I'm almost certain I encountered McCandless in spring of 1992 in Banff, Alberta when I worked night security for the youth hostel there. I checked in a guy who signed in as A Supertramp and I remember laughing, thinking of the band name and saying something like, "cool name". He said he only wanted to use the shower and sleep until morning, then go. It wasn't until the movie came out when I remembered the name and thought to myself. 'I'm pretty sure that was him". There could be a signature there, if they stored all the sign-in slips from back then.

I always love the fact that he went all the way out into the middle of nowhere to get away from civilization and died on a bus.

Who’s here after the bus got air-lifted from the original site?

I grew up in Alaska. Nearly everyone up here uses this guy as an example of what not to do. It sucks that they had to air left the bus out. Hunters who knew what they were doing used it for shelter. We were actually required to read the book in class during Highschool.

the thing that will haunt me the most is the loneliness when he died in the middle of the forest in an abandoned bus alone

His biggest mistake, and one that showed he had little survival skills or experience as an outdoorsman, was when he returned to the bus, thinking he had no options. Nothing could have been further from the truth, and this thinking sealed his fate. Krakauer wrote he got rid of his map, he did not. He simply didn't reference it. It was a standard map, not a topo, but had he followed it with logical thinking, and looked at the terrain around him, he quickly would have realized two options. First, he could have gone south following the Teklanika, heading towards the park for 1-2 days, eventually running into the park road, or a bridge crossing the Teklanika. Had he gone downstream (north) exploring for a place to cross, in just a half mile he could have come across a gauging station with a pulley crossing, and easily crossed the river, and gone on with his life. There's also the chance he could have found a cold night and cool morning in late July or early August, when the river was at it's lowest point in the day, and found a place to carefully cross. But he had another option, a three hour hike south along the Sushana River near the bus, towards the park, he likely would have likely run into a NPS Ranger cabin at the park boundary stocked with food, wool blankets, bedding and more. He likely didn't know this was there, and had he somehow missed the cabin, the river trek would have led to even rougher terrain, but that terrain also would have naturally pushed him east, again towards the Teklanika, and south again to the park road. These would have been tough treks, but logical assumption should have told him he'd eventually run into the national park, and a road, or trail, or something, if he just pushed on. Finally, he supposedly explored the area. But within an hour of the bus, there were three, empty hunting cabins. All had boot beaten footpaths near them, and he easily could have broken in, in an emergency. Just like people trapped in a burning building, he wrongfully assumed the only way out, was the way he entered, and never opened his mind to even the remote chance of another possibility. I agree that no one should be discouraged from pursuing their dreams. But don't think this man was more skilled than he actually was, and just unlucky. His lack of experience, and caution to the wind, caviller attitude cost him his life.

I think people really underestimate how brutal nature truly is. Very few people are knowledgeable about how to truly survive in pure nature.

Horribly unprepared led to his demise. A 10 pound bag of rice? He should have had months of food brought for the first year and spend a year or longer learning how to dry meat and survive in the wilderness

I tried something similar, damn near starved to death in the woods behind my house.

remember kids. always tell someone where you're going and when you're coming back.

I'm sorry but at some point, I would have risked the river. Not finna just sit there and die of starvation

As much as I love the story and the movie this was made into, This young guy had next to zero real life experience it would take to survive in Alaska. The entirety of his nomad lifestyle was less than a year, and his time spent in Alaska was a little over 3 months. He brought next to no provisions and expected to "live off the land" with no experience on how to even do that. He died because he was Ill equipped to survive in the climate and no knowledge of hunting or foraging. So I have no idea why many of you are arguing that he was this smart and skilled nomad, when he died after only a few months.

Sounded like a suicide mission. No sane man would go that deep in the Alaska Wilderness alone to survive off the land without basic survival skills.

There is a moral from bus 142 that we shouldn't miss. Sometimes in life when you want to achieve something great you have to take a risk and leave your comfort zone. Bus 142 was a trap that eventually cost him his life. Had he only spent 1 night there then pushed on he would have probably made it. But he couldn't let go of that security blanket out of fear and it lead to his death. In nature just like life uncertainty and indecisiveness can be deadly. If you're gonna do something you gotta leave safety and security behind

I'm also a survivalist but I live in a city where I can buy food at the grocery store so that I can survive. So far it seems to be working.

He's a survivalist in the same way I'm an NBA center.

I spent years as an Infantryman in the Army. Even after years of training, I wouldn't be suited for such an idea...

