I lived in Alaska working as a bush pilot when Chris did this. It's far more depressing and sad than uplifting. He had no idea how to live wild. Then, just 100 yards from him was a zip line to cross the swollen river with. As long as he was there, he never noticed it.
I agree. Any skills he had hiking or living how he did in the USA proper, would not of prepared him to live alone as he wanted in Alaska. Not having the right tools wouldnt of helped.
@@stevenschalck2781 it wasn't particularly well marked, but it was in the P&W literature. If you walked the riverbank it wasn't hard to see. As I said, more sad than uplifting. If he'd taken some pen flares, I could have easily picked him up with a helicopter.
I've watched the movie about him and read about him too, he was totally unprepared to live in the wild if he had done a couple of simple things he would probably be alive today.
Into the Wild is a good book. If I remember rightly, the man who drove McCandless to the wilderness actually offered to take Chris back to town and buy the supplies he would need himself. But Chris refused. Afterwards, Alaska had to remove the bus because it had become a dangerous hiking destination.
The experience of dying alone isn't that special tbh you can aim higher. I mean YOU should definitely leave your house more, just move, anything, lord knows... but just don't go that far from your house like he did.
He was rich and had money,,, so really, the rest of us will not eat, drink, or travel without having a job.. He was stupid, too stupid to realize he didn’t have the proper equipment or know how.
I remember reading about this in school in like 2008, and when I visited Alaska with my family back in 2009 we went river rafting for a full-day trip. At the end, a plane with huge tires came and picked us up right from the riverbank. On our flight back to civilization we flew right over the bus, super low! Really neat to actually be able to see it, and it really is out in the middle of nowhere!
Personally I think it should be a cautionary tale instead of the idealism of anti materialism that Chris sought. His family life absolutely played a huge role in him turning his back on society. But so did his schooling in anthropology. Our universities have become anti-human, even back then. This story was almost exactly what happened to my cousin as well, a very similar pattern at the least: a mostly easy childhood, then in young adulthood serious trauma that made him question his upbringing, followed by an education system that made him further doubt the world and society around him. My cousin grew up in a middle class family, his grandfather was the local pastor at the church, he enlisted in the Marines and went almost immediately to Fallujiah. His time was up shortly afterward & he grew into some depression. He ibis GI Bill to attend a nearby university focusing of social sciences and essentially through away everything he grew up with. Was a staunch conservative Christian, and almost overnight did a 180°. His professors merely added fuel to the fire. Then, to help “clear his head” he had his father drop him off at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail with the intention of doing a through hike. He made it 6-8 weeks before he was back on his dad’s doorstep unbeknownst to him. He had nearly died several times of dysentery & dehydration, gave up & took a bus home. Into The Wild should more likely be a tale of “how not to be an idiot.”
@@realitytroll1155 it's the same with all mountains and plains mother nature takes no prisoners! But his sister is on another level ,hoping she just needed the money for desperate measures for her family!!🤞
I spend my whole life in Alaska except for a few months on and off in recent years, and like to think I've become quite the Outdoorsman, we all know his story and we all think he was foolish, Alaska is very unforgiving and hundreds of people disappear each year. But God rest his soul, he got to experience what many never will. My longest uninterrupted time in the woods is only half his, it was some of the greatest time of my life. Thanks for sharing his story
The thing that hit me belatedly was that this happened during the Alaskan spring/summer months (as indicated by the swollen river due to meltwater). Unless he'd planned to spend the summer there and then hike out, he'd have never survived the autumn and winter months.
@@balesjo I wouldn't say never. A little more knowledge with some practice and I believe he would still be here telling the story himself. The charcoal in the fire could have helped with the positioning. Knowing the terrain more so and along with better mapping skills and he could have avoided the river levels! He threw himself in the wild BLINDLY. I was in boy scouts most of my childhood. Some of those skills could have helped him a lot. We had to spend 5 days in the wild with what we had in our pockets. Which then I cared a lot. Like a multi tool etc. I had a bug out bag for weekends in the woods. He would have known how to preserve that moose, or even some trapping skill and had practice these skills before hand. I believe he would could have survived it!
@@josephspruill1212 Ahh yes...because you were a boy scout that definitely equates to being able to survive the harsh winter of Alaska with just a multi tool. Dumbest thing I've heard all month. Go try it and let us know how it goes buddy.
@@josephspruill1212 I think it is safe to say >he< wouldn’t have survived the winter, given his nearly non-existent preparation and minimal skills. That someone else could survive the winter in Alaska well prepared? Well, people have been doing that for thousands of years.
When my then teenage son suggested this as a book for me to read (Into The Wild) years ago I cried! I cried like any mother would as I could easily put myself in his or his parents shoes. This story affected me so much that even now. Years later. My thoughts sometimes, somehow, still wander to this young man and his plight. It was that profound for me. It’s ironic that just the past couple days something triggered me thinking of Chris yet again and not even 48 hours later, here’s his story once again looking me in the face. Of course I watched it. And sobbed all over again. It’s easy to understand him and why he chose an adventure for himself so as to grow spiritually and emotionally. It’s also so easy to understand his parents and that they only wanted to give their children the best in life but somehow got their priorities twisted and lost themselves along the way. Such a sad and profound story this is. Sleep peacefully Chris ❤🌟🌹🧚♂️
I lived in Alaska when this happened and spent a lot of time out in the bush. The first info that was put out was that he thought that he was a survival expert and thought he could survive in the Alaska bush. They also said he died from exposure. This is interesting. Alaska is a different place from any other place in the US. Once outside of town, anything can happen and you need to be prepared.
