Necessity is the mother of invention. Back in 1978, Carole Latimer was fired from a secretarial job, and to support herself she began organizing and leading women's wilderness trips in California's High Sierra.

"The phone started ringing and hasn't stopped," says Carole.

She founded Call of the Wild, LLC, a pioneer in women's adventure travel. Call of the Wild is in its 30th year in business and is the world's longest-running women's adventure travel company.

Call of the Wild believes that everyone should enjoy the great outdoors and also have the skills and confidence to backpack, hike and thrive in the wilderness. The soul blossoms when you leave behind the expectations of everyday life, and meet the challenge of the outdoors with the support and enthusiasm of others.

We offer trips for men and women. There are as many reasons for taking a wilderness trip as there are places to explore. In keeping with Call of the Wild's original purpose, we want to help you learn how to camp or backpack in a safe, supportive atmosphere. Others are ready to make a change in their lives, and find that completing a wilderness trip gives them added confidence.

We also meet busy career-oriented folks who have more than enough challenge in their lives—they want the renewal in body and spirit that a wilderness adventure can bring. And of course we meet many parents who feel their spouses should have the opportunity to take charge of the kids for a week.

Still others know how much fun an adventure trip can be. They want to get away from it all, let their hair down, and have a good time.

We pride ourselves on providing safe opportunities to venture into the wilderness as you try something you've never done before. Our guides are certified in CPR and Wilderness First Aid.

With 30 years and hundreds of wilderness trips, we've maintained an excellent safety record without losing sight of our basic purpose—to give you the wilderness experience in a spirit of fun, camaraderie, and self-discovery.

Founder Carole Latimer guides many of the trips, bringing proven leadership and logistical know-how acquired over a lifetime. Carole grew up backpacking and skiing in California's Sierra-Nevada mountains. She designs the trip itineraries to cater specifically to the needs and goals of women.

All of Call of the Wild's other guides have extensive training and experience in leading trips. They'll go the extra mile to make you feel at home in the wilderness, and they're interesting people with whom you'll enjoy spending time.

Among our distinguished group of guides are a pilot, a former paramedic, the owner of a wild mustang, a mother with grown children, several writers, a painter, and two exercise physiologists. They have in common a love of the wilderness, and an enjoyment of people's company.

Along with introducing women to the outdoors, Call of the Wild has also pioneered the idea of camping with challenge and comfort. Many clients like being outdoors, but they want simple comforts like solar showers and good food. At Call of the Wild, we recognize these needs and set up our trips to provide them.

Our food has made us famous. Call of the Wild is located near Berkeley's "gourmet ghetto" of specialty food shops and innovative restaurants. It must be something in the air here, because we put a lot of care into our homemade meals and feel they add to the pleasure and enjoyment of a trip.

Our customers find that a hike through a beautiful stretch of wilderness, followed by a gourmet meal with good companionship, is a memorable experience.

Over the years we've discovered that the wilderness brings out the best in people. What does it take to be a Call of the Wild client? Bring along your spirit of adventure, a willingness to recognize the needs of the group, and your sense of humor!

“I had adventures I never thought I would have. A great sense of fun and incredible food made the trip really special.”—Ellen Hornstein