My experience does not include Catalina Island, though I have landed on several plateau or mountain top runways which have characteristics similar to those depicted in the photo FL provided. One of the techniques I have applied where performance, distances and traffic permit has been to avoid an approach over the "cliff" at all, favouring a curving final so as to remain over the more level ground, and thus avoid the transition.
In every case I have done this, I have chosen this technique because the rather strong winds down the runway, which I suspected would create the descending air off the "cliff" also enabled a nicely controlled shorter curved approach. I won't claim great expertise in mountain flying, but I can say that taking a moment to visualize where the air may be moving, and considering non standard approach paths can help to avoid challenging conditions.
I quite appreciate GtE's observation about boundary avoidance tracking, and can see it's applicability in such a case. So I would add "avoidance" as a tactic for dealing with it!