I have a hard time feeling sorry for a person like this. If you decide to live a "simple" life in the wilderness, then first make sure that you actually have some serious survival skills. Kind regards, someone from the Nordics.
@@Elora445 So how do you suppose your survival skills would matchup to McCandless, at age 22 & in a place where the temperature was the extreme opposite?
@@sunshine3914 Would probably be as bad. Hence, why I don't decide to suddenly live in the wilderness. But if I did, I would definitely be better prepared. Some things that are basics he decided to skip - that's just stupid. No matter if you are 22 or not. When I heard where he spent his time before going to Alaska I just shook my head. Knew it was a bad idea to go from one extreme to the other.
I feel bad for him tho, no joke, as stupid as this was, but I did this too and that could have been myself if I hadn't've smartened up and went back to town
I remember reading his story as a mandatory book in high school. I always thought, "You walked into the Alaskan wilderness with just that? How did no one stop him?"
the guy who dropped him off tried to. as stated in the above comment, also tried buying him some proper gear, but Chris refused. as also stated, a grown adult can do whatever he or she wants, no matter how stupid and foolish it may be. Chris was actually quite an experienced "adventurer", if you can call it that, and had survived several other dangerous excursions in dangerous areas. but Alaska is just on a completely different level of "dangerous" altogether, and even the most experienced outdoorsmen have perished in the Alaskan wilderness. Chris really didn't have any real skills for long term survival in the Alaskan wilderness. sure, he had survived many previous dangerous experiences..but in reality, he had just gotten really lucky. Alaska is no joke, and the lack of skills and proper equipment, in that kind of wilderness, is practically a death sentence.
It’s amazing how many people walked out the movie idealizing the guy as some sort of adventurous courageous hero when all he was is reckless, arrogant, ignorant and selfish
yah....it feels like he was a changed man in those last days and judging from the notes he left it seems that he learned the lesson of compassion and the importance of society/family/love for your neighbor
@@noeyes6151 well obviously yah ....nobody should have to go on some epic search to "find themselves" or "find peace" ...or "find"..anything really......but people with the fortitude to just grow up don't get glorified the way that self-destructive people do.
I'm from Alaska. This has always been a cautionary tale (one of many) about the dangers of the bush and not respecting the wild. It's always been a story of all the things you need to not do in Alaska.
@@fredwerza3478 Do you shake hands with imaginary people and say you spoke with the inventor of insulin, like your demented senile joke of a leader does? LOL! M oro n.
Being from alaska, I’d like to also add that the three months of summer he survived in would be the only months it would be possible to without being incredibly well prepared. Like a float plane of materials and literally constant working prepared. The wildlife density is sparse in summer, but nonexistent in winter
Yep, I am not from Alaska, but I was thinking the exact same about the season, actually quite focussed on in this aspect in the story, since this is quite a big difference. If even August is dangerous, then the cold months cannot do otherwise than becoming a huge problem. The human body uses energy to keep itself warm. That will get very difficult when very cold freezing temperatures arive. Not an issue with enough food, but with a shortage of it, it is not going to work out well. But anyway, nobody says that Chris McCandless's plan was to stay there during winter. And apart from all this. I think the story is beautiful in a lot of ways and even when dying was not Chris's plan, he at least found peace and beauty in his life and that's important here.
He didnt live long. He made stupid decisions. He was not brave but ignorant. Died from misreading a book on poisonous plants. He was never going to make anything of himself.
I grew up in Healy. We trekked out to the bus many times as young adults but were prepared and understood the terrain. This man's story is nothing more than a tragedy and it being romanticized so often is why they had to finally move the bus entirely.
The government couldn't figure a way to exploit it into a money maker, so they spent 1,000's of dollars to destroy it. Soon they will denie it ever existed.
@@NiteCreature666 They removed a macabre novelty that generated multiple unnecessary rescues of unprepared people who romanticized a troubled young man.
An interesting side note is that that the Alaskan National Guard had to remove the "Magic Bus" with a CH-47 a few years back. This was because so many people sought out the bus as a pilgrimage site of sorts. These tourists were constantly getting lost or stuck that local authorities were afraid the disaster might be repeated.
@@Bhartrampf I don't know myself, I think it is largely because of the book and movie "Into the Wild." Jon Krakauer goes out of his way to make a lot of comparisons to Chris and himself in a way that feels strange and unnecessary in the book. He also spent a lot of time commissioning studies to prove Chris was poisoned by some obscure process of potato seeds to prove something. I think Krakauers obsession and the constant excuses he makes for Chris is a big factor in the stories notoriety.
@@Bhartrampf People love to be involved with Books or movies. Take the "Joker" stairs that he dances on in the movie. Search social media and there are thousands and thousands of people that traveled there to dance on those stairs. Society is just weird like that.
