Finding Paradise: A Short Film About the Most Beautiful Place in California 

EDIT: Thank you all VERY MUCH for the comments on this video! I wish I could respond to all of them. Please know that I sincerely appreciate your feedback and encouragement! This kind of video a new thing on the channel, and that can often be a hard obstacle to overcome on RU-vid. But the support and encouragement I've received from you all has been wonderful. Thanks for being the best audience on RU-vid! I will definitely be putting out more storytelling videos like this in the future, so stay tuned! Do you enjoy these more cinematic / story-telling videos? Do you prefer purely educational videos, or a mix?

Your spirit of adventure is contagious, man!!! Thanks for sharing. If it was not you I wouldn't ever see those beautiful places. Thank you so much!

This is what Landscape photography should be. Exploring and documenting your experiences and adventures. Thanks Josh!

I definitely enjoyed this style of video. It's a nice change to a lot of the photography content on here. Well done!

A little late to the party, but you are precious. Seriously. Your enthusiasm, humor and dang crazy guts to trek where most wouldn't made for an incredible video. Indeed one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Love this!

Your voice over is truly great. The whole documentary is absolutely the most entertaining truthful thing I've ever seen.

Truly magnificent Joshua! As a lifetime lover of the High Sierras I can truly say that was the most incredible and beautiful video I have seen. We backpacked in to Rae Lakes and 60 Lakes Basin in our early 20’s around 1974 but didn’t make it to Gardiner Basin. Still backpacking and dreaming at 71. Thanks a million

Words of wisdom: "Pushing through discomfort so often leads to an even greater reward," and, "Sometimes you have to walk toward the storm." Man, those hit home! Thanks for putting this together.

That Rainbow is a gift from the mother Nature! 🌈 Fantastic video!

Thank you for transporting me into that beautiful landscape!!! The video is beautiful, fun, hilarious, scary - all the makings of a great film! I love it!

This was incredible Josh! That rainbow was so vibrant. Makes me want to be there so badly. It truly is paradise.

Backpacking/Adventure/Photography storytelling at its finest! Well done!👏😌

I love this! Been looking for more long form "documentary film style" landscape photography videos for a long time. Haven't been able to find much so I've been making them myself. I'm really looking forward to the next episode!

Just amazing!! Thanks for sharing dear Joshua!!

Wonderful video, Josh! What incredible images you got on this trip. I am amazed at what you went through to get to your destination. Thanks for making this video so we could live through the experience virtually.

Josh...what an AWESOME video. While watching it, there were times I felt so happy for you! One hell of a character. Keep pushing through discomfort and create some of the finest memories for later!

Very enjoyable. Loved the images. That rainbow!!! What an adventure.

I thought I would be disappointed with the change in your channel. I was wrong. This has lifted my spirits more than you could imagine. Thank you

Dude, absolutely freaking incredible!!! Love the passion, the effor, storytelling. THAT RAINBOW IS INSANE!!

Goosebumps! As a now physically challenged professional photographer that made me feel good to watch. Like I was there! Thank you!

This was fantastic Josh! Thank you so much for sharing this adventure with us.

Truly inspirational !!!!!

Absolutely stunning! Thank you Josh for sharing your incredible adventure!

Quite an epic video Josh. Love to see more of this, and more of your dry humor come through. That is an incredible adventure, and having backpacked to the Rae Lakes, I know that the Sierra backcountry you showcase here is one of the most spellbinding places

After watching this video Josh I can honestly say I am at a loss for words. I don't know if that's because of how nervous you made me with some of the hiking you did over insane terrain, but more likely it was the other worldly beauty of the mountain destinations you reached. This video is right up there with one of the most incredible hikes I've ever seen. Thanks for taking us along for this ride brother! I only wish me and my camera were there with you. Landscape photographers dream!

Wow, just wow! Thanks for sharing this amazing adventure.

Great story, video and photos! Glad you found a little slice of paradise and did so without getting hurt. I had always wondered where your intro clip with you yelping at the rainbow came from. Now we know. -Cheers, Josh

Amazing Dude! Keep the videos coming. You have the best content for outdoor adventurers that also want to capture the beauty via a pic or video. Great job Josh!

I have heard you share this story during some of your keynote talks. It is awesome to actually see the adventure. This was amazing! Thanks for sharing it!

This was incredibly entertaining!

Thanks for sharing this great story!

An hugely entertaining and educational video with stunning videos and images! Fascinating work Josh! 👍👌👊✊

Thank you- this was quite wonderful!

Amazing. An inspirational video. Loved it!

Truely you have been rewarded many many times! WOW

Nicely done. Fun video to watch. Beautiful photographs. As I watch this video I'm thinking about leaving tomorrow on my three-day backpack in the So Cal desert. Now I'm even more excited, and inspired. Thanks.

What a journey that was! Amazing storytelling!

Three words only: Epic....Epic.....Epic!

Persistence and patience pays off. Big time. Congrats on an almost surreal experience!

What a glorious film to watch! I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to experience. Thanks for sharing it. ❤️

Okay, I'm late to the party but... That is THE best field content I have seen! Absolultely awesome, in every way. It's so good that it overshadows what is some seriously awesome mountain photography. Josh, this deserves to be seen far and wide. (Oh, and that accent still found its way into the film even when you weren't wearing "the hat." [15:42] :)

Great story, great pictures, thanks for sharing.

Well done. That was amazing and very entertaining to watch. I've been to Rae Lake twice and can confirm it's quite possibly the most beautiful place I've ever been. Be safe out there Josh!

