Joey Priola Wilderness Photography

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  • Striking Blue Flag flowers add a splash of vibrant color to the green of a marsh in the Adirondack Mountains.
    Subtle Beauty of Spring
  • Lush greenery, cool blue lakes, and long days begging to be filled with adventure are hallmarks of an Adirondack summer.
    Adirondack Summer
  • A great blue heron regally poses along the edge of a marsh on a beautiful afternoon.
    King of the Marsh
  • A beautiful white egret spreads its wings and takes flight as a great blue heron lurks in the marsh grasses below.
    Creepin'
  • A great blue heron deftly stalks its prey in a pond full of water lilies. I loved how its foot that's up in the air reflected in the water below. Adirondack Mountains, NY.
    Modern-Day Dinosaur
  • Bizarre, otherworldly details in the blue ice formed from the spray of Rainbow Falls take on the form of aliens and ghouls. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Invasion
  • In bodies of water across the Adirondacks, predators and prey go to battle in the shadows each and every day. These interactions are often unseen, but when the dynamic between the hunter and the hunted reveals itself, it's equal parts captivating and grizzly. On a spring morning in the Adirondacks, we patiently watched a great blue heron stalk something. We figured it must be after fish, since that's the primary component of a heron's diet, but after it lunged into the brush we were shocked to see it come away with a mouse. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    The Hunted
  • Lush, mineral-rich mountainsides filled with wildflowers and cascading streams above a bright blue alpine lake give this scene from Colorado a decidedly tropical feel.
    Tropics in the Rockies
  • Sunlight brings out the brilliant cerulean color of Lower Blue Lake, nestled in Colorado's rugged and wild San Juan Mountains. The milky-turquoise color of the lake is caused by the presence of rock flour, finely-ground particles of rock formed by glacial erosion, in the lake. These rock particles become suspended in the water, giving the lake its vivid color when light hits the water.
    Alpine Jewel
  • Self-portrait from a rock ledge high above Lower Blue Lake, in Colorado's rugged and wild San Juan Mountains. The milky-turquoise color of the lake is caused by the  presence of rock flour, finely-ground particles of rock formed by glacial erosion, in the lake. These rock particles become suspended in the water, giving the lake its vivid color when light hits the water.
    Summertime Blues
  • The rocky orange shoreline at California's Salt Point State Park was the perfect complement to the dark blue sea on this cloudy evening. Once an ancient sea bed that was uplifted to the surface, the sedimentary rock that forms the shore at Salt Point has been weathered into all kinds of beautiful shapes and colors. While it's hard to imagine today, rock from the shoreline at Salt Point was harvested in the 1800s and used  to construct some of the earliest city streets in San Francisco.
    Risen
  • Beautiful blue ice hangs from the cliff beside the last unfrozen veils of Rainbow Falls. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    When Rainbows Freeze
  • A rare calm day on Georgian Bay reveals beautiful underwater rocks and boulders. The lack of vegetation in the lake here gives the water an unbelievable color and clarity, and the expansive blue waters of the Bay blended into the sky to form a seemingly endless view. Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario.
    Infinity
  • Steam rises from the impossibly blue Rosette Spring, on a frosty October morning in the Shoshone Geyser Basin. Almost ten miles from the nearest road, the Shoshone Geyser Basin lacks the crowds and boardwalks of more popular and easily-accessible thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the splendor of Yellowstone. At sunrise, when rising steam catches the morning light and the only sound is the gurgle of the geysers and hot springs, it's not hard to imagine yourself as the first person to ever lay eyes on the Shoshone Geyser Basin. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
    Eye of the Earth
  • Icebergs rise up from water that glows with a beautiful blue-green color that stems from the submerged portion of the iceberg. Quirpon Island, Newfoundland.
    Only Blue Will Do
  • One of my favorite parts of camping with my dad is chatting by the fire, often with a martini in hand, after an exciting day in the woods. While any topic of conversation is enjoyable, some of the most entertaining and memorable stories have been tales from my dad's youth working as a park ranger at Green Lakes State Park in Syracuse, NY.<br />
<br />
Green Lake and its neighbor, Round Lake, are both meromictic lakes, which means that their surface and bottom waters don't mix like most lakes do in the fall and spring. The fact that there are only about 20 meromictic lakes in North America makes Green Lake special, and its made even more unique by the fact that it possesses an incredible blue-green color that seems out of place in Upstate NY and more likely to be found in the tropics. This color comes from the high presence of minerals in the water that seeps through the surrounding bedrock and into the lake. Similar to the turquoise-colored glacial lakes that can be found in the Canadian Rockies and other parts of the world, Green Lake shimmers in otherworldly hues when sunlight hits the water. Green Lakes State Park, New York.