@@andrewsmithphoto Yeah, I mean really, what does it matter how he died, as long as it wasn't murder, which it wasn't! What's this guy trying to prove?
Emile Hirsch did such a fantastic job portraying Christopher in the film 🎥 INTO THE WILD. The pain of his self realization he had eaten the wrong type of berries that helped in hastening his demise was an absolute, gut-wrenching heart ache. And the old man asking him could he adopt him? The heart strings were most definitely being tugged at!
I think it was because he thought he was eating wild potatoes but it was something else. Something that would prevent the stomach from digesting food. So he starved to death.
@@dustinfrost5214 Hollywood has been known to take "artistic liberties." In the end...he lived his short life his way. Choices can have positive and negative consequences, and sometimes you never know which. Always have a back-up plan,and never under estimate potential problems.
He unfortunately was blinded by the luster of an adventure and did not think thoroughly. But with all his trauma and his sense of freedom. I can't help but admire his determination and even his character. He was pure at heart. At least he passed doing what he loved and managed to express it with some joy.
First time I heard this story was from Wendigoon, and it will always be one that sticks with me and I don't mind listening to it again. One of the things he wrote that I'll never forget is "Happiness is only real when shared."
@@calebcraven7409 "Happiness is only real when shared" I sat here thinking about that statement, and came to the conclusion of how true that really is.
@@oneandzero6251 I don't think they mean it has to be in service to someone else, but it's exceptionally hard to experience happiness when you are the only one experiencing it. They aren't saying work makes you happy but you are more happy when you are with other people, friends, family like that. Share the experience
I always appreciate an update on this story. There's a lot that can be learned from his mistakes when trying to live freely with no boundaries. Sometimes, to live freely, you do in fact need to be prepared.
@SoulJah That too. My next personal "into the wild" journey will be smarter and freer since I won't have things chaining me to a schedule by that time. Can't wait.
It wasn't a mistake...he was just stupid....even I'm a lone wolf and sometimes take risk and just wing it...but Alaska is extreme north and that too in winter, temp can get -20, -30 avg..
Shows you’re not really free, u have to plan and study the environment ur abt to live in, or else you’ll perish, just trading one life of hard work for another
Into The Wild was by far one of the few pieces of mandatory reading in High School that I truly enjoyed. It's a story that's an interesting combination of inspiring, relatable, and tragic. To think that if he'd had the sense to travel up and down the river in search of a better crossing point, which would have led to finding the crossing trolly, he might've made it out alive.
The book was awesome. The movie Into The Wild was good too. Every time I hear the Eddie Vedder song "Hard Sun" I think of Chris. Edited to add: The movie is on Pluto TV for Free
I read it “for school” when I was sitting in the hospital while my sister was passing away. I read it out loud to her and she loved hit. She was handicapped but always loved the wilderness. I think it was a great story.
It is just a shame that the book romanticized this idiot to the point where people were dying trying to copy him. This is one of the times where I really dont understand how people can think he was anything but an unprepared dumbass. Actually, maybe its because the people reading it blindly believe what's in the book instead of spending 5 seconds to realize that it was totally sensationalized. I think it is pretty telling that it is always people that are like 25 or less that actually idolized this person and got a positive message from the book.
I lived in part of Arizona called the big empty as a young man. I grew up in a neglectful home so when i filled a backpack with misc items and struck out one summer when school was out for an adventure my parents didn't really care. I came back 3 months later with a completely different perspective on nature, mostly due to the fact i barely made it back alive. I'd come to realize every person who romanticizes the outdoors probably never spent a single night in it. They think living in the wild is some ultimate affirmation of freedom and independence when in reality it's a daily fight just to find enough to stay alive, you spend every day worrying worrying that the smallest injury will kill you (because it will) and even the basic like finding food and water becomes all consuming. Imagine the worst day of your life then add starvation on top of that and you have a good idea of what "living off the land" is really like.
We were stationed at Ft. Wainwright when this occurred. He was completely unprepared and at that time there wasn't much sympathy for him. He had a friend that worked as a park ranger and even he spoke up. Now, years later, there has been a movie and multiple books/articles about this guy. He didn't know how to prep food and the moose he killed ended up rotting. He didn't know what was safe to eat etc etc. Seriously, he should have never attempted this. The Alaskan wilderness is 100% unforgiving and if you make even 1 mistake, you are dead. I don't mean to sound harsh but the public mentality of the situation has completely flipflopped from when it happened..
Some people just don't know what they don't know....innocent as a child and naively gutsy. Too bad he DIDN'T survive. He might have been someone many more would have learned good things from.
I agree but you got to give it to him unprepared and with no knowledge he managed to live there for 107 days sure the last couple were quite terrible but the guy was stout and idiot but stout indeed
Chris McCandless is a prime example of "don't do this" especially in Alaska. He romanticised Alaska without knowing anything about it. He was ill-prepared from the start. (BTW the bus is now in Fairbanks)
My husband said to me once "let's move to Alaska. Wouldn't it be fun?" I looked him dead in the eyes and said "I can't get you to chop wood for our 3 months of winter, let alone 6-9months. So let's not go and say we did"
@@akmetalhead95 Back in the early days of the internet, in the 1990’s chat rooms, I used to talk to a kid from Canada. He said people asked him how he did the internet if he lived in an igloo… I really got a kick out of that. So, if Canadians live in igloos, what do people think Alaskans live in?! Lol.
