Joey Priola Wilderness Photography

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  • Stars and the Milky Way fill the sky on a clear and still night of backcountry canoe camping on a wild Adirondack pond.
    Voyage to the Unknown
  • A young, wild colt rests in the grasses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park on a lazy summer evening.
    And the Livin's Easy
  • 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 Roaring Plains Wilderness is the epitome of West Virginia's state slogan: Wild and Wonderful.  Located on the rim of Long Run Canyon, far from any official trail,  the depressions in the rock in this photo gather spruce needles and fallen leaves, staining the rock and water red as they decay. The challenging terrain, remoteness, and beauty of the Roaring Plains made it my favorite backpacking destination in West Virginia, where I would often escape while living in Baltimore for grad school. Roaring Plains West Wilderness, West Virginia.
    Spruce Tea
  • 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
  • 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
  • A beautiful cedar waxwing reaches for a berry.<br />
<br />
Photo taken by Amanda Priola
    Tasty Treat
  • A young buck deftly crosses a river in the Adirondacks. Seeing wildlife while out for a hike is always a treat, especially in such a beautiful setting.
    Near and Deer
  • A beautiful sunset reflects in a placid pond during a backcountry canoe camping trip in the Adirondacks.
    Inner Peace
  • Fallen leaves decorate a river shoreline and intermingle with beautifully rounded stones on a drizzly autumn day. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Autumn Spread
  • A heron paused from its quest for dinner to say hello as I paddled by on an Adirondack pond.
    Open Wide
  • While out for a springtime hike, a splashing sound coming from the water caught our attention. To our pleasant surprise, we saw a group of river rats , or muskrats, frolicking in the water, and the one pictured here swam right up to us and paused, as if it was posing for the picture.
    River Rat
  • A beautiful cedar waxwing about to enjoy a berry for breakfast.<br />
<br />
Photo taken by Amanda Priola
    Breakfast Bounty
  • Elephant seals snuggle up on the beach in Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area.
    Snuggle Time
  • Frost coats the colorful meadow vegetation as Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, looms in the background.
    Last Gasp
  • A beautiful autumn sunrise at one of my all-time favorite campsites,  located in West Virginia's Roaring Plains West Wilderness. Some of the best backpacking, views, and campsites in the East can be found here.
    The One That Started it All
  • An incredible early autumn sunrise from one of my favorite spots in West Virginia. One of the many reasons that I love backcountry camping so much is that it allows me to roll out of my tent and walk just a few feet to witness and photograph scenes like this.
    Autumn in Appalachia
  • 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
  • Little River Lighthouse keeps watch from the edge of Little River Island off the coast of Cutler, Maine. Ever wonder what it would be like to live at a remote lighthouse? Well, you're in luck! Guests can stay overnight at the Little River Light Station and watch the most variable tides in the Lower 48 rise and fall up to 20 feet in a day.
    Life of a Lightkeeper
  • 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
  • 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
  • A beautiful winter sunset along the dramatic coast at Rialto Beach. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Fireworks
  • 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
  • A spectacular autumn sunset panorama from a rocky overlook in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. Five vertical images were stitched together to get this 180 degree view.
    Mon on Fire
  • Beams of light break through dramatic clouds shortly before sunset, as a lone hiker takes in the view from a rocky perch high above Red Creek. Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia.
    Perspective
  • Vibrant greenery and blooming mountain laurel adorn striking white sandstone boulders that can be found throughout West Virginia's Dolly Sods Wilderness.
    Pleasant Surprise
  • An Atlantic Puffin stretches out on Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine. The island offers incomparable seabird viewing in the summer months, and is home to the largest puffin colony on the coast of Maine. Viewing blinds located on the island allow for close-range viewing of these magnificent creatures, with puffins often landing just feet away!