    Reminiscing
  • This photo of Mt. Edith Cavell and its icy-blue Angel Glacier at sunset is one of my favorite photographs that I’ve ever taken, and captures one of the most beautiful moments that I’ve ever experienced. On the final evening of a winter trip to the Mt. Edith Cavell hut, I left my two friends in the toasty hut to try to finally catch a glimpse of the elusive mountain that the First Nations people referred to as “the White Ghost”, which had remained hidden behind the clouds for the past three days. As I snowshoed towards the mountain and the sun got lower in the sky, the clouds began to peel away from the summit, finally revealing the mountain in all of her glory. Ecstatic, I hoofed it through waist-deep snow to a high plateau where I was face to face with the mountain, with not another soul in sight. The entire world seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation of the sunset. There was no wind, no noise, and no movement. I stared in awe and wonder at the mountain which seemed close enough to touch, and as the setting sun lit up the clouds above the White Ghost, I thankfully remembered to press the shutter button and captured this unforgettable moment in the photograph that you see here. Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.
    The White Ghost
  • Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towers over milky-blue Berg Lake at dusk. Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia.
    Worth the Wait
  • Steam mingles with a geyser cone in Shoshone Geyser Basin on a chilly October morning, during an unforgettable 50 mile backpacking trip in Yellowstone National Park.
    Out of the Blue
  • The Cloudsplitter Gondola pokes above snowy evergreens on a clear and cloudless day. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Cloudsplitter
  • Stars begin to fill the moonlit sky at twilight below the summit of Mount Marcy. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Twilight
  • Otherworldly ice formations adorn the boulders surrounding a waterfall on the Ausable River. Adirondacks, New York.
    Haunting Beauty
  • Snow-covered trees frame a distant mountain on a cold and moody evening in the Adirondack Mountains.
    The Road That I Must Choose
  • Soft moonlight illuminates snowy evergreens on a clear and starry winter night. There are few moments in nature as peaceful as those spent in the lonely, snowy mountains after dark. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Soothe the Soul
  • Moonlight illuminates snowy evergreens on a clear and starry winter night. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Signs in the Sky
  • The moon shines in the clear winter sky and illuminates snowy evergreens below the summit of Mount Marcy. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Sanctuary
  • A waterfall spills into the frozen chasm of High Falls Gorge in winter. Adirondack Park, New York.
    Takeover
  • It’s about the journey, not the destination. This well-worn saying can be applied to almost any context, but may hold most true when used in regards to climbing mountains. The sense of achievement, awe, and wonder gained from moving your being to a mountain summit rivals any other human activity or pursuit in terms of sheer intensity and emotion. Yet mountains are about so much more than just reaching the summit. The route to and from the apex of these wilderness temples is filled with challenges that crescendo with elevation gained, and beautiful nooks and crannies of the forest that the hurried hiker can easily blow right past. I was reminded of all of this on a winter trek into the High Peaks, when I took a break while clambering along Phelps Brook. I had been in a hurry to put in miles up to this point, but as I took a breather I discovered that in my haste to reach loftier destinations, I had nearly blown right by what would end up being the most beautiful thing I saw all day. Fresh snow and ice ringed the cascading brook that I had been absentmindedly hiking next to, and a stillness that can only be found in the winter forest permeated the air. I sat and watched and listened to the water flow and the ice crack for a long while, until the chill and mist rising from the brook made me get moving again. I hiked the rest of the day with new eyes and a new mindset, and reveled in each step of the journey. Adirondack High Peaks, New York
    The Journey
  • A moody winter sunset from the icy banks of the Ausable River. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Dramatic Flare
  • There's nothing like exploring the High Peaks after a snowstorm. After photographing the sunset from just below the summit of Marcy, descending into the sanctuary of the forest was a welcome escape from the hostile, wind-raked alpine zone. Soft moonlight illuminated the snowy evergreens with delicate light, and my descent of the mountain took much longer than it should have as I stopped often to attempt to capture the beauty. I passed this stand of evergreens on my way to the summit earlier in the day, and immediately became enraptured by the large tree on the left of this photo, as I had never before seen a tree caked with so much snow. The light from the moon was just strong enough to illuminate the snowy trees, and a slight halo in the thin fog around the moon added a final touch of etherealness. Knowing that I was the only person still out on the mountain made this moment all the more special, and helped to make the experience one of the most memorable ones I've had in these mountains. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    To the Heavens
  • Snow and ice cover the steep granite walls of High Falls Gorge. Adirondack Park, New York.