This man lived my dream life. What a legend. The note he left for visitors knowing he'd ineluctably die soon after actually made me cry. After just 12 minutes of knowing of his existence, it felt like it was me dying. What a beautiful story, what beautiful pictures, what a beautiful smile. May his soul rest in peace.
I totally agree. It's sad that some people are saying that he was an arrogant sad person because he shunned society and people from his life. I think he is an amazing person who was brave enough to pursue his ideals that are unique to him. He didn't harm anyone along the way and created great memories with others when he could. He was incredible. I hope his soul is still having fun traveling and roaming around the way he pleases 🎉👻🧳🎉
My dad loved this guy, the book, the movie, and showing me the movie…he always loved doing things in the wild and would’ve loved to do something like this(obviously not to the extreme of passing away) but last summer at work he had a traumatic brain injury and has been in a vegetative state since…I loved the video the story just makes me think of my dad and my dad looks like Chris too …it just upsets me and rly makes me interested in the story…and I remember my dad always telling me if he walked half a mile he could’ve went across the river and hearing that in the video too just makes Chris’s story even more sad.
My senior high school (year 12) English teacher taught us this man’s story and honestly it was one of most engaging stories we had learned at that point. Almost everyone in my class was nose deep into the book, some even read ahead. I graduated in 2018 and I can still remember almost everything from that book, despite only reading it the once.
I learned about him too then in my first college semester, it was for a humanities class and we had to watch the movie adaptation and write an essay or a report on it I think! The movie is really good and heartbreaking it’s called Into the Wild
I hated reading his story with a fury 😂 I get why people like it, don’t get me wrong, I just found the book so boring to go through as someone who has only ever enjoyed books in the genres of fantasy and fairytales. The author’s writing style was entirely new to me and bored the hell out of me. It’s still not my style but I get it
What makes this story even sadder is that all this guy had to do was walk less than a mile north from where this bus was and he couldve crossed the river/stream where it was less than knee deep, but hey hindsight is 20/20
@@larryhullinger4141 there was a bridge around a two day hike south of the river crossing spot and also a USGS gauging station around half a mile north of him. But I was not willing to use a map, so I did not know or did not want to know.
I am the child of homesteaders. I am from the north. I spent my school summer holidays working in the huge garden, foraging in the bush for wild berries on the weekends, working into the night with my working parents, preserving food for the winter. I read Into the Wild. I just shook my head. So unprepared. He really didn't give himself a chance, especially in Alaska.
I live on a farm. Nearest city is 50 kilometers away. There's busses. It's still a hard life. This guy was a complete fool, had no clue what he was getting into.
“Talketna River” pronounced “tal-keet-na” Fairbanksan here. You did a pretty great job with this story. There is no doubt he went in to the wilderness completely unprepared for the hardships he’d face. Survival in the interior of Alaska can really tough, even with all the necessary items, without them, there’s not much hope. People have no idea how brutal it can be. There’s zero room for error in the bush of Alaska.
I remember first hearing about him when I was eight years old, visiting Alaska and part of the trail where he walked so many years ago, it was gorgeous and I can tell why he was at peace with himself until the end. I respect him and his ideals but cmon man failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Last time I checked, NONE of us get out of "THIS" alive..."Prepare" all you want I suppose, but THIS ^^^ dude?!?! He didn't just TAKE the "baton" and RUN with it....He said: "Gimmie that fucking thing asshole!"🤣🤣 I feel sorry for anyone who would call him stupid or even arrogant....Just his life in the "Lower 48" is something pretty damn extraordinary!! (Never mind dying in the Alaskan wilderness!) I suppose it might be understandable to call him unecessarily reckless though.😶
This is a good take. He could have lived successfully in the bush had he taken a little time to prepare. He seemed to appreciate the beauty of the wild, but didn’t respect it.
Spent my childhood growing up in the mountains in Victoria and also the Aussie outback. Wound up in my 20’s and 30’s doing many solo treks that were days or weeks long, including spending nearly a year living in the Himalayas. Never, ever, EVER underestimate a true wilderness. Prepare. Prepare for the worst possible scenarios. Listen to the locals that have lived there all their lives. I’m sorry, but I’ve read about this kid a lot (actually he was born one year before me) and honestly what he basically did was a complicated way of committing suicide. No map? Unbelievable…..~
@@unstoppablezone4980 he wasn't intelligent. he thought the books about the brutal wildnerness and how it will kill the unprepared were the way to live yet didn't learn how to survive there and what supplies you needed.
@@unstoppablezone4980 Perhaps if his father didn't spend all his time trying to balance 2 families he could have taught him survival in the wilderness. My father took me fishing and hunting and basic ways to survive in the wilderness. He never had that and it cost him his life.
Eddie Vetter put it to words. Its a heartbreaking yet inspiring story. Mr Supertramp, Chris, had the life he came here to Earth to live. It was not yours or mine but it was his and he lived it well.
Inspiring? So his story makes you want to go out into the most desolate wilderness utterly unprepared and attempt to live off the land with zero clue? He lived it well? He died in pain in a bus of starvation/sickness, I most certainly assure you.
