Camp Practice - Beginner Camp Skills for Women
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–12:15 PM | 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. 12:15 PM - 12:30PM | 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
