Practice 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 campground 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
About Woodland Park
Tucked between Green Lake, the Zoo, and the Woodland Park Rose Garden, Woodland Park is a gem of a gathering space. With enormous, shady trees, open lawns, and plenty of room to spread out, it's an ideal place to spend practice camp skills close to home.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Celeste Olds
Celeste Olds is a PNW outdoor instructor dedicated to building wilderness skills, confidence, and meaningful connections in nature. Her work is shaped by thousands of miles trekked through alpine terrain locally & abroad, a lifetime of camping in the Pacific Northwest and decades of project management.
Years of problem-solving gear failures, unpredictable weather, and backcountry panic attacks have spawned the systems that make being outside safer, more comfortable, and more accessible. Celeste’s approach recognizes that while safety and stewardship are an essential baseline, confidence and comfort outdoors look different for everyone.
She creates supportive environments where people build skills at their own pace and leave with the tools and a grounded sense of capability to get outside.
FAQ
Yes. Most people do.
No. This is a stationary practice session, not a hike.
That’s expected. This class is designed for people who are new, unsure, or intimidated. You’re not behind, you’re exactly who this is for.
Sequoia Social Club organizes casual, educational gatherings for adults who want to enjoy the outdoors and feel unprepared or hesitant to go alone. Like Girl Scouts, but for grown-ups.
Through guided hikes, camping trips, and in-city classes, we teach outdoor skills in a supportive, social setting. You won’t just attend, you’ll help plan and carry out trips with a focus on safety, comfort, and outdoor stewardship. In the process, you’ll build the competence to experience nature with us or on your own.
