Skiing the Cascade Volcanoes
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Sunrise / Sunset Times for the Cascade Volcanoes       (page created February 2004, last updated May 2012)



During the spring and summer, the sun is the primary factor affecting the condition and quality of the snow surface. Maximum enjoyment (and often personal safety, too) depends on proper timing relative to sunhit on the slopes of interest for skiing and climbing. This page displays a table of the sunrise and sunset times throughout the year at several volcanoes spaced along the entire 750-mile (1200 km) length of the Cascade Range, along with a sun chart for each which shows the elevation and azimuth of the sun throughout the winter and spring. The equinoxes and solstices are highlighted in color in the table. The times for Civil Twilight (when the sun is less than 6° below the horizon) are also included, since during this period there is usually sufficient light for climbing or even skiing without artificial illumination. At these latitudes, twilight is longest at the summer solstice, shortest at the equinoxes (when the sun rises and sets at its steepest angle), and moderately long again near the winter solstice.
Note that on the sun chart, all times shown are in local standard time (not solar time) and unlike the table, the chart does not include Daylight Saving Time. The second half of the year is nearly symmetrical, so the sun chart's curve for May 21 also applies for July 21 (and Apr 20 for Aug 21, Mar 20 for Sep 22, etc.) with only a tiny shift of a few minutes in the local time.

Currently, values and charts have been calculated only for the 10 volcanoes listed in the menu, for the year 2004 (although DST is now calculated using the new law which went into effect in 2007). Solar times differ by only a few minutes for other years and at neighboring volcanoes, so this list should be sufficient for all practical purposes. Note that all calculations are made assuming a site at sea level at the given coordinates. At high elevations, the sun will rise several minutes earlier and set several minutes later. Varying atmospheric conditions which affect the amount of refraction of the sun's rays can also shift the rise and set times by several minutes. See the "Notes" at the bottom of the page for further info about these calculations.

Select a volcano from the menu at right to recalculate the first table and chart. The "Extended Version" has entries at roughly 10-day intervals, while the "Printable Format" produces a plain page without headers, footers, and text. The standard version in "Printable Format" will fit on a single printed page, but the "Extended Version" will not unless the font size is greatly reduced. Using "Landscape Format" will allow either version to fit on a single page printed in landscape orientation.

Select a date from the menu at right to change the date shown in the lower table, which compares the sunrise / sunset times on the summer and winter solstices and the selected day throughout the length of the Cascade Range.



Extended Version
Landscape Format
Printable Format
Show Lower Table in Printable Format

  Today
  Vernal Equinox   Autumnal Equinox


Mount Baker       Washington       48.8° N, 121.8° W             Dates of Daylight Saving Time valid for 2024

    Date    .   Time  
Zone
  Twilight  
Begins
    Sunrise       Solar  
Noon
    Sunset       Twilight  
Ends
  Daylight  
Hours
 Twilight 
Hours
  Day +  
 Twilight 
 Maximum 
Solar Elev
 Sine (Max 
 Solar Elev) 
Jan 01   PST 7:24 AM 8:00 AM   12:10 PM   4:21 PM 4:58 PM 8:21 1:13 9:34 18.2° 0.312
Feb 01   PST 7:04 AM 7:38 AM   12:21 PM   5:04 PM 5:38 PM 9:26 1:08 10:34 23.7° 0.402
Mar 01   PST 6:16 AM 6:48 AM   12:20 PM   5:52 PM 6:23 PM 11:04 1:03 12:07 33.2° 0.548
Mar 20   PDT 6:38 AM 7:09 AM   1:15 PM   7:21 PM 7:52 PM 12:12 1:02 13:14 40.5° 0.650
Apr 01   PDT 6:12 AM 6:44 AM   1:11 PM   7:39 PM 8:11 PM 12:55 1:04 13:59 45.2° 0.710
May 01   PDT 5:10 AM 5:46 AM   1:04 PM   8:23 PM 8:59 PM 14:37 1:12 15:49 55.9° 0.828
Jun 01   PDT 4:27 AM 5:08 AM   1:05 PM   9:03 PM 9:44 PM 15:55 1:22 17:17 63.2° 0.893
Jun 21   PDT 4:21 AM 5:04 AM   1:09 PM   9:14 PM 9:57 PM 16:10 1:26 17:36 64.7° 0.904
Jul 01   PDT 4:26 AM 5:08 AM   1:11 PM   9:14 PM 9:56 PM 16:06 1:24 17:30 64.3° 0.901
Aug 01   PDT 5:04 AM 5:41 AM   1:13 PM   8:45 PM 9:22 PM 15:04 1:14 16:18 58.8° 0.856
Sep 01   PDT 5:52 AM 6:25 AM   1:06 PM   7:48 PM 8:21 PM 13:23 1:06 14:29 48.7° 0.751
Sep 22   PDT 6:23 AM 6:55 AM   12:59 PM   7:04 PM 7:35 PM 12:09 1:03 13:12 40.5° 0.650
Oct 01   PDT 6:36 AM 7:07 AM   12:56 PM   6:45 PM 7:16 PM 11:38 1:02 12:40 37.0° 0.602
Nov 01   PDT 7:22 AM 7:55 AM   12:50 PM   5:46 PM 6:19 PM 9:51 1:06 10:57 26.0° 0.439
Dec 01   PST 7:04 AM 7:40 AM   11:56 AM   4:13 PM 4:49 PM 8:33 1:12 9:45 19.1° 0.328
Dec 21   PST 7:21 AM 7:58 AM   12:05 PM   4:13 PM 4:51 PM 8:15 1:15 9:30 17.7° 0.304






Comparison of Longest and Shortest Days of Year