About Us

For two years we searched for a suitable location east of the Cascade Mountains and eventually found a thirty-acre parcel of land in Klickitat County, Washington, only 3.5 hours from Seattle and 2.5 hours from Portland. It was perfect, with all the qualities important to astronomers - clear skies, minimal amounts of light pollution (a ‘2’ On the Bortle scale), good seeing, no neighbors, and low horizons. We raised the money to buy it by forming an LLC and offered usage rights to well-defined lots within the borders in exchange for capital contributions. These lots needed to be small and in relatively close proximity to each other in order to encourage social interaction and a learning environment. An area of 2,500 square feet seemed large enough to park, camp, and set up a telescope and so that is what’s being offered for a single share of membership interest. Larger capital contributors are entitled to larger lots. Right from the beginning enthusiasm for this project was highly contagious and  within five weeks  we had 21 members and enough money in the bank to make an offer for the land. The deal was closed on September 7th, 2018, followed by a champagne celebration at the village.

In the beginning we were hardly able to get more than three cars through the front entrance onto the property on account of the abundance of large boulders strewn across the ground and ponderosa pines growing everywhere. We wasted no time rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. The first thing to do was to clear a billion rocks and turn a two-acre open area into a rudimentary telescope field. This we did over a long, sunny weekend in October, 2018, ending up with something rough and bumpy; a muddy swamp in the wet season and a dust bowl in the dry one. But at least it was something - just good enough for vehicles, camping, and setting up telescopes. When 2019 rolled around we continued the effort, working with a bulldozer, excavator, dump truck, tractor, drag bar, 15-ton roller, and rakes to transform the place into something we could be proud of - smooth, level, and seeded with natural grasses to give substance to the surface. Our telescope field, called the Portal, is now complete and promises to serve as a must-go destination for dark sky pilgrims from all over the Pacific Northwest.

Next we turned our attention to the roads. One of our most basic priorities was to provide good RV access to every lot at the village. That meant upgrading the access road (Dust Lane) from the main road three-quarters of a mile away and building a network of roads from scratch within the village itself, usually following deer trails as they meandered  amongst the trees and rocks. Throughout 2020 and most of 2021 we have had construction crews working at the village creating roads with names like Milky Way, Right Ascension Drive, Declination Drive, Ophiuchi Row, Star Trail, Lunar Crescent, Kuiper Beltway, and Barnard’s Loop. Portal Rim Road encircles the Portal and is lined with an impressive array of massive boulders. The same crews have been building  RV and observing pads on members’ lots and now most of us have them.

Other things we have done include the purchase of a 40’ shipping container (White Dwarf) for secure storage. On its roof we have an array of ten 250-watt solar panels which are being used to charge batteries in the battery bank (Quasar Power Station). Also in the same location is a weather station and a satellite dish connected to the StarLink system for internet access. We have built a sturdy gate and rock berm along our southern perimeter for security. A one-mile trail (the Orbital) encircles our village and is perfect for those early morning or sunset walks.

A brief overview of what we accomplished in 2022:

Completion of our gravel road system, giving every lot RV access.

Construction of a double vault toilet near the village front gate.

Members are building their own observatories and tiny off-grid storage cabins.

Students from the non-profit educational organization StarTrak Academy  and a high school in Seattle are coming to GSV to learn about the dark sky and observe it with telescopes.

Purchase of a 'fire trailer' with a 250-gallon water tank and a pump.

Membership in Goldendale Sky Village is growing and now we have 70 members. Fortunately there is still some land available. Observe and image under a dark sky! Build your own observatory! Hang out with fellow Photonheads in the Red Light Lounge!

Currently the share price is $2,500, with a minimum of 2 shares required for membership. Each share gives you the right to use 2,500 sf of land for astronomical purposes. The ownership of the land stays with the LLC. Shares become part of  your estate and can be passed down to your heirs.

For further information on how to be a part of this ground-breaking adventure, please visit the 'Contact Us' page.