    Falling For You
  • Evergreens covered in rime ice stand like frozen sentinels at dusk keeping guard of the alpine zone of Algonquin Peak. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Summit Sentinels
  • Otherworldly ice formations adorn the boulders surrounding a waterfall on the Ausable River. Adirondacks, New York.
    The Art of Ice
  • Indian Falls is a beloved spot in the Adirondack High Peaks, and I have fond memories of laying out on the sun-warmed bedrock next to the falls after my dad and I climbed Mount Marcy together years ago. There would be no lounging around on this day, but the view looking out to the MacIntyre Range from Indian Falls might be even more beautiful in winter.
    Remember When
  • Storm clouds catch the warm morning light and close in on Whiteface in the Adirondack Mountains.
    Anticipation
  • A juvenile red-tailed hawk perched atop a tree fluffs up its feathers.
    All Fluffed Up
  • After a morning of dense fog and clouds, the sun broke out just in time to sit down and enjoy the view.
    Good Morning Life
  • Delicate hoar frost coats the branches of a tree on a clear and chilly winter morning in the Adirondacks. Hoar frost forms when water vapor in the air comes into contact with a solid surface (like a tree branch) that is already below the freezing point.
    Winter Delicacy
  • A couple enjoys an afternoon paddle on a warm September day that looked like autumn but felt like summer. Indian Lake, New York.
    Second Summer
  • Soft sunset light spreads across the sky and adds some warmth to the snowy winter mountains. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    A Winter Friend
  • A band of post-sunset color adds a touch of vibrancy to the snowy and moody winter mountain landscape. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    The Thrill of Exploration
  • The first photo from the first of what will surely be many wonderful trips in our new canoe, "Bobby."
    Maiden Voyage
  • Fresh snow blankets the evergreens along the trail to Mount Marcy. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Powder
  • The girls taking in the view from the rocky shore of a crystalline Adirondack lake on a beautiful October afternoon. (Image also available without the hiker and dog).
    Ghosts of Fall
  • Wind-carved snow and trees covered in rime ice created a magical winter scene near the summit of Algonquin Peak, on one of those rare winter days where the sun shines so bright and the air is so still that it makes you wish that spring would never come. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Euphoria
  • Puffy clouds reflect in the perfectly calm waters of a lovely Adirondack pond.
    Up is Down
  • On clear and cold winter days after a fresh snowfall, nothing is more fun to me than tramping through the snowy mountains seeking out the beauty of winter. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Tramping Through the Snow
  • A lone maple tree stands out from its evergreen friends on a small island in Indian Lake on a perfect autumn afternoon.
    Stand out From the Crowd
  • An evergreen branch coated in rime ice reaches out like the frosty hand of winter on a sunny but frigid January day. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    A Touch of Frost
  • Rime ice covers the trees on the summit of Tabletop Mountain, with Haystack off in the distancw. Rime ice is formed when small supercooled water droplets freeze on contact with a surface, such as a tree branch, which is at a sub-freezing temperature. Adirondack High Peaks, NY.
    Winter's Grasp
  • The mountains were calling, so we went and got married! Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Unity
  • The first snow of the season (during the first week of October!) covers the summits of Algonquin and Wright in the Adirondack High Peaks.
    Party Crasher
  • The alpine zone of the Adirondack High Peaks turns into a strange, beautiful, and often inhospitable land in winter. After climbing Algonquin Peak on an atypically sunny and calm day, I spent hours on the summit enjoying and photographing the wind-carved snow drifts and evergreens coated in rime ice.
    Top it Off
  • Brilliant sunlight shimmers off ice-coated tree branches on the summit of Sawteeth on a beautiful winter day. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Diamonds
  • Beautiful sunset light makes the snowy winter landscape come alive. The solitude and dramatic beauty of winter makes it my favorite time of year to explore the mountains. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Higher and Higher
  • Skiers hoof their way to some backcountry turns in the Adirondacks. Watching them whiz down the mountain as I trudged along made me wish I could replace my snowshoes with some skis!
    Summit Reward
  • Snowy evergreens blanket the slopes of Mount Marcy on a perfect winter day. The harsh and challenging conditions, relative solitude, and otherworldly landscape makes winter by far my favorite season to head to the high mountains. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    The Journey Ahead
  • Amanda and Maggie take a breather and enjoy the view of Indian Lake from our island campsite on a perfect fall day.
