Sequoia Social Club

Camp Practice - Beginner Camp Skills for Women

Sun, Aug 16 · 9:30 AM PDT

Woodland Park Shelter #3, 1000 N 50th St., Seattle, WA, US

Camp Practice
The PNW’s least intimidating campground

Woodland Park, Shelter #3
1000 N 50th St, Seattle, WA 98103

Practice Camping Before You're Actually Camping
You're at a campground. Your tent won't go up. Your camp stove won't light. The neighboring site is already eating while you're still reading the instructions.

Let's skip that part, shall we?

Some things are easier to learn before you're miles from home. That’s why Sequoia Social Club is turning Woodland Park into a practice campsite where you can set up your gear, cook breakfast, ask questions, and make mistakes.

Think of it as an open practice session for camping. Everyone will be working on something different, and we'll be there to help wherever you get stuck.

Have something you want to practice? Bring it.
Just curious how other people camp? Pull up a chair and enjoy the morning.

Want to spend two hours dialing in your hammock setup before curling up with a book? We'd call that a successful Camp Practice.

Don't own gear yet? Come anyway. Borrow ours, ask questions, or simply see how other people camp.

SCHEDULE
9:30–10:00 AM | Coffee & Settle In
Unload your gear, meet other campers, and settle into our practice campsite. Bring coffee or tea, or make your first cup on your camp stove (or borrow ours).

10:00–10:15 AM | Camp Huddle
We'll gather to kick off the morning with introductions, a few park guidelines, and a camp topic of the week: a short hands-on demo covering a camping skill, tip, or common mistake.

10:15 AM–12:00PM | Camp Practice
The campsite is yours.
Set up your tent. Cook breakfast. Compare gear. Ask questions. Help someone troubleshoot, or relax in a camp chair and enjoy the park.
There isn't a right way to participate.

12:00 | Pack-up & leave it better than we found it
Break down camp, ensure we left the park better than we found it, and head home a little more prepared for our next outdoor adventure, whether that's your own camping trip or one with Sequoia Social Club.

WHAT TO BRING
Bring whatever you'd like to practice, such as:

• Tent & sleeping bag/mat
• Hammock (bring two towels to protect the trees, we'll show you why)
• Camp stove (propane canisters under 5 gallons)
• Breakfast to cook on your stove, (or just snacks)
• Camp coffee setup
• Camp chair or any other gear you want to mess with

WHAT WE’LL PRACTICE
Camping is a collection of little skills. This is a chance to practice whichever ones you'd like to build. Some ideas:

• Setting up and taking down a tent
• Camp chairs, tables, and campsite organization
• Lighting and using a camp stove
• Cooking a meal outdoors
• Packing and unpacking your gear
• Troubleshooting gear that's giving you grief
• Camp kitchen setup, cooking & clean up
• Leave No Trace basics
• Whatever random camping question has been living rent-free in your head

THIS IS FOR YOU IF YOU

• Have never camped before
• Bought gear that's still in the trunk
• Are a chronic overpacker
• Learn best by doing
• Would rather make mistakes in Seattle than three hours from home
• Are WTFNB (Women, Trans, Femme, Nonbinary)
• Are welcoming to people of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, religions, body types and experience levels

WHO THIS GROUP IS NOT FOR

• People looking for a dating meetup or pickup scene
• People looking for advanced instruction or a fast-paced outdoor group.
• People unwilling to respect differing comfort levels, identities, or experience levels
• Folks more interested in proving themselves than helping create a welcoming experience for beginners

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• A supportive group of campers
• Hands-on help from an experienced instructor
• Access to SSC gear to try
• Water and nearby restrooms

GOOD TO KNOW

• We'll stay near Shelter #3 all morning
• This is a stationary practice session, not a hike
• Questions are encouraged
• "I have no idea what I'm doing" is a perfectly acceptable starting point
• Rain won’t stop us! It’s a great excuse to practice tarps, rain gear and staying warm

WHY CAMP PRACTICE
Reading about camping is helpful. Watching campers on YouTube is helpful. But nothing beats pitching your own tent or lighting your own stove and realizing..."Oh...that's actually not that hard."
For many of us, the biggest obstacle to getting outside isn't the outdoors. It's not having a safe place to start.

We got you.

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Celeste Olds is a PNW outdoor instructor dedicated to building wilderness skills, confidence, and meaningful connections in nature. Her work is shaped by decades of project management, thousands of miles trekked through alpine terrain locally and abroad, and a lifetime of camping in the Pacific Northwest.