@@alexmurray1971throwing the baby out with the bath water huh. Surely it’s inspiring and could’ve been handled differently and yes he’s lived a full life. He wasn’t dying from the beginning of his travels just towards the end of his life. lol usually how death works, or you can live a long slow death never daring to do anything outside of the norm.
I saw the movie and read the book my senior year and it literally changed my perspective on life. Going out in the Alaskan bush unprepared isn’t the best idea but his ideals are something to keep in mind. I spent my 20’s working seasonally on horse ranches and campgrounds, odd jobs and just living. Wouldn’t change a minute of it.
At the darkest time of my life I found his story and because of it, it's saved my life. I know other people that have said the same I wouldn't doubt there's thousands of people that owe their life to Chris and his story.
I think the nomad approach to life, rejecting materialism, is way more common than we realize, he just wrote about it. The soundtrack to the film adapted is really good. RIP Chis.
Absolutely tear jerking! As a man who feels the crushing weight brought on by modern society I understand his need for true freedom more than most. It hits so close to home because I could see myself in his shoes following his steps and paying the ultimate price for freedom as he did. Excellent video thank you for sharing his story.
DON'T read the book "On The Road" by Jack Kerouac....You might really get depressed about your life....Or you might just say after reading it... "Fuck it, I'm outta here!" ???🤣😭🤣😶 Cut yourself some slack man...It takes EXTREME idealism and/or balls to do what Chris McCandless did. I don't pity the guy...I'm mildly JEALOUS of him.
I wrote that on a scrap of paper and stuck it on the wall with a push pin. I’d forgotten where that came from until just now reading your comment. I’ve lived alone for 18 years since my ex left me in 2004 after 18 years of marriage + 2 beautiful kids. The book and movie have been favorites of mine for a long time. Apologies for the rant….
I grew up in Alaska, and his lasting that long in the wild clueless is amazing in itself! I wish he had stayed in a town in AK long enough to learn more about survival. 🤘❤️🙏
I have not read the book by Krakauer, but the film adaptation lets us believe that Chris finally came to the realization, just before he died, that "happiness is not real unless shared". I believe that no one is capable of living a life all by themselves. All humans crave love, friendship and "togetherness". I was deeply moved by the movie, and every time I watch it I notice something else...
No, not everyone craves to share. Many wish to live free without encumbrances with no one to answer to or for. He did not prepare adequately for his adventure. But to him he lived his life in his own way. Tragic for such a young man. He certainly did not have a good example of family. Why would he aspire to emulate flawed relationships. In time perhaps, but he needed the solitude he craved. RIP sir!!!
I felt nothing crazy about this, to be honest. The way he'd just walked out and lived all the good sights and hard days of living a more-or-less homeless lifestyle, it looked like he'd done with total acceptance of everything that happened, good or bad. Godspeed, goodman.
Alaskans see this far too often and have to deal with heartbreak of knowing what will happen. My parents were stationed in Anchorage and heard first hand from people who had told a lot of young idealists, "Don't do this unprepared." McCandless is just one of many who've died this way in Alaska.
Whatever reason, whether ignorant to what he needed, or arrogant, I think he was brave af for even attempting. I pray he rests in peace, and I'm proud of him.
There's a survival show called Alone. In one of the more recent seasons, one of the expert survivalists had to be emergency evacuated because he was nearly dead in the wilderness. Not because of shelter, which he had made into a comfortable living space, or because of lack of food, he had enough to feed a small army. He nearly starved to death while eating like a king...because he wasn't getting enough fat. It was a shame to watch him go.
Watched one with a fella who camped out there in a tent with just the basics, rifle and a camera. He couldn't feed himself properly or sleep through fear of wolves and bears. Pulled the plug in less than a week exhausted and depressed. You need a tribe and generations of skills and knowledge.
Stupid people, so afraid of becoming overweight, always fail to realize how important fat is to the body’s biological functions. Stupid parents have killed their children because of the same fears. Protein can be converted into calories at the detriment of your kidneys but there is no replacement for fat.
His story is both inspirational and a cautionary tale, it's okay live out in the wild like he did but at least be a hundred percent prepared for survival.
Impossible. There's always something. Far better prepared men have died in the wilderness less than a week into a journey...things happen. Not many who were less prepared lasted all that long however. Quite often, survival is just a roll of the dice. In 2019, my year on the Pacific Crest trail, an unsuspecting hiker from Germany was killed by a tree falling. Daytime, not doing anything reckless, et cetera. Sometimes.
@@joshuagharis9017 Those words were a paraphase from a part of a novel he was reading. It's insulting to insinuate that he did a 180° reversal of how he lived when all the substantive evidence suggests that he was consistent and true to his views, not saying that others have to necessarily agree with them. If one carefully reads the book by Jon Krakaur they can see the distinction. Krakaur is consistently very careful with his research and writing. Few are his equal. It's sad that poor readers, non-readers and spin artists twist around the meaning of his writing and research.
I am from Norway. We have the same mountains, woods, and climate as Alaska. I can understand him. But no one get out in the wild without a compass, maps, or real boots and clothing. It is the certain typical death of a City Boy. Rest in Peace.
