Wilderness Adventures Designed for Women in Berkeley, California

Berkeley, California is known for its vast amount of diverse arts and captivating entertainment, but the city prides itself on being a premium environment for creative growth filled with a diverse culture, and a highly educated population. The magnificent natural environment leads to a thriving entertainment scene that has left no stone unturned that offers an enormous amount of adventurous things to do, both indoors and out.

The cities' motto is "If you can dream it up, you can probably find it in Berkeley", and this is exactly what gave Carole Latimer the idea to come up with an extreme outlet designed just for women. Her wilderness adventures, appropriately named "Call of the Wild, took off after she was fired from a secretarial position in 1978, and after 30 years of dedicated female wilderness seekers looking for fun and excitement, her backpacking adventure is still going strong.

The Call of the Wild is located in the High Desert Sierra of California, and it offers a fitness program designed to give women the skills and confidence needed to backpack, hike and thrive in the wilderness. The idea is to face challenges with support from other women, yet the simple comforts of life are not totally left behind. The hikes offer a walk through beautiful, breathtaking terrain, followed by a hearty gourmet meal that varies from creamy seafood pasta to Tex-Mex tacos, or a fresh coconut-flavored Thai Tom Yum Soup. Dessert consists of fresh-baked brownies and an aromatic cup of warm tea.

The activities are carefully planned with every age and fitness level in mind as Carole Latimer firmly believes that it is your vacation, so you get to choose exactly what you want to do. The hikes range from challenging backpacking trips to mountain climbing, or you can get wet and wild while enjoying some kayaking or rafting. At the end of the day you can choose to camp outdoors and sleep under the stars while bonding with other campers, or you stay in the comfort of one of their many indoor abodes.

Women with advanced backpacking and other outdoor skills can learn while enjoying the benefits from the Women & Wilderness Leadership Course. The course was designed to educate women that are looking for a career in the wilderness or any other type of outdoor profession that requires survival techniques, hiking, camping, and outdoor safety skills that will be used to teach others. Carole Latimer was inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame for her motivation and desire to teach women all aspects of the outdoor experience from self-reliance to staying clean in the wilderness, and how to enjoy gourmet cooking while camping.

The hiking trips include many different destinations that are all included on the Call of the Wilds event calendar. Baja, Mexico is a favorite of women as this is where the desert meets the sea and the whale's splash offshore. You will meander and relish in the splendor of the rainforests, glaciers and beaches of New Zealand's South Island. The Grand Canyon is another chart-topper for avid hikers as waterfall's, canyons, the Colorado River, and the serenity of a quiet camp are all part of the plan with this trip.

Other popular and well thought out destinations offered at Call of the Wild are a gourmet hiking trip designed for culinary lovers, a wildflower hike through Lake Tahoe, and later relaxing around a fire in a designer Lakeview home, an Indian Summer hike, the turquoise pools at Havasu, Zion & Bryce National Parks, and Yosemite National Park. If roughing it just isn't your cup of tea, then you can enjoy indoor lodging and a bit of yoga to relax your tired body.

Price

The prices for the trips range depending on your choice of destinations. To join a trip you must first fill out the quick reservation form at: http://www.callwild.com/quickreserv.htm. Then print the form and mail it with your deposit to: Call of the Wild, 2519 Cedar St., Berkeley, CA 94708.

Request a Brochure at:trips@callwild.com.

The Lake Tahoe Wildflower hike is from June 22-24, 2007 and costs $450.00.

Mexico's Copper Canyon trip is from March 29 - April 8, 2007 and costs $2,550.00.

Oaxaca: The Heart of Mexico: Day of the Dead Festival, Artisans, Cooking & Ruins trip is from Oct. 25 - Nov. 3, 2007 and costs $2,695.00.

The Machu Picchu is a Women's Trek Along the Inca Trail, and it runs from September 15-26, 2007. The cost is $2,995.00.

Lost Coast Beginners Backpack at Sinkyone State Park runs from May 31 - June 3, 2007 and costs $ 425.00.