ABOUT SEQUOIA SOCIAL CLUB
Sequoia Social Club organizes casual, educational gatherings for adults who want to enjoy the outdoors, but don’t know where to start. Like Girl Scouts, but for grown-ups.

Through beginner-friendly hikes, camping trips, and in-city classes, we teach practical outdoor skills in a low-pressure, supportive environment. You’ll learn how to plan trips, use gear, stay safe, and build outdoor confidence through real experience.
Find upcoming gatherings and outdoor resources on our website at sequoiasocialclub.com

Women's Beginner Hike • No Experience Needed

Sun, Aug 23 · 10:00 AM PDT

Discovery Park North Parking Lot, Seattle, WA 98199, Illinois Ave, Seattle, WA, US

New to hiking? Haven’t found your outdoor footing yet? Start here! No gear or experience needed.

Sequoia Social Club's beginner-friendly walks are a casual, supportive way to ease into hiking and spending time outside. Whether you’re here to learn, get more comfortable outdoors, or just look at moss and birds with us, welcome!

SCHEDULE

10:00 - 10:30am
Coffee tailgate in the North Parking Lot (optional). Come hang before we head out. We'll be in the North Parking Lot with a camp french press. Bring your own drink or have a cup of ours. (Fair warning: enthusiasm > barista skills.)

Look for us on the grass strip between the two parking aisles. We'll have a tree flag.

10:30 - noon
Walk Discovery Park Loop Trail

WHAT TO EXPECT
Casual group walk. Ask questions, be social, or hang back and just enjoy the scenery.

• 2.8-mile trail. A gentle 220 ft elevation gain. Hike takes ~ 1.5hrs
• Trail is crushed rock or dirt, varying in width from 2 to 8 feet.
• Trail is not ADA accessible due to uneven terrain and occasional stairs
• We move at a conversational pace (~ 30-minute mile). Stopping to look at anything cool (flowers, eagles, viewpoints). Folks are welcome to move ahead, fall behind or stick with the group. No pressure.

Common questions I love to answer

• Where do I find beginner-friendly hikes or campsites?
• What do I actually need to pack?
• …Wait, what are the “10 essentials”?
• I’m nervous to go camping/hiking. How do I even start?
• What about encountering bears, or worse, strangers?!
• I’m not sure I’m “fit enough”. How do I ease into this?
• Is there camping & trail etiquette that I don't know about?

WHAT TO BRING

• Comfortable walking shoes (may get muddy depending on weather)
• Weather-appropriate layers
• Water bottle
• Optional: snacks or questions

WHO IT'S FOR
This walk is designed with beginners in mind, but anyone is welcome to join. We’re a good fit if you’re:

• New to hiking or still getting comfortable in outdoor spaces
• New-ish to the PNW and wanting an easy way to explore nature
• Wanting to build confidence hiking safely and comfortably
• Curious about exploring the PNW but unsure where to start
• The WTFNB community (Women, Trans, Femme, Non binary)

Proudly welcoming to all regardless of ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, or religion.

Who this group is not for

• People looking for a dating meetup or pickup scene
• Folks expecting fast-paced, advanced, or performance-focused outdoor culture
• People unwilling to respect differing comfort levels, identities, or experience levels
• Folks more interested in proving themselves than helping create a welcoming experience for beginners

This group exists to help people feel more comfortable, capable, and welcomed outdoors. Folks who bring their curiosity, kindness, patience, and respect are welcome.
Come hang, ask questions, and let’s figure this outdoor thing out together.

About Discovery Park
Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest green space, offering forest trails, open meadows, and coastal views, all within city limits. It’s a beginner-friendly place to experience nature without leaving town.

Meet Your Instructor
Celeste Olds is founder of the Sequoia Social Club, and PNW outdoor instructor dedicated to building wilderness skills, confidence, and meaningful connections in nature. Her work is shaped by decades of project management, thousands of miles trekked locally and abroad, and a lifetime of camping in the Pacific Northwest.

ABOUT SEQUOIA SOCIAL CLUB
Sequoia Social Club organizes casual, educational gatherings for adults who want to enjoy the outdoors, but don’t know where to start. Like Girl Scouts, but for grown-ups.

Through beginner-friendly hikes, camping trips, and in-city classes, we teach practical outdoor skills in a low-pressure, supportive environment. You’ll learn how to plan trips, use gear, stay safe, and build outdoor confidence through real experience.
Find upcoming gatherings and outdoor resources on our website at sequoiasocialclub.com