Geology Prof. Richard D. Little (Earth View Tours) invites you to join our small group

F A N T A S T I C L A N D S C A P E S Tour to two of America’s most visited and spectacular National Parks:

Photos: James Neeley Castle Geyser Grand Tetons and Bison

Plus Craters of the Moon and Great Salt Lake

EXPERIENCE THE WORLD'S BEST GEYSERS plus INCREDIBLE VOLCANIC AND FAULTED MOUNTAINS,

and dramatic RIVER and GLACIER LANDFORMS.

Includes 4 Nights at Old Faithful Geyser’s new “Snow Lodge” in Yellowstone National Park and

4 Nights with Mt. Views at the shore of Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park

$ 2370* pp/do (+ AIR) <> JUNE 28 - JULY 11, 2009

ITINERARY * + trip limited to 14 participants +

1. June 28 Salt Lake City Arrival. Next two nights at hotel near Temple Square.

2. June 29 Free day to explore Salt Lake City,

plus excursion to Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake in the afternoon.

3. June 30 Free Morning then depart for Arco, Idaho (2 nights) and

CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT

4. July 1 Explore Craters of the Moon: lavas, cinder and spatter cones, lava tube caves,

and tree fossils in lava, all located along great rifts of the Columbia Plateau.

This landscape is similar to the Connecticut Valley of 200 million year ago.

5. July 2 Travel day to Yellowstone National Park.

With lodging for the next 4 nights at Old Faithful in the new Snow Lodge.

You will be alone with the geysers! The crowds have to travel a ways to get here,

so they don’t arrive till mid day and are mostly gone by dinner.

6. July 3 Free Day to Explore ...

lots of opportunities for hikes and geyser / hot spring viewing along the trails and boardwalks of the

Old Faithful geyser basin. Look for wildflowers and bison. Evening wildlife excursion.

7. July 4 Mammoth Hot Springs area of Yellowstone, an area where the

thermal springs emerge in a totally different rock type (limestone) than the geysers of further south

that are in rhyolite, resulting in a vastly different landscape. Short hikes to scenic points.

8. July 5 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake. Short hikes to scenic points.

9. July 6 Noon departure for GRAND TETONS NATIONAL PARK

with lodging in the Park at Sentinel Mountain Lodge,on the shores of Jackson Lake

with views of the Grand Tetons…..very special!

10. July 7 Day hike and/or other activities in the Grand Tetons.

11. July 8 Tram Ride to the top of the Tetons plus explore the town of Jackson

and the famous Wildlife Art Museum.

12. July 9 Final day for Teton activities. Rafting the Snake River is an option .

13. July 10 Return to Salt Lake City via scenic Rocky Mountain roadways.

14. July 11 Depart for home or further explorations on your own.

* Itinerary subject to change based on weather, safety, or other considerations

A B O U T THE T O U R

This Fantastic Landscapes Tour will take you from the desert to the mountains, illustrating the many unique features of the Rocky Mountains, the Basin and Range, and the Columbia Plateau regions of the American West. This is a leisurely paced tour, allowing you to learn, explore, hike, etc., at your own pace. We will have daily itineraries that will investigate the scenic and colorful geologic story of the rocks and landscape, utilizing our mini-vans with two-way radios to stay in touch as we travel along scenic byways. There will be many short nature walks and hikes along the well-maintained Park Service trails, and with our mini-vans, we can arrange individual activities as much as possible. For example, do you want to do sunrise wildlife viewing or photography, or perhaps climb a challenging mountain? We can accommodate you!

One of the gems of this excursion is Yellowstone, the world's premiere National Park with the world's best and most numerous geysers, and one of the world's most explosive volcanic areas, with viscous magma churning a few miles below. The effects of incredibly violent events are very evident in the story told by the rocks and landscape! The beauty is diverse and sublime….really indescribable.

We will stay four nights at the new (1999) Snow Lodge, near Old Faithful geyser, and a central point for numerous hiking / nature trails for all abilities....we can avoid the inevitable mid-day crowds, and experience this unique, amazing, and breath-taking landscape at our leisure during the quiet morning and evening times while doing other activities during mid-day.