Apparently, if he had a map he would have known that there a river crossing less than a mile from him. He shot a moose and wasted the meat because he didn't have enough knowledge and experience. The guy who dropped him off in Alaska was worried about his lack of experience and equipment and tried to talk him out of it or even buy him suitable supplies and equipment but Chris refused his advice and help. Then he starved to death a few months later... Look, I can respect his motive. But his planning and execution was seriously flawed. He basically committed suicide and caused his family unnecessary hurt and heartache.

I became an adventurist just like him, did 6 months in the wilderness in the middle of nowhere in the PNW. I was very unexperienced and not well supplied. I barely survived.

His last entry : “I’d punch a squirrel dead in the nuts for some French fries.”

According to his sister, their parents were extremely abusive. Having been abused myself, I have had fantasies about doing something similar - going off by myself, ending up in some miserable situation. It seems he was on his own, trying to live on almost nothing, because he'd learned he couldn't trust people and that he wouldn't be helped. It's about trying to cope with severe personal damage - trying to prove he didn't need people, either emotionally or for his physical survival. Apparently he didn't bring any way to call for help, and that really says it all.

The first time I read the book I was 16 and thought he was totally awesome. I read the book again when I was in my early 20s and all I could think was that he was a pompous kid with a head full of ideas and ideals that made him look down on others. He was too puffed up on himself. Sad that his decisions ended this way. Kid thought he knew it all.

I remember as a kid I went for an epic hike. Then I set up my tent, and proceeded to nearly starve to death. Then my mom came out and yelled it was time for supper. I'm still scarred by the experience.

I find it strange that he perished so near a river. With basic skills, anyone would be able to eek out an existence from fish and Riverside wildlife. Sounds like was more of a romantic dreamer than a woodsman. Pity.

I remember reading about this back when it happened. His motive was good but just unprepared. Even the guy that dropped him off at the trail begged him not to do it , knowing he didn't have the supplies and the experience to make the trip. Sad ending.

Spent the daylight hours reading and writing in his Diary instead of hunting And drying that moose Meat near a fire.

Chris was by no means a survivalist, he was unprepared and lacks the knowledge. But he tried, he learned everything he could. Great respect to him.

Seems like he could have just followed the river, they almost always run into civilization somewhere

Ummm if he was a survivalist....... he would still be alive. He was an "adventurist" and that type tends to get itself into predicaments that can often prove to be lethal.

I think the reason McCandless gets such scorn heaped upon him is that he seemed to deliberately go out of his way to not prepare properly. The man he hitchhiked with told McCandless that he wasn't adequately prepared for his trip and even offered to help buy him some supplies, but McCandless wouldn't listen. I guess he wanted to do things his way no matter what. You can get away with that in a lot of areas of life, but wilderness survival isn't one of them.

When you head into the wilderness with a bag of rice and no survival skills, your chances of coming back out are pretty slim. Not sure what he was trying to prove.

He went into the wilderness woefully unprepared. Not a survivalist

The story of a young man who took a journey into the wild of Alaska, never to return: bit.ly/1yHCshI

Survivalist? He lived 4 months in the Alaskan Wilderness, starving to death in the process.

Everyone is hating on him but he did survive the journey there. That's pretty impressive.

There actually was a makeshift bridge about a km upstream if he had a map he would have know about it and saved his life

This boy was NOT A SURVIVALIST. He had NO idea what he was doing, nor where he was going. He's dead and his story is tragic, but don't give him this exalted title. He was a boy with a wandering spirit who romanticized the wilderness yet had no working knowledge nor respect for it. That ultimately cost him his life. The end.

Preparation is more important than dedication....May he ( rip)

Are you still considered a survivalist when you fail to survive?

Apparently everyone in the comments is either an expert in survival or has an apparent say on how this man should have lived his life. This is exactly why he did what he did. I commend him for how he chose to live his life.

I studied English as a second language at the university of Oregon (Eugene) and we read the novel “Into the Wild”. The story pushed me to learn English just to understand what happened. I translated upward of 200 words in the process, and l remain thankful to this story for learning English.

I live in Alaska, and in about 2000 my dad was out dog sledding with a friend and found this bus in the dead of winter, he said he was gonna camp there for the night but decided it felt to lonely and creepy and so they moved. He said it's still one of the creepiest experiences hes ever had. (And before anyone asks, no, his body isnt there and they didn't sleep in the bus or damage the site, they were just nearby)

Gotta crawl before you walk. Very depressing sad story. Nothing inspiring here.

Not taking a fishing pole shows how ignorant he was. Basically weighs nothing and a river next to where you sleep.