    Majesty
  • After a foggy and bumpy five hour car ride, followed by a white-knuckle zodiac boat ride, I was beginning to wonder whether coming to Quirpon Island on a family trip had been a horrible decision. My fears were assuaged, however, as soon we made our final approach to the island and I looked up to behold something that I had been waiting years to see. A massive iceberg appeared out of the mist, and in an instant I knew that this would undoubtedly be one of the best trips of our lives. I stood slack-jawed, completely in awe at this incredible sight, and as soon as we landed I ran down to the rocky shore to get a closer look. I was so caught up in taking photos that I missed the ride up to our accommodations at the Quirpon Lighthouse Inn, and the initial excitement that I felt that foggy afternoon never dissipated as I spent the following three days giddily photographing these icy, ancient beauties. Quirpon Island, Newfoundland.
    Welcome to the Show
  • A tangle of kelp rests on Shi Shi Beach at sunset, in the shadow of a large sea stack. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Castles and Kelp
  • Majestic Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towers over the forest at Robson Meadows, as seen during a spectacular September sunset. The Texqakallt, a Secwepemc people and the earliest inhabitants of the area, call Mount Robson Yuh-hai-has-kun, which translates to Mountain of the Spiral Road. The mountain is often cloaked in clouds, and nothing can prepare you for your first clear view of the mountain. Mine came on a chilly night at 2 AM, at the tail end of a marathon drive starting at the redwoods of Northern California, and ending at Robson Meadows campground. In a daze, thinking only of how good it would feel to finally set up my tent and slip into my sleeping bag for a deep slumber, I looked up and saw a white mass hovering in the starry, moonlit sky. As I drove closer, I realized that what I at first though was some sort of alien spaceship, was actually the snowy face of Mount Robson, towering nearly 10,000 feet above the surrounding meadows and forest. Slack-jawed and fortunate that no other cars were on the road for me to veer into, I finally arrived and set up camp. Even after 18 hours in the car, I had a hard time sleeping that night. I was full of excitement for the coming days of exploration after catching my first glimpse of the moonlit monolith, the Mountain of the Spiral Road.    Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.
    Mountain of the Spiral Road
  • Yours truly, greeting the start of another beautiful day at remote and deserted Iceberg Lake. Taken partway through a solo 9 day backpacking adventure in California’s Ansel Adams Wilderness.
    Strength Through Solitude
  • Clouds and the sea glow with beautiful light and colors after a phenomenal sunset. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Afterglow
  • A cascading creek in Colorado works its way down the mountains while nourishing the wildflowers and lush plant life bordering the creek.
    Lifeblood of the Mountains
  • A colorful sunrise during a memorable stay on British Columbia's Long Beach, in Pacific Rim National Park.
    May This Last Forever
  • A boardwalk leads into the lush and ancient forest on British Columbia’s Meares Island, home to some of the largest and oldest Western Red Cedar trees in the world. The island was almost forever changed in the 1980s, but thanks to protests by the Nuu-chah-nulth and Tofino locals, logging and development of the island was blocked.
    Path of the Righteous
  • The motion of rushing waves seems to mimic the curve of the clouds, during a phenomenal sunset along a deserted stretch of coastline in Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Sunset Swirl
  • Bergy bits float along the rugged shore of Quirpon Island, Newfoundland, as the Quirpon Island Lighthouse stands guard in the background.
    Guardian
  • Nature can often be a source of quietude and peaceful serenity, but sometimes its raw and savage power is vividly on display. On days such as this one at Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, she displays both personalities. After spending the morning lounging in my hammock, adjusting to the 10,000 foot altitude and relaxing after the previous day’s 15 hour drive from Badlands National Park, I shouldered my pack to hike up towards some high alpine lakes for sunset. As I was about to leave my campsite, a ranger came up to tell me that they were evacuating the campground, due to a wildfire in the area. I thought he was joking at first, since it was a pristine summer day. He was serious, though, and just like that, my plans changed. I tore down my tent and began the winding drive down the shoulder of Wheeler Peak, thinking about where I would sleep that night and where my next destination would be. Distracted by these thoughts, I had almost forgotten the reason I had to leave the campground. That is, until the road broke free from the forest and I saw a scene unfold before me unlike anything I had ever witnessed. Gigantic clouds of smoke rose from the forested mountainside, glowing orange from the flames below and the sun above. The otherwise cloudless blue sky was barely visible. The power and indifference of the fire was overwhelming, and although I knew I needed to get the hell out of there, I just couldn’t look away. I eventually ran back to my car, and began the white-knuckle drive down the mountain, keeping one eye on the fire and one on the twisting road.  After such an exhilarating experience, the answer to the question “where to next?” was now abundantly clear – nowhere but here. This photo is my favorite from the three days I spent photographing the fire, and was captured at twilight on the first night of the fire when billowing clouds of smoke invaded the night sky and the moon hung over Wheeler Peak and silently watched the mountainsides burn.
