When you build a ski resort on the same mountain as one of the most famous observatories in the world, it would be borderline criminal not to do something about it. So we did something about it.
Mirage Mountain Resort is thrilled to announce a formal partnership with Palomar Observatory to create a stargazing program unlike anything at any ski resort, anywhere. Because at Palomar Mountain in San Diego County, the sky isn't just scenery -- it's been the subject of groundbreaking astronomical research since 1948.
What the Partnership Includes
Starting with our opening season in Winter 2026/27, Mirage Mountain Resort will offer guided stargazing sessions led by trained astronomy educators. The program will include:
- Portable telescope stations set up at designated dark-sky viewing areas on the resort grounds, available to all guests on clear evenings
- Guided constellation tours led by astronomy educators, running Friday and Saturday evenings during the ski season
- Observatory history talks covering the Hale Telescope, the discovery of quasars, and Palomar's role in mapping the cosmos
- "Ski & Stars" packages combining day lift tickets with evening stargazing sessions -- because why stop at one impossible experience when you can have two?
Why This Matters
Palomar Observatory has been a cornerstone of astronomical discovery for over 75 years. The 200-inch Hale Telescope was the world's largest effective telescope for decades. Discoveries made here fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe -- from the nature of galaxies to the expansion of the cosmos.
And this observatory sits on the same mountain where, starting next year, people will be carving turns through powder. The juxtaposition is absurd and wonderful, and we're leaning into it with everything we've got.
"Palomar Mountain has always been a place where people come to look up. Adding a ski resort doesn't change that -- it just means they'll be looking up while warming their hands after a great day on the slopes." -- Dr. Sarah Chen, Palomar Observatory Outreach Director
Dark-Sky Commitment
This partnership comes with responsibility. Palomar Observatory requires dark skies to operate, and we take that requirement seriously. Every light at Mirage Mountain Resort -- from the parking lot to The Warming Hut -- will comply with International Dark-Sky Association standards. We're using shielded, amber-spectrum LED lighting throughout the resort, and our operational hours are designed to minimize light pollution during prime observing conditions.
We're not just a ski resort that happens to be near an observatory. We're a ski resort that considers the observatory one of our greatest assets. Visit our Experiences page to learn more about what we're building, or check out The Mountain for details on terrain and facilities.
Ski by day. Stargaze by night. Only on Palomar Mountain.