Sakya Kachod Choling began in 1987 with the good intentions and devotion of two of Jetsun Kushok’s students who wished to build a retreat house for her. Rinpoche advised them to find land on San Juan Island or Shaw Island.

After looking at a number of places for sale and consulting every step of the way with Rinpoche, the students purchased 10 acres of undeveloped land on Mt. Dallas. It would soon increase to 20 acres when they later bought a neighboring tract. In April 1987, Rinpoche blessed the land in a ceremony memorialized in the photographs in the slideshow on the right.