    Luna & Lucifer
  • An Atlantic Puffin takes flight on Maine's Machias Seal Island.
    Fly Away
  • Just after sunrise on a late September morning, I awoke at my backcountry campsite to find a beautiful combination of soft light, fall foliage, and morning fog from a rocky lookout. I utilized a long exposure to reveal the motion of the clouds streaking through the sky and the fog ever so slightly rolling over the mountain ridges. Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia.
    Mystery of Time
  • Quite possibly the most beautiful coastal sunset I’ve ever experienced, taken during one of my all-time favorite backpacking trips (20 miles along the rugged Olympic Coast from Rialto Beach to Ozette Lake). My numb legs from standing in the frigid winter surf to get this perspective were soothed by a driftwood beach fire and some family wine. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Gods of Olympus
  • A lone starfish clings to the underside of a boulder as it waits for the tide to come in. Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia.
    Tides of Time
  • The post-sunset glow illuminates the ripples of Cedar Creek as it flows towards the Pacific Ocean. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Dragon Scales
  • Majestic Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towers over the foggy autumn forest as sunrise light kisses the summit of the glaciated peak. Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.
    Behemoth
  • Two Atlantic Puffins have a chat on Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine. The island offers incomparable seabird viewing in the summer months, and is home to the largest puffin colony on the coast of Maine. Observation blinds located on the island allow for close-range viewing of these magnificent creatures, with puffins often landing just feet away.
    Sharing Secrets
  • Sheets hang to dry in the cool early summer breeze at Quirpon Lighthouse Inn.
    Life on the Rock
  • Stars and the Milky Way streak through the night sky above Iceberg Lake and the Minarets, deep in the High Sierra. Ansel Adams Wilderness, California.
    Meditations
  • Striated boulders of gneiss at the base of the Rockwall made for an interesting foreground in this scene from British Columbia's Kootenay National Park. In the background, a lone larch tree that's managed to take root in this hostile environment shows off its golden autumn colors.
    Scars & Stripes
  • Sunset light illuminates sea stacks and weathered rocks on the beach in Washington's Olympic National Park.
    A Moment in the Sun
  • Golden ferns and a mountain ridge bursting with colorful autumn foliage made an idyllic scene on a perfect October day in West Virginia's Canaan Valley State Park.
    Lazy Day
  • An Atlantic Puffin stretches out on Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine. The island offers incomparable seabird viewing in the summer months, and is home to the largest puffin colony on the coast of Maine. Viewing blinds located on the island allow for close-range viewing of these magnificent creatures, with puffins often landing just feet away!
    She Said I'm Cute
  • After an evening thunderstorm passed through, a sublime scene unfolded at Ediza Lake. Beams of light shot up through the sky behind Banner Peak and Mount Ritter, bathing the clouds and lake in a warm glow. Ansel Adams Wilderness, California.
    Revelation
  • The Adirondack Mountains hold countless waterfalls, wild streams and cascades just waiting to be explored.
    Hidden Gems
  • 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
  • I've always been fascinated by loons. With their unmistakable call and feather pattern and haunting red eyes, they no doubt are an icon of the Adirondack wilderness. While out for an early autumn paddle, we watched two loons repeatedly dive and rise as they often do, when we noticed that one of them seemed to have something in its mouth. Assuming it was just a stick or weeds, I almost didn't even bother lifting my camera. Thank goodness I did, though, because what I saw through the viewfinder was one of the coolest things I've ever seen in the wild. The loon had caught a small catfish , and I was absolutely thrilled to be able to get this shot before the fish became lunch. Do you notice the white around the loons mouth? That's the beginning stages of the loon molting to its winter feathers.