Yeah can confirm as a Fin. There is absolutely no way i would attempt to leave even the road with out compass, map, knife, fire tool of several sort, WATER and some way to communicate. This in area that i'm not entirely familiar with. To go over night to forest, tent, sleeping bag, several set of warm clothes in water tight bags, axe, saw, first aid kit, flashlight, whistle, cooking gear, dry materials say cotton in water proof container as fire starter materials as barest minimum...to live in the forest and live with its content, one would need to prep for that for years building up shelter, storage building garden to grow say potatoes, carrots, onions, smocking shed to store meat, access to sea or salt mine would be beneficial to get salt as preservation of meat, glass jars and well pretty much whole 40's house and tools pretty much just to have chance to live in summer, but winter would still be tough even when prepared properly. At very least one should have half a years supply of good foods if you try to survive in winter, but then you run into issue of heating. Its kinda too bad the guy found the buss since that gave him shelter one would not normally have and he might had started to go back towards city much sooner than dying in malnutrition. Also even if you manage in Commifornia, or any other warm state does not mean you have any actual capability to survive in the forest like that, specially on start of you journey to great outback. Sure he made much further than 99% of the people, but that also was his doom. More idealistic and naïve would have realized their situation probably after couple first days and turned back, but his issues slowly creeped in and killed him. Too bad but its good lesson to many. While it is possible there is ridiculous amount of work required to be absolutely independent in the wild and even then since you are alone chances of you surviving long are decreased that of living in even small community. He simply went too far too fast.
@@Hellsong89 I'll add as a British Columbian that surviving in the woods in very mountainous places carries it's own challenges and that even people who'd consider themselves survival experts on flatter land run into problems in the mountains of BC, Alaska, the Yukon that they never anticipated. Stories and legends about the mountains and living in them/travelling through them rival the old mariners tales from the age of sail. Going off and trying to just live in the woods isn't really heard of except among indigenous people and people who otherwise have lived a long time near and in the bush who eat sleep and breathe the mountains but all kinds of tourists get into trouble going to remote places and assuming they'll be able to pick up the phone, call 911 and have help arrive in a timely manner. If you are far enough south in the summertime, are fit enough, know how to find your own food and water and how to make a basic shelter, and arent in too extreme of an area surviving out there off the land wouldnt be impossible but in the winter you'd ideally want at least 10 years of experience of being in the bush all year round and to prepare for at least a year in advance.
@@user-xg8yy7yl1d I'll further add as someone who lives in a city in the flattest land in the south that it's common sense not to go to the wilderness without some prep. You guys aren't experts or anything, this guy was just extra stupid.
The movie by Sean Penn called “Into The Wild” (2007) is a phenomenal dramatized adaptation of this story. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to see more of Chris’ story.
It is frustrating that a lot of people call him crazy or stupid just because of how he wanted to live HIS LIFE. I found him inspiring and he became one of my favorite persons, just knowing money or what others thought he should do with HIS LIFE didn't matter to him. He was set up to have an easy life but didn't take that path. I didn't think he was "crazy" for not taking that path, I just think he was more free than most people ever are regardless of his age when he passed away. Love the movie too. 💖
I think he was stupid not because he wanted to live but how he thought he could survive let alone live in the cold wilderness of alaska without any real preparation whatsoever.
Exactly this. He didn't feel at home in the system, so he left it. And people call him stupid for doing so. He may not have been able to enjoy his freedom for long, but he still experienced more freedom than most of us will in eight decades. Honestly, I envy him. He didn't die because of illness or an accident, he took a risk and died on his own terms.
This story always fascinated me. I think it tells more than not being "foolish enough" to just go to Alaska unprepared. This man was suffering years before his final trip. He went too radical in rejecting the worst in the West society, and never understood how to get over the 'rejection phase' into actions that could make him find a sense in the world around.
I lived in Alaska when this guy disappeared. There were private investigators and FBI all over the place questioning everybody because they thought he had been kidnapped or murdered.
I live in Anchorage, Alaska and have lived here all of my life. I'm also half Indian from Chitina and the Copper River valley area which is about 250 miles outside of Anchorage. Actually Sean Penn showed up at our Ahtna annual meeting when he was filming "Into The Wild." . (He's about how you'd expect him to be..arrogant.) But Chris must have been crazy to think he could just travel hundreds of miles through Alaska with barely any supplies. No map. Small gun. Not enough to survive in Alaska, especially in winter. It's October 31st right now..Halloween and the temperature outside is 21 degrees. He's lucky a Brown bear didn't decide to make a meal out of him. There are also some other thing's in Alaska that my ancestors call "Bush Indians" or Kol'Eni and many other strange things in the Alaskan Bush that I wouldn't even believe in if I didn't have my own personal encounters with in the Chitina area. Over 2,000 people disappear from Alaska every single year which is a staggering number when compared with our 700,000 population. That means 1 in just every 300-350 vanish every year and are never found like Chris was. I feel bad for the guy in a way, but COME ON DUDE!! Wtf did you think was gonna happen going off into the deep woods of the most remote place in America with plenty of wolves, bears, and "Other" predators ?! I don't even go into my peoples area without a semi-automatic gas-fed 12 guage shotgun and 10 round magazine loaded with solid steel "Slugs" , a machete, bear mace, people mace, flashlights, an Ar-15 in my trunk, extra food, medical kit, etc and I have a big SUV with me. I'm just prepared to accidentally go off the road late at night and very limited exploring of my Ancestors burial grounds and walking just a little ways through the deep woods out by my village Chitina. If I was going deep into the woods I'd have triple as much including cooking supplies, map, tent, fishing pole, sat phone, arctic gear, and on and on. Chris was very silly to think he was above the Alaskan wilderness...And that was during the summer time.