The rainbows you found in Gardner basin reminded me of the famous rainbow photo by Galen Rowell when he was travelling in Nepal. Sometimes it better to be lucky than good. Of course, it takes both. You did a great job in capturing what mother nature provided.

Dude! Awesome video... thanks for sharing!

One of your best ever video. Immer wieder!

I think this is one of the better posts you have done. I really enjoyed it.

Great adventure for sure? The landscape was waiting to be photographed bravo Joshua. Cheers.

Stunning!

Very well done Josh!!

I really enjoyed this video and your photos are incredible!

You're officially insane. Congratulations! But mostly Thank You (for being extraordinary)! This was awesome. :)

Great watch, spectacular views👍🙂

Amazing video! This video deserves more reach...

Excellent video! Rewards at last!

Great video, glad I watched it.

Awesome video! I like the format of the longer video with a great adventure and story. Great pictures too. ;)

That was a pretty damn awesome trip, well done!

OUTSTANDING! We are looking to do the KCHBR in September and will be going through Gardiner Basin. I can’t wait! Your pics are phenomenal and love your narration! Great channel!

There is nothing in the world that can compare to the beauty of the Sierra’s. What a an amazing adventure 😊

Wow, that hour long rainbow in Gardiner Basin was epic. Back in the '80's, I did a 5-day trip: Onion Valley-> Kearsarge Pass-> Glen Pass-> Rae Lakes-> Sixty Lakes Basin-> Baxter Pass.

Great trip/video, Josh! Thanks for sharing your adventure.

Beautiful story and photos! Thank you for sharing.

Great story and film Josh...

Josh, Thank You for an Amazing trip! I started to watch just the beginning portion, but heck no; I had to watch it all!!!!!!

Amazing storytelling and videos/photos. The moment with you standing in front of the rainbow was amazing. Can't wait for the summer.

Joshua, very good. I really enjoyed your adventure. Stay safe.

Great video and adventure! Thanks for putting in the effort to make it! I also hiked in the Sierra (the JMT) and ended up making a documentary from that trip, and even though, it's so much heavier to carry the gear and then spend weeks to months editing, at the end it's all worth it, making the trip last forever :) Keep up the good work, and looking forward to your future adventure videos!

I enjoyed this very much and my thanks for putting this out there. Very entertaining, colorful, and informative, and narrated with an 'old west flare' no less. What a cinematic adventure. The photography related elements were of most interest of course, but I couldn't help but wonder what was in that pack of yours for such an undertaking as this.

amazing!. really enjoyed this, and your photos are stunning

WOW!

Great work! I support you!

A man has gotta know his limitations! Clearly you do! Congrats! My motto, live to climb another day!

Awesome! I really enjoyed this 😊😊

ONE word.....’WOW!” Thanks for sharing something I would never otherwise have seen. Just watching your video I could see literally hundreds, if not thousands of landscape, macro etc. images to shoot!

Great story, thanks for sharing.

haha that trail at 0:33... NOPE. And you could make a channel alone called "verticulous exposure." Great video man! Inspiring me to head up north to the Sierras more this summer. Spectacular area.

More of these please! And hope to mosey on upon ya while off-trail in the High Sierra backcountry one day.

Fantastic, absolutely breathtaking images of unbelievable scenery! But Josh, you are such a great photographer that you don’t need the “ahh, shucks!” banter to entertain your audience. Just let the images speak for themselves.

Awesooooooooooooooome!!!

Wow, Josh. If this is the shape of things to come I’m pretty excited. I’ve learned a lot from your more instructional videos but this is a great direction. By the way, that accent would be right at home where I grew up in southeast Idaho.

Oh my!

Life is good my man, find pleasure in what you do is important. And if that is your job even better.

Awesome synopsis of the videos in that "secret place"! Loved this video, and glad I found that 'other" place. ;) Too old and out of shape (although round IS a shape) for this kind of adventure, but SO looking forward to Death Valley, et al, mid May - mid June!

Awesome

Loved every bit of it and just can't wait for a next "episode". Keep inspiring people like you do and you'll be making the World a little bit better. PS: next time hire George Lucas, make it a trilogy and had some light sabers. That would be a blockbuster

Love much..Thank you soo much😍🤩👋👌👏👏👏👏👏👏

Thanks for sharing

Joshua, you're a genius. A Starbucks! I nearly wetted myself. Great video like always - thanks!

Entertaining!

Love this! You really are a man after my own heart - down to the love of maps and the refusal to let the lack of a trail come between you and wilderness adventure. Have you ever done the High Sierra Trail? It's been on my list for a few years.

"Eff that with a right well penis." I died. 😂😂😂😂

Well done.

Only been to California once, we visited the big three parks but your film brings the July Sierra scene in King's Canyon back vividly. I can't think what moron couldn't enjoy that and had to give a thumbs down. Cheers, Joshua! :-))

Thanks for this video, amazing experience. How strong of a hiker does one need to be to do something like that?

Great stuff! Now you just need to pump out a video like this every week to appease the RU-vid algorithms. Seriously though, I want more.

This has to be the first time I see someone chasing summer storms in the High Sierra!

Wow great stuff. What month did you go.

"the cutest, and most petitest" favorite line...

The repeating rainbow you saw is called a Supernumerary rainbow and is only visible when raindrops are small and uniform in size. Contrary to regular rainbows this phenomenon cannot be described by geometrical optics but only by interference