    Catch of the Day
  • After longing to see an owl in the wild all winter, my wife somehow spotted this one along the roadside as we drove back to a cabin. Fortunately it hung around long enough for us to get back and grab my camera, and we watched this beautiful creature from a distance as I waited for it to eventually cast its gaze on us and captured the photo seen here. It was worth the wait! Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Elusive Beauty
  • When their haunting call floats across the surface of a wild lake on a still summer morning, my awe and appreciation of the Adirondacks is never greater.
    Adirondack Icon
  • Even before my first ever trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park came to a close, it already had become one of my favorite places. While the mountains and wild rivers were especially beautiful, it was the wildlife viewing opportunities that took the experience to another level. Wild elk used to roam these lands years ago, but before being reintroduced to the park in 2001, eastern elk had been sadly wiped out long ago. Nowadays an early morning visit to Cataloochee Valley feels like stepping back to a time when these beautiful creatures roamed freely in the Appalachian Mountains, and on this misty morning we were delighted to find the herd roaming meadows ringed with beautiful fall foliage. The massive bull elk seen in this photo was the leader of the herd, and we gazed in awe and wonder as he wandered the meadows keeping watch over his harem.
    Return to Glory
  • There are moments in life when time seems to stand still. When all the outside noise slips away and the mind, body, and spirit are focused entirely on the moment at hand. For me, the wilderness is where I go to seek these moments. Whether it's been a stunning sunset along the ocean, a rewarding winter view after a punishing climb, or hearing the haunting call of a loon echo across a foggy lake, I've been fortunate to experience countless moments where nature has taken my breath away and made time stand still. Out of all these moments, there's one that stands out from the rest. On a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we were dying to see black bears in the wild. After a couple days of exploration with no sightings, we were rewarded with what likely was the greatest experience we've ever had in the wilds. A mama bear and her three cubs were hanging out at the base of a walnut tree, which itself was exhilarating to see. But then the cubs got restless, and began to climb the walnut tree. We stood awestruck as they deftly scaled the thin branches that swayed in the evening breeze, and I could feel my heart pounding so much with excitement that it felt like it would burst. This was one of those rare moments that cause you to ask aloud "is this real?" because it's unlike anything that your eyes have seen before. This was indeed real, and was a moment we'll never forget.
    Time Stood Still
  • The beauty and solitude of the wild world oftentimes stops me in my tracks, and this was most certainly one of those times.
    Awestruck
  • Red volcanic rock adds a splash of color to the soaring granite cliffs that line the beautiful and wild Tuolumne River, in the backcountry of California's Yosemite National Park.
    Watercolor
  • Mankind’s greatest discovery. That is how my friend, Evan and I often refer to fire when gathered around its warm, inviting glow while roaming the wild places of the world. While a campfire in the backcountry has always been an almost holy experience for us, we gained a deeper appreciation for the spiritual power of fire on this night. Watching the light from the flames ignite the alcove we were camping in with the most beautiful shades of orange and red, while our shadows danced on the sandstone walls, it became perfectly clear to me that I had never before felt so connected to early man. I could visualize our caveman predecessors having a night just as we were, reveling in the glory and mystery of fire, with no words spoken, because none needed to be. My friend’s shadow towering over him on the cave wall seemed as if it was an ancient ancestor watching over us, having come back to the cave where it once was captivated by the very flames that we will always look into with awe and wonderment.