Walking out into the Wild in Alaska is the equivalent to a death wish.

Goes off to live and be one with nature.... Dies 3 months later.

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing". I'm glad that he didn't really regret what he did, his last words prove that. Rather short, but he lived his life the way he wanted. I guess he was fed up of all the consumerism.

Not sure, but it seems that death was on his mind. He wanted to live life to it's fullest and objected to every form of capitalism and greed, and I feel this was somehow in his mind a protest to that. Nevertheless, a sad end to a promising life.

The guy had a fishing pole-- the river was filled with grayling (a type of fish.) Why didn't he try to catch them? Had he gone in the other direction (away from the direction to the river) he would have reached a major roadway in 10 miles.

The truck driver who dropped him off, gave him a pair of high waterproof boots. These boots enabled him to cross a then-shallow river, which trapped him in two months later when the water level rose, preventing him from crossing back. Bad luck.

If he really wanted to live he should have followed the river stream and that would lead him into civilization. I've seen a bunch of videos where people in order to survive have walked miles and travelled through extreme conditions. Maybe he just didn't wanna go back and dying was already on his mind.

It’s easy to judge someone in hindsight. I won’t be arrogant towards him.

Respect to all the natives who survived Alaska for tens of thousands of years before, with their ancestral wisdom and superb hunting skills.

He died in bus 142, and Timothy Treadwell got torn apart by a bear called “Bear 141.” Surely some conspiracy theorist can explain this.

Just watched his sister’s TED talk. I told my husband that Chris shouldn’t be looked at as a folk hero because he was foolish in his pursuit of self isolation, and that he died alone, sick, cold and hungry. My husband told me that’s the best way for a man to die. I don’t know if I agree with that sentiment or not but I suppose that he did die bravely when he knew he wasn’t going to make it.

He went to Alaska to live off the land without bothering to find out how to do it. Compare him to Dick Polnecke (?) of Alone in the Wilderness. He knew what he was doing and survived alone for 30 years.

It takes years and years to acquire the skills necessary to live alone in a harsh and unforgiving wilderness. There are very few people who could do it for more than a month or two. The poor kid had no chance.

Huge dreams, no knowledge

Chris didn't prepare his "journey" at all, he just simply went to the wilderness lacking many things. How can he able to fulfill his "dreams" if he didn't even prepare for it.

At least he had the guts to try, sorry he didn’t succeed. Kinda sad, lots of ways to die in the forest..

Irony of the whole situation is that if he followed the river the other way for less than a mile there is a steel cable that crosses the river. It would of been his way out but he stayed to close to the bus.

If you can call someone who died at 24 a "survivalist" then make a youtube video about me called "King of France".

A sad example of what happens when you aren't prepared. If he had spent 1 season with someone who knew what to do he'd be alive today.

As an avid fan of the show, “Alone”, I can conclude that this guy had no idea what he was doing.

Speaking as a born and raised Alaskan, Chris had no respect for the nature of this place. The moose he killed, was with a 22 rifle. The poor animal suffered greatly because he would have had to shoot it multiple times to do any damage. As much as I want to believe that he was indeed a wonderful guy, the actions he made say differently. He was stupid and had no respect for nature. RIP Chris McCandless.

to call him a survivalist is an insult to survivalists.

Love how they called a guy fresh out of high school with zero survival skills a survivalist. Had he knowledge about surviving in the wilderness he wouldn’t have died. He’d have been able to make his way back to civilization instead of waiting around in a bus with no food till he died

This reminds me of Timothy Treadwell who thought "living with" Grizzly bears was a good idea. Just a total lack of respect of nature. - Something tells me he panicked. And for any of you who've lost your bearings in the forest and had no idea which direction you were pointed in, you know what I mean by "panicked." There are seasoned survivalists who new the area well wouldn't try what he did, and McCandless was no survivalist. Did anyone try and dissuade him?

What saddens me the most is that if Chris had brought a map of the trail with him, he would have known that there was a hand operated tram a mile away from him, and even if he chose to continue walking upstream, he may have found a calmer, a shallow section. Going back to the bus was the nail to his own coffin.

Amazing young man. He was a true adventurer.

What a cheerful uplifting little ditty. Thanks for that.

That upbeat outro always gets me. It always happens when you least expect it.

I have met his parents and I know a fellow who lives not too far down the road from that spot. You cannot judge the family by the movie, you cannot judge Chris by his journey. He made many mistakes in a land where a simple miscalculation can be and often is, fatal. God bless him and his family.

that movie was so sad :(

THIS GUY HAD NO BUSINESS BEING OUT THERE

I can't imagine to live and die alone like that. I need family, friends around me.

