Forests & Streams

Summer Ballad

A perfect summer afternoon in the backcountry as a light rain falls refreshing the earth. A stream joyfully dances over rocks bounding down from the high county. Humming birds dash from flower to flower as elk graze nearby.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Quiet Life

The grand landscapes of RMNP are truly world-class. More times than I can recall, I’ve been stopped in my tracks at the wide wonder of its many grand views and towering peaks. Amidst these vast sights are countless and often hidden smaller scenes. Standing in stark contrast to the grand views, these unassuming scenes attract no apparent attention. Beneath the grandeur of ancient giants, they sit with a quiet beauty of their own, waiting to be discovered.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Hidden Sapphires

Rhododendrons hug the base of ancient redwood trunks as a lazy cloud sinks in and stretches out, enveloping the forest. The entire morning of making this image was immensely tranquil and mysterious. Humbled under this forest canopy beneath towering giants, feeling the depths of my own smallness, I stand in wonder, appreciating each detail of this blessed moment.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Among Giants

For many years, I looked forward to one day encountering old-growth redwoods in person. I had learned about these trees from a young age and always longed to one day walk in their midst. At last, the day arrived, and I found myself utterly humbled by their immensity, lost in wonder hiking through millennia-aged forests. The awareness of my own smallness was utterly apparent as my meager frame contrasted with these giants of old. It was more than just a physical humbling, though, as I became acutely aware of the disparity in earthly existence. Many of these trees were just saplings at the time of the birth of Christ. They no doubt have endured countless storms, fires, floods and even the founding of this country. We nearly lost these ancient wonders just a few short decades ago due to our own folly. Thankfully, a small remnant still remains today. May many generations to come sit and find the much needed balm of humility in their presence.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Spirit of Rocky

Just above Adams Falls, on the East Inlet Trail, rests this scene. The banks of the East Inlet brims full as its reflective waters wind back into the rolling mountains and beyond to the headwaters of Grand Lake. Lush banks are flush with dappled grasses coated in morning dew under a cool blanket of fog. All of these elements melded together on this August morning, painting a sense of mystery and one that draws me in. What lies further upstream? What secrets does this particular section of the park hold? An invitation to explore, discover and behold.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Remember the Light

The freedom and peace of wandering in solitude through the high country. The long hikes and the fresh air. I wish I could recall these times with greater ease and speed, able to bring myself more readily back to the moments. Times of great treasure. Moments of peace and refreshing when hope and genuine ease pour over us. In a breath, they are gone. And yet, they eternally exist in those who experience and take them in.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

A Story to Tell

A weathered evergreen tree sits perched on the banks of a rushing stream. This tree has so much character that it reminded me of an Ent from the popular book and movie series, “The Lord of the Rings.” On a cool summer morning, I sat on a rock in the stream, letting my imagination run, wondering what stories this tree would tell if it could indeed speak.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Silver Lace

Each delicate branch is decadently laden with the finest strands of snow, highlighting the intricacies of each tree’s design. Under ordinary circumstances, I could have never begun to appreciate and behold their beauty. I wonder and am fearful to know how many times I’ve missed out on appreciating the glory of those around me because the conditions of my own life had not made it more obvious. Or I had simply not taken the time or put in the effort to notice.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Chosen One

“Look at me,” cries the lone marsh marigold. Out of the saturated ground near the stream’s receded edge, this freshly bloomed little flower shouts. The elation over its own existence seems to be apparent. Never mind where or how, but only that it is here. And so are we all. Take joy and rejoice over the marvel that we are.

“It is a wonder that we can wonder at all.” - G.K. Chesterton

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Winter Whisper

Newly fallen snow, I’ve learned, has a way of absorbing sound. When it meets windless conditions, it’s like being wrapped in a blanket of pure serenity. The snowflakes themselves become a material experience of peace. Each flake can be heard as it lands softly on my jacket. The world falls so quiet that if you stop and are still for only a moment, you can even hear the sound of your own heartbeat. Insulated from all the usual noise in such an expansive setting unveils a reality of peace in the natural world that settles into my very core. Winter days like this are exceedingly rare, especially on the eastern side of RMNP.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako

Just a Few Friends

Winter winds howl at Sprague Lake on an early March morning. As the sun crests over the horizon, blowing snow in the east begins to glow, carrying warmer tones of light captured just on the left edge of the frame. The contrast of cool and warm light on a frigid morning nearing the beginning of spring speaks more than the current temperature would indicate. This group of pines, huddled together and cloaked in a thin coat of snow, encourages each other to hold out for the warmer and calmer days ahead.

© copyright by Joseph Ondrako