is Carson-Iceberg Wilderness from Topaz Ranch Estates?
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.