    Primal Man
  • Since I’ve had some extra time on my hands lately, it’s given me a chance to dig through the archives and revisit some photos that I had long forgotten about, including a number of shots from trips to West Virginia while I was in grad school at Johns Hopkins. The Monongahela National Forest epitomizes the West Virginia state slogan of Wild and Wonderful, and my journeys to the incredible wilderness areas of the Mon always left me feeling rejuvenated and inspired, and were a welcome respite from the general chaos that is grad school. On a spring camping trip to Spruce Knob Lake, I came across a ghostly old tree stump and roots at sunset that were just barely poking up above the surface of the lake. A tuft of grass was somehow sprouting up out of the old stump, which seems like the perfect metaphor for hope and rebirth in these crazy, scary times amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
    Rebirth
  • A fogbow forms over the ocean and perfectly frames a bergy bit floating in the water below, as seen from the rugged cliffs of Quirpon Island, Newfoundland. Quirpon Island was once known as the "Isle of Demons" by sailors in the 16th century, and was thought to be inhabited by devils and wild beasts that would torment anyone that dared land on the island. Formed in a similar fashion as rainbows, fogbows are caused by sunlight passing through water droplets in thin fog. Since the water droplets in fog are so small, fogbows have only weak colors or are colorless, but still made for an exciting, unexpected, and spooky spectacle when it presented itself to us while hiking along the cliffs of the “Isle of Demons.”
    Isle of Demons
  • While driving back to the Sage Creek campground after photographing the sunset, I saw an elephant on the side of the road in the darkening twilight. Although I was pretty sure that there weren’t any wild elephants roaming the plains of South Dakota, the animal that I saw was so massive that “elephant” was the first explanation that popped into my head. I didn’t have time to contemplate any further, as up ahead more imposing figures began to take shape through the dusty night air. As I crept closer, I realized that these of course were not elephants, but rather a herd of approximately 100 buffalo. I parked in the middle of the road, turned off my car, stepped out, and listened to the buffalo run and play in the darkness. I couldn’t help but think that in days past, this unique and awe-inspiring experience that I was having would have been commonplace (if you were to trade my Civic for a horse), as the Plains were once filled with millions of buffalo. I eventually made it back to my campsite, and returned to the area the following morning, hoping to be lucky enough to photograph a similar experience. Fortunately, part of the herd from the previous night was still in the area. I was able to watch the sun rise with the buffalo, and captured this magical moment in the photograph you see here. Badlands National Park, South Dakota.
    Window to the Past
  • The most important lesson I learned while in San Francisco for a work conference was that when the rental car salesman offers to upgrade you from the cheap compact car that you had pre-booked to a Mustang convertible for just 60 bucks, you say yes. While my pre-conference backpacking trip along the wild and crystalline waters of the Tuolumne River in Yosemite National Park was surely a highlight of my trip to California, it was the journey to and from the trailhead in my trusty ‘Stang that is most etched in my memory. Ever since I had my first car, a piece of shit Saturn station wagon that crapped out after only 40,000 miles, I’ve been obsessed with the intoxicating feeling of absolute freedom and adventure that a full tank of gas and an open mind can provide. After finishing grad school and taking a year off to road trip throughout the American West and British Columbia, I thought that I had experienced pretty much everything that the open road had to offer. But as I bombed down 395 with the evening sun glistening off Mono Lake and the sweet smell of sage washing over me, topping 100 with the first 55 seconds of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” blasting on loop and flipping the bird to every “speed monitored by aircraft” sign that I blew by, I realized that even after all the past trips and miles, the road still had undiscovered secrets to offer. That no matter how many places you’ve been and blank spaces on the map you’ve explored, the open road will always lead you to exactly where you need to be. As I approached my campsite for the night and the sky began to fade from blue to orange to purple, I chuckled as I thought to myself about how the idiom “my way or the highway” is all wrong. There is no choice to be made, after all, because as long as I’m able to climb into a car and press my forefoot on the accelerator, my way IS the highway.
    My Way is the Highway
  • Wilderness travel can be one of the most challenging and humbling activities imaginable. With the right skills and attitude, however, there's nothing more rewarding and rejuvenating than disconnecting from the modern world and fully immersing yourself in the wilds. Adirondack Mountains, New York.
    Rejuvenation