In the Grand Tetons, one of the most dramatic mountain ranges in the world, we will see quite a contrasting geologic and scenic "style". The rocks are old...over 2 billion years, but they have been prominently faulted upward quite recently in geologic terms (including faults that are still active) to create great peaks and a deep lake along the faultline. Great glaciers, combined with the meandering Snake River, have added their sculpting touches to this land. Once again we will stay at a special lodge in the National Park, at the shoreline of the lake.

Other notable places include the scenic and strange Great Salt Lake and Craters of the Moon National Monument, a site of very recent lava "floods" that are similar to the great basaltic floods that covered the Connecticut River Valley 200 million years ago. You will also have time to see the sights of Salt Lake City and the Mormon church’s center at Temple Square. The wildflowers will be in full bloom in early summer and the mountains will still have a scenic cap of snow. The waterfalls will be full and gushing. So, join us for an amazing, fun, and informational journey through some of the world's most unique "Fantastic Landscapes".

If you have questions or want to see a video of a previous tour, call Earth View at (413) 527-8536 or via email.

Tour is limited to 14 participants T H E C O S T : $ 2370* (airfare additional) I N C L U D E S

<> FIRST CLASS LODGING including the new Snow Lodge at Old Faithful and Jackson Lake-Teton view rooms <>

<> TRANSPORTATION VIA RENTAL VANS for flexible itineraries <>

<> EXPERIENCED GEOLOGIST / EDUCATOR TOUR LEADER <>

<> GUIDEBOOK <> PRE- and POST - TRIP MEETINGS <> VIDEO RECORD OF TRIP <>

What's not included: air fare, food, gas, entrance and parking fees, optional activities.

*note: some minor adjustment may occur due to final lodging costs

TO SAVE YOUR SPACE: SEND $500 PER PERSON (fully refundable until January 1st) to

"EARTH VIEW LLC" c/o Prof. Richard Little, 6 Grand View Ln, Easthampton, MA 01027

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (413) 527-8536

Payment Schedule: deposit: $500; February 1st: $1000; May 1st: Balance

Cancellation policy: after February 1st: $50 per person. After May 1st $100 per person unless space can be filled. After June 1^st no refunds unless space can be filled. ( Consider travel insurance.)

Who is your tour leader? Prof. Richard Little, began “Earth View” Tours in 1981 after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens, as a way to have small groups see and appreciate the great wonders of our Earth. In the past 27 years he has planned and guided "Fantastic Landscapes" tours from Alaska to the Caribbean. Dick (now partially retired) has taught geology and oceanography at Greenfield Community College since 1969, and also has taught at Deerfield Academy's Elderhostel program and at Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene. He has degrees from Clark University and the University of Southern California, and is the author of two books and two videos about Connecticut Valley geology. He was recently inducted into the Mass. Science Educator Hall of Fame. Spouse Suzanne, who loves identifying plants, has degrees in biology & education and clinical social work, and is now retired after working with veterans at the VA Medical Center.

OTHER QUESTIONS and comments Who goes on these “Fantastic Landscapes” Tours? While our average age of participants is probably mid 50’s, we have had a variety of folks, from families to eighty-something. How strenuous is the “hiking”? If you like “nature walks” you’ll love our outings. We have a great variety of options. Some people plan more strenuous activities than others, and our daily activities are geared to meet everyone’s goals, as much as possible. Where do we stay? We book high quality, medium to small lodgings (usually), in scenic, convenient settings. Who does the driving? We use rental mini vans and full-size cars with volunteer drivers. We buy the maximum extra liability insurance and we have 2-way radios for communication. I don’t know any geology! Should I go on this tour? Yes! If you have an interest in nature, come and learn how to read the “record in the rocks ....... the history in a grain of sand”. Travel with a geologist to unlock the secrets of the rocks and landscapes. Your tour leader has decades of experience. Go with our small group and get away from the crowd, but still have a helpful group of friends to share with. You will have flexibility to stop for that great view, smell the flowers, pick up an incredible rock, have a romantic dinner. The cost is LOW for what you get! (check out other tours and see)

Participants’ comments: See our web site for more plus we can give you names of past participant to talk to.

“The trip was superb…we have been singing you praises across the land….” “It certainly was a fantastic trip, for us also the moonlight walk in the dunes was a sublime experience. We will certainly tell our friends about the great time we had, and thank you again for being such wonderful and caring leaders!”