So I googled the bush Indians but only found one very brief article and some books. Thinking about ordering one of the books as that sounds like a neat bit of obscure folklore, but could you please elaborate on what they are and share the experiences you’ve had?
educated idiot really but I'm thinking mentally something snapped and wrote his end. I do agree with what you are saying, it's not a movie or a game you can respawn if you die and it's not like you can just go to the corner store etc. either. lol
We bought the movie bc my husband had memories of this story. At one point I just had to call it like it was: that kid was an idiot. Hubs said "don't you think that's cool?" Not really. He hadn't the first idea of how to survive on Colorado wilderness let alone Alaska wilderness. I told my kids " don't be like this idiot." Don't worry mom we wont
I read the book when I was in college. I actually had the honor of interviewing his aunt to write my college paper about that book. It was an amazing experience and I respect chris. Man lived how he wanted.
When I first heard of this story I was in my early 20s and let's just say that whole decade was kind of a personal "dark ages" for me. In retrospect I believe I was in what could reasonably be called a radical depression for a long time (I got better--hey, if you're in your 20s and it sucks, listen...it gets better. That's a rough decade for a lot of people). Point is, I started hearing about the movie and just from the broad outlines I knew I was not ready to see it. I knew that with the state of my mind, that kind of thing held a dangerous appeal to me, partially because on some level I would not have put a particular emphasis on coming out alive on the other end. I didn't *want* to die, but I just didn't especially see a whole lot of value in staying alive forever either. I do wonder if he went in with something of a similar mentality. In any case, I consciously avoided seeing the movie for years until I eventually found myself in a better state. Finally saw it, read the book too, and came to the same conclusion most people do. He was both admirable and stupid. Both can be true at once. For my part I've been able to occasionally find adventure and higher meaning in a non-deathwish way and I'm so glad I'm here in my 40s better than ever. Sorry that's a lot but I've really thought about this story a lot over the years
@@ROBYNMARKOW I’d agree but only because the opportunity to find one’s own path to thriving instead of surviving and coping, is incredibly difficult due to the way things are, the way society is, the distractions from & oppressions of quality education & knowledge spreading.
Idk who isn’t lacking intelligence. So this idea that he was “stupid” or too full of himself, is ridiculous to me, as some sort of highlighted point. So…”interesting” to me, when humans judge other humans as though they know so much better. And yet, no one would actually take the responsibility of someone else’s entire life, should they be guided by that person’s judgment. You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it. And even then, so many variables go into each person’s choices and behaviors and beliefs. We can’t even take perfect responsibility for ourselves, let alone the affects our “stupidity” has on endless others. And so few even think beyond their judgments…doesn’t make the reality of affect any less real & we continue to harm others and ourselves, blindly, blind to any effect it has, as we continue to waste precious time & mind & our own potential just by judging the shit out of others. That’s stupidity, in its entirety, IMO. -Really glad to hear you took so much care of yourself, despite the struggle of depression. Sounds like your core self was working overtime to preserve. And it’s really nice to see someone contemplating these things, as habit, in their existence. Hope you’re feeling fulfilled and blessed.
All of this speaks to me a lot. My high school history teacher showed us the movie, and even though I remembered none of the details the allure stuck with me. It's a dangerous pull. And I simultaneously admire him for having the strength to do something and pity him for falling for the trap.
I'm in my late 50's, I have 3 adult children, a wife, I was a fighter pilot in the USAF, a paramedic and a volunteer firefighter, a police officer, I retired as a captain for Continental airlines, I was an Alaskan bush pilot, I flew for the royal flying doctors in Alaska (I'm a native Texan) and more. If you can't handle your 20's you're in trouble, that's probably the easiest decade of your entire life. Seriously, get help immediately if your 20's start eating your lunch.
Into the wild, the film, was sean penn's directorial debut. Its long, but well worth the time. I don't know how close to the truth it was, but its a great film. Vince Vaughan is in it too.
I need to debunk some myths for this story. Chris never gave up his IDs, wallet, or cash he had in his wallet. One of the guys who found Chris's body, took his backpack that was in the bus. It was search while they were trying to identify him, but they missed the hidden pocket. In this pocket contained his wallet, IDs, library card, social security card, bike lock combo, and $300 dollars in cash. The documentary "The Call of The Wild (2007) shows his backpack, the man who found it, and the contents. One of the best documentaries on Chris, I suggest giving it a watch.
@@_wanderingrocks_ that's true but I gues you didn't read my comment? I'm talking about the documentary by Ron. The call of the wild was actually filmed during the same time the movie into the wild was filmed. You get much much much more info from the documentary. The movie got lots of locations and facts very wrong.