When I was younger I wanted to be just like him. Now that I'm older I realize his last words regarding happiness as only being real if shared strikes home more than ever. I no longer need to go to Faraway places I've already been there. Now I just look for Value in relationships and a meaningful life of Public Service. Being around people and being a human being with emotions and connections is much more valuable than any place here or far away or out in the cosmos. I went to places that would be considered Paradise but was still lonely. Now being in my simple home is a beautiful feeling every day. Wanderlust is good for the year but over time you start to see that life is a human experience to have with others and to share with others.

There is a movie about this called "Into the Wild", that was directed by Sean Penn in 2007. Some of it was actually filmed at this location in Alaska, and Emil Hirsch was the actor who played Christopher McCandless! Anyone who found this video interesting and has not seen this movie, I highly recommend watching it, great movie! The movie also stars Vince Vaughn, William Hurt and Kristen Stewart!

"What Happened to Christopher McCandless". In one word: Darwinism.

Odd fact. The hunter that found him was shot and killed in 2014 by police on a DUI stop gone wrong.

I want to go to the moon, let me get my sneakers and head on out the door, or let me buy a soldier's uniform and pretend to be a soldier. Life doesn't work like that. Life will chew you up and spit you out if you don't prepare yourself, and if you do decide to take on life with a rifle but no experience in using it, then one must be prepared to face the consequences.

this reminds me of the office episode when michael geta dropped off in the wild

He thought that he'd make it through the winter and didn't count on getting sick, from that point on he had no choice. With no means of communicating to the outside world the whole trip turned into a tragedy. We all need someone at some point and isolating yourself completely like he did was taking a massive risk, as I'm sure he realised in the end with one of his final quotes being: "Happiness is only real when shared." Within this context personal freedom has a very high price to pay and my heart goes out to the guy, he was a hero of free spirit, poet, romantic and undeniably brave.

Christopher McCandless lost a lot of weight, he was a whopping 67 pounds when they found his body. A skeleton.

Happiness is only real when shared.

People miss the reason why he is respected, it's not because he is looked at as a survivalist it's because he just decided to do it. He didn't properly prepare which was because he didn't travel with someone else or even have much knowledge despite his efforts of trying to learn, which is a poor survivalist but he did what many want to do and quit their job and just live.

What a joke that he thought he could hike all the way to the bearing sea when he couldn't even survive close to civilization. He was a day hike away from a highway for God's sake.

thank god for this video. this was the first thing i watched on christopher mccandless, not knowing who he was or what he'd done. however after this video peaked my interest, i've been enamored with chris' legacy ever since and am wholeheartedly grateful for being introduced to a book as incredible as "into the wild"

To live in this wilderness you have to be at one with your surroundings and be a hunter trapper gatherer.My father taught me to be all of that.My first memory of this was at 4 yrs old when he took me hunting with a rifle.The rest came over the yrs,when my father died,my uncle taught me the rest of what it takes to survive the harsh reality of living with sticks and stones.These were the best days of my life.

Even if you know what you're doing, things can go wrong fast out by yourself in the wilderness. It wasn't very wise for Chris to set himself in this situation but I do admire his determined spirit to discover truth.

Whether we are right or wrong to criticize, his actions have spawned a million more outdoor enthusiasts. I used to love this story and envy Chris McCandless. Not so much anymore but it still spurred me on to get outdoors instead of playing the xbox. For that, I am grateful!

He was ill prepared for the wilderness. Little understanding in the way of maps, terrain, shelter, food, even armed with a rifle of too small caliber. He was driven by a dream. There is something romantic, even exciting, in his spirit of adventure, and he seemed a truly likable fellow. But his utopic vision of the the wilds didn't match the reality he would ultimately face.

This video is a romanticized version of what actually happened. This kid was the furthest thing from a survivalist. He just walked completely ignorant and unprepared into Alaska and died. The End.

He was NEVER a survivalist. He was ill prepared and foolish.

Yes, though he got high spirits while venturing into toughest wild, he seems lacking survival skills and knowledge about local plants. However salute to the brave young man who died with no despairing words.

When you read these comments. you know what he ran away from.I respect him!

He had the balls to live out the life he wanted to. Most of u don't even have the balls leave ur house

I just ate an Uncrustable while I watched this. Strawberry

thank you for this

Mad props to get out and test yourself. Wether he was a 'survivalist' or not. Better than sitting on your chair looking at social media or judging him about it.