THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Join Nicole Snell for a one-hour live Zoom session that pairs Catalina Island trail stories with hands-on foraging and plant-first-aid skills. Perfect for hikers and coastal foragers who want practical, safety-centered tips before visiting the Trans-Catalina Trail.
Join Nicole Snell for a one-hour live Zoom session that pairs Catalina Island trail stories with hands-on foraging and plant-first-aid skills. Perfect for hikers and coastal foragers who want practical, safety-centered tips before visiting the Trans-Catalina Trail.
Book with The Bronze Chapter
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by The Bronze Chapter · Bow, Washington
Virtual Travel Journal: a casual connection to Catalina Island offers a one-hour live Zoom session from Bow, Washington, that turns your evening into a short-field course on edible plants, first aid, and trail stories. Hosted by Nicole Snell, lead personal safety instructor with IMPACT Personal Safety and owner of Girls Fight Back, this casual gathering follows Nicole's solo section hike on the Trans-Catalina Trail (TCT). Expect a mix of practical foraging notes, ethical-harvesting principles, and personal storytelling that links mainland skills to island landscapes.
The session opens with Nicole's route highlights: coastal scrub, sea cliffs, interior canyons, and stretches of maritime chaparral that characterize Santa Catalina Island. She shows how to recognize common edible plants and how to improvise plant-based first aid, with hands-on tips suitable for beginners. The virtual format removes the pressure of remote fieldwork but keeps the payoff: usable skills, a chance to ask questions live, and a short community hangout on a weeknight.
What makes this experience special is the blend of lived experience and accessible instruction. Nicole's work with IMPACT Personal Safety and Girls Fight Back brings a safety-forward approach rarely packaged with foraging guidance; she emphasizes consent, boundaries, and ethical harvesting. The session also connects to her larger teaching role—she's an instructor for the Town to Trails: From Fear to Fearless workshop on May 16, 2026—so you're getting perspectives that span solo travel, personal safety, and practical trailcraft.
For travelers who love Catalina's iconic features—the TCT's ridge views, coves, and the chance to glimpse island wildlife like the island fox—this virtual journal primes you before visiting. It's a low-barrier way to build confidence spotting plants, treating minor wounds, and thinking sustainably about wild food. The meeting point is Virtual - you'll be emailed a Zoom link - so plan a quiet spot, good Wi-Fi, and a snack to follow the demo.
Why book it? It's affordable, beginner-friendly, and rooted in real backcountry experience rather than theory. It's ideal for hikers planning Catalina trips, coastal foragers, or anyone wanting a practical taste of trail life from home. Bring curiosity, questions, and a willingness to learn responsible harvesting ethics; you'll leave with concrete next steps for safe, sustainable outings and a clearer sense of the Trans-Catalina Trail and the island's coastal ecosystems.
Practical logistics: the hour-long session runs 6:30pm - 7:30pm PDT (check the organizer’s listing for the exact date). No special gear is required for the live call; have a notebook, water, and a small snack handy. The instruction is beginner-focused but practical, and Nicole encourages questions during the session. Because the event is virtual, it's accessible to visitors from anywhere, including folks based near Bow, Washington, who want a Pacific coast perspective without traveling.
easy.
1 hour.
No special fitness required; this is a virtual instructional session suitable for beginners.
No — the session is beginner-focused and designed to introduce basic plant ID and ethical harvesting principles.
The meeting point is Virtual — you'll be emailed a Zoom link after booking with instructions and any handouts.
Yes — Nicole encourages live Q&A so bring route details and safety questions about your planned Catalina visit.
The session includes visual demonstrations and practical descriptions suitable for following along from home, but not field handling unless you are on-site.
Check the organizer’s listing; recordings may be available but availability is determined by the host.
No minimum age is specified; content is accessible to teens and adults, but younger children may need supervision.
Santa Catalina Island has a long Indigenous and maritime history and a modern hiking tradition anchored by the Trans-Catalina Trail (TCT).
Nicole stresses ethical harvesting and leave-no-trace practices; avoid removing plants and follow local rules to protect fragile island ecosystems.
The Bronze Chapter is a Seattle-based nonprofit and outdoor education collective that offers workshops, retreats, and backpacking trips focused on practical skills, inclusivity, and sustainability. The organization runs single-session workshops (such as gear clinics and navigation classes), multi-hour skills sessions, and multi-day trips on Washington's coast and mountains. Events have included free community gear clinics at the REI flagship store, BIPOC-centered educational outings, beginner-friendly backpacking to Cape Alava on the Olympic Peninsula, a winter retreat at Gwinwood Retreat Center, and geology and navigation adventures near Mount St. Helens. Programs emphasize skill-building in camping equipment, map-reading, aidless navigation, physical and emotional wellness while backpacking, risk mitigation, and trip logistics. Instruction blends classroom-style presentations with hands-on, outdoor practice. The Bronze Chapter partners with local venues and uses established trail systems and municipal recreation areas for field sessions. Workshops list date, time, and location on promotional materials and are led by experienced educators and facilitators. The group's focus on inclusive spaces includes specific BIPOC-centered events and welcoming language in promotional descriptions, creating supportive learning environments for participants who prefer community-centered outings. Sustainability is emphasized through low-impact practices and responsible use of public lands. As a regional organizer based in Seattle, The Bronze Chapter centers Pacific Northwest landscapes and seasonal timing when designing trips and workshops. Prospective participants can review event summaries and dates to choose workshops that match skill level and personal goals. The Bronze Chapter provides clear session descriptions, intended audience notes, and safety-focused content to help people prepare for outdoor experiences.
Book with The Bronze Chapter