    A Girl's Best Friend
  • Out for an afternoon paddle on Indian Lake on a perfect autumn day.
    On the Hunt
  • Nothing is better than spending time in the great outdoors with the ones you love. Adirondack Mountains, New York
    Fallen For You
  • Lily pads and reeds form interesting patterns and lines on the surface of a pond in the Adirondacks.
    In the Weeds
  • Whiteface Mountain rises up from the valley into the clouds, as seen from below the summit of Mount Marcy. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Layers of Whiteface
  • A burst of sunshine lights up the autumn forest canopy in the Adirondack Mountains.
    Color Wheel
  • Is there a better way to spend a hot summer day than on a pristine and wild Adirondack lake?<br />
<br />
This image was featured in the Adirondack Mountain Club 2021 calendar for the month of July.
    Float Away
  • A beautiful sunrise over Whiteface capped off a wonderful fall getaway to a cabin in the mountains.
    Do We Have to Leave?
  • A canoe rests on the shore of a rocky island in the Adirondacks on a beautiful summer day.
    Land Ho
  • Puffy clouds drift across the sky above Whiteface on our wedding day. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Wedding Day
  • Snowy evergreens frame a distant Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondack High Peaks on a pristine winter evening.
    Where All the Fun Is
  • Finding a way to spend as much time as possible doing the things that you love, with the people that you love most. That's the key to happiness. There's no one that I would rather adventure with than you (and Maggie, of course), and even with all of the trials that life has thrown at us during our first year of marriage, I can unequivocally say that this has been the greatest year of my life. One down, many more to go :)
    The First of Many
  • Clouds reflect in a quiet pond while out for a peaceful evening paddle. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Moment of Reflection
  • Ice begins to form around a waterfall in the Adirondacks under a beautiful sunset sky.
    Final Flow
  • Enjoying a beautiful Adirondack autumn view on a perfect sunny day.
    Sunshine Enough to Spread
  • Soaking in a cold and beautiful winter sunset from just below a mountain summit in the Adirondacks.
    Energy
  • Bluebird days following a big snowfall don't happen nearly as often as I wish they could in winter, but it's always a special treat to tramp through the fresh and fluffy snow when the conditions align. Adirondack Park, New York.
    Snowshine
  • A skier works their way towards an Adirondack summit on a rare calm and sunny winter day. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Ascension
  • Nothing is better than spending time in the great outdoors with the ones you love. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    True Love
  • A kayak rests on the bank of one of the many pristine lakes that can be found throughout the Adirondacks.
    Happy Place
  • Fresh snow covers towering evergreens along the trail to Mount Marcy. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Snow Ghosts
  • The alpine zone of the Adirondack High Peaks is one of the most unique geographic zones in New York state. Home to rare and fragile alpine plants, not to mention some unforgettable views, the high mountain summits reward hikers in many ways. While beautiful year-round, there's something extra special about the alpine zone in winter. Constantly evolving based on snow and wind, each trip to this paradise in the sky is filled with surprises in the winter. On this trip to Algonquin, I was intrigued by patterns in the crusty snow that reminded me of the swirling lines of a fingerprint, as if mother nature was leaving her signature on her winter handiwork. Adirondack High Peaks, NY.
    Winter's Fingerprint
  • Wind-carved snow and trees covered in rime ice created a magical winter scene near the summit of Algonquin Peak, on one of those rare winter days where the sun shines so bright and the air is so still that it makes you wish that spring would never come. Adirondack High Peaks, New York.
    Chiseled
  • Frozen spray from the Ausable River  adorns the boulders surrounding a waterfall. Adirondacks, New York.
    Glazed
  • Rime ice covers the trees on the summit of Tabletop Mountain, in the High Peaks Wilderness of New York's rugged Adirondack Mountains. Rime ice is formed when small supercooled water droplets freeze on contact with a surface, such as a tree branch, which is at a sub-freezing temperature.
    Ice Bouquets
  • The chiseled face of a large iceberg looks out towards a fellow comrade floating on the horizon. Quirpon Island, Newfoundland.
    Tower of Power
  • Two of my all-time favorite places for coastal exploration and photography are Washington's Olympic National Park and Maine's Schoodic Peninsula. The sea stacks that are characteristic of the Olympic Peninsula, and the beautiful cobble beaches that can be found along the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park, make both of these places among the most scenic coastal destinations that can be found in the USA. While wandering the  Schoodic Peninsula one morning, I discovered this sea stack rising up from a cobble beach that combined my favorite aspects of both peninsulas, as if this sea stack had traveled the 3,000+ miles from the Pacific Coast to join me in Maine on this special morning.
