Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness — a wilderness area in Blaine County, Idaho — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 36 km (22 mi) N of Sun Valley.
The Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness is a 116,898-acre (47,307 ha) protected area in Salmon-Challis National Forest and Bureau of Land Management land in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The wilderness directly adjoins the Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness on its southwest side and is east of the Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds Wilderness, which it does not directly adjoin. It is named for Jim McClure who was a Senator from Idaho. The area was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System on August 7, 2015 with the passage of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act (Pub. L. 114–46 (text) (PDF)), which was sponsored by Representative Mike Simpson and passed Congress without objection before being signed into law by President Barack Obama.From the Wikipedia article “Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:41 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 56° NE | 9:25 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:10 AM | 123° ESE | 5:03 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 53m |
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 | 7:37 AM | 8:10 AM | 8:55 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:29 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:38 PM | 9:23 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:19 PM | 9:54 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:23 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:32 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:33 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:53 AM | 4:13 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:34 PM | 8h 55m |
Local time (America/Boise), 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 Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:30 AM – 6:10 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:31 AM – 4:01 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:47 PM – 3:27 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:33 PM – 2:03 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:35 PM – 12:05 AM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:28 PM – 9:58 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 46 | 60 | 71 | 82 | 89 | 95 | 91 | 88 | 79 | 63 | 44 |
| Low °F | -28 | -22 | -12 | -5 | 15 | 22 | 31 | 31 | 20 | -3 | -23 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
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
- 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.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- 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 Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakWilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Hot SpringHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Herd Lake Campground13.8 km (8.6 mi)
- Phi Kappa Campground19.3 km (12.0 mi)
- Garden Creek Campground21 km (13 mi)
- Caribou Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Murdock Campground25 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness?
How far is Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness from Sun Valley?
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.