    Acadia Meets Olympic
  • The gnarled and beautiful limbs of an Ancient Bristlecone Pine catch the evening light. The Ancient Bristlecone Pine forest in the White Mountains of California, where this photograph was taken, is home to the oldest known living tree in the world - a Bristlecone Pine that is over 5,000 years old!
    Twists of Time
  • A bergy bit bobs in the water near Quirpon Island, Newfoundland. I found the incredible aqua color of the submerged portion of ice glowing beneath the water to be even more fascinating than the fanciful shape that the bergy bit was carved into as it slowly melted.
    What's Left Unseen
  • An intimate view of a Rocky Mountain Columbine, the state flower and perfect symbol of the many wonders to be found in Colorado.
    Emblem of the Rockies
  • Interesting patterns along the edge of an iceberg reminded me of soldiers standing frozen in formation. Quirpon Island, Newfoundland.
    Of Ice and Men
  • The light of the setting sun strikes an Ancient Bristlecone Pine tree in California's White Mountains. The hardy, gnarled, and beautiful bristlecone pines found in the White Mountains are the oldest known living non-clonal trees in the world, with the oldest identified one being over 5,000 years old! To keep the tree safe, it's identity and exact location has not been disclosed. But with hundreds, maybe thousands, of bristlecone pines in this forest, chances are that there's one out there that's the oldest of them all, but it hasn't been identified yet. Knowing this makes hiking among these ancient wonders an even more exhilarating experience, as every tree passed could potentially be the oldest tree in the world.
    Secrecy
  • An interesting cloud formation complements a maple tree showing off its autumn colors on a beautiful October day in West Virginia's Canaan Valley State Park. While not nearly as well known or talked about as places like New England when it comes to fall colors, I think that the West Virginia Highlands put on a fall foliage display that's just as good as what can be seen in other parts of the country, and typically with a fraction of the crowds!
    Homestead
  • A palm tree on Saona Island frames a visitor taking in the tropical beauty of the Dominican Republic on a perfect sunny day.
    Welcome Home
  • A beautiful beach of white cobblestones lines the turquoise waters of Georgian Bay. The lack of vegetation in the lake here gives the water an unbelievable color and clarity, which can make Georgian Bay seem more Caribbean than Canada. Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario.
    Canadian Caribbean
  • An abstract rendition of ocean waves, created by moving my camera from side to side during the exposure. Kalaloch Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Sea Dreams
  • Surf pours down a hole in the shelf of volcanic rock at Cape Perpetua known as “Thor’s Well” while in the background the next wave rolls in. Getting to this vantage point requires good timing and steady nerves, as approaching the Well at higher tides is more or less a suicide mission, and even at lower tides rogue waves can pose a real danger. On the last morning that I camped in the area, the low tide coincided with sunrise, and I lucked out with some beautiful light. Watching the waves crash and then spill down while standing only a few feet away was an exhilarating and memorable experience.
    Go Ask Alice
  • Is there anything more "Maine" than enjoying a fresh-caught lobster on the coast while looking out at the boats that brought in the day's catch?
    Simply Maine
  • Mount Rainer towers above the clouds as seen from an airplane headed to Seattle. This is why I always choose a window seat when I fly!
    Ascension to the Sun
  • Every June, blooming mountain laurel provides a splash of pink to the already beautiful backcountry of West Virginia's Dolly Sods Wilderness.
    Sweet Smell of Summer
  • A colorful sunset spreads across the sky over an equally colorful meadow filled with summer wildflowers in the backcountry of Colorado's San Juan Mountains.
    San Juan Splendor
  • There is nothing that I enjoy more than taking a dip in a river, lake, or pond on a hot summer day. While I've had the great pleasure of diving into countless pristine natural bodies of water, it wasn't until I traveled to Georgian Bay that I discovered my ultimate swimming paradise. Blessed with an usually warm and calm late summer day, my dad and I whiled away the afternoon lounging and swimming along the rocky shore of the Bay. The lack of vegetation in the lake here gives the water an unbelievable vibrancy and clarity, and with my snorkel mask on, the beauty of the Bay fully revealed itself and beckoned me to enjoy and explore these crystalline waters forever. Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario.
    River Rat's Paradise
  • Green forest rings a picturesque lake on a beautiful summer morning in Vermont.
    Give Us The Greens of Summer
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