I watched the movie and could never forget the story! His sister was very devoted to him and commented a lot during the film. It seems that beside being idealistic and fundamentally honest person he had some psychological problems (Borderline disorder?). People liked him but it didn't seem reciprocal. He suddenly abandoned his parents without scruples and without a word, and his sister -- also. His parents were flawed but loving and his sister considered herself to be his best friend. He left a couple of hippies who liked him, a girl who fell in love with him and -- most important -- an old lonely man, who became attached to him and treated him like a son (his own son and wife were killed in the car crash years ago). After Chris's death this man stopped believing in God. If I remember right not long before his death Chris wrote in his diary that the beauties of the world have meaning only if you share them with somebody. Maybe that's what he was supposed to learn. I feel so much sympathy towards his sister! His parents and an old man are probably not alive any more, but they died with broken hearts. Such a bright young man, such mistake, such despair and painful death in the end!
If it's possible, and we all get the chance, then I hope Chris has found the peace and contentment that he craved, wherever that may be. Foolish or not, he lived his life on his own terms, and that's more than most of us can say to ourselves, in all honesty, if only we look deeply enough inside and admit the truth. RIP, Chris.
This was not on his terms! If he was an old man then yeah but that young and dying so easily is a waste of life, did you not hear his diary entries? This was not his terms 😂
I grew up with the story of Chris McCandless so I want to give him a little of his dignity back: It wasn't like Chris never knew hardship or starvation out in the wild before. It's what he spent his time doing from the when he ran away to the time he hit Alaska -- and that's a couple years of learning to be out in the wild. While it's true that he hadn't spent as much time in the north as he had in the desert, he knew very well how serious the hardships were ahead of him. The thing about Chris was, he just didn't seem to care. There's a natural recklessness that comes with knowing that you have absolutely nothing left to lose and it feels freer than anything you've ever felt before. He just wanted to feel something outside of what everyone else thought was important. He wanted to feel a genuine connection to his environment, stripped down of everything else, so that he could see the world around him with his own bare eyes, and hear the chatter of life on its own terms without the din of traffic. Chris was not stupid or sheltered; he knew, deep down, it would cost him. Somewhere inside him, he must have just decided it was worth the price. Modern bushcraft is the safer version of this -- it's going after the same thing...only making sure you can also make it back. It appeals to people like Chris, veterans, trauma victims, normies who don't feel any control over there lives, and simply messed up girls like me. It's because there is something so honest when you're out there that realigns your soul. Suddenly all that chaotic chatter of the "real world" just falls away and you can finally breathe, and focus. It's incredibly healing for those of us who can't seem to relate to or reconcile with the ludicrous demands of society. Saying this I feel so bad for his sister. When you grow up in a family like that with siblings your relationships with them are not totally unlike that of veterans who've served together. There's a bond there that can't be explained to anyone else, and continues to be your lifeline long after the war's over. Even if that sibling is just in your thoughts, just knowing that that person is out there somewhere in the world for you can become your strength. I cannot imagine losing my brother so young in life. She must have felt so alone in the world. She probably still does.
@Anne O'Nymous All due respect, Anne, FU. Until you've lost every last person you love, home, beloved dog, personal freedom, mind, and even your right to own a damned hairbrush, don't tell me I'm pathetic. You have no idea how you would respond in such a situation. At that point anything at all left no longer holds meaning and "nothing left to lose" is different for everyone. For some, it's finding out their entire existence has been a lie including their own family. For others it's career-related, and others still it's because they've sifted through a lifetime of abuse and come up short. There are certain torments that are far worse than death. But it sounds to me you've never had to actually survive anything except losing your potato masher.
I’ve also seen how abuse rips siblings completely apart, jaded toward one another & essentially, IMO, projecting the pain they’ve endured and carried undue them, on the only ppl they can “safely” do so, as the abuser isn’t anyone safe to communicate with, in any way. And it’s fecking heart wrenching, soul crushing to witness & feel helpless to do much about. Especially with regard to different stages of human maturation in childhood, with abuses occurring in the perfectly fragile early childhood stage. And this, a guarantee that those influences will mark and guide one’s entire life. Abuse is projecting through symptoms of catalysts of the same, if I had to guess & summarize. The farther back you go in modern eras, the less & less are the qualified supports & understanding of, basically, the human condition. If you’ve been abused by parents, it’s difficult for many to accept that they, too, are most likely coming from abuses, neglect & consequences of of their parents and/or community member’s lack of knowledge. And from the individual home comes together a very misguided society, to boot. IMO. Whether we realize it or not, accept it or not, humans are a system that deeply affects its individuals, from one person out to innumerable, and back again. Should any individual have a healthy mind, a healthy environment, equally healthy members of their community affecting them and should that individual be given the knowledge of positive & negative forces and a choice between adopting one of the two or a mix of both, I cannot see an individual choosing, cognitively, the negative. This also has to continue on in each individual, in order to produce more of the same. We seem to have absolutely nothing of the like as even an elusive, limited option. Without the knowledge…I think most of us suffer things undue, unnecessary to our development & survival as a species and as a communal species, introverts included, we do to one another. All in all, humans confuse the shit out of me…and break my damn heart, constantly. I think our best bet, for the individual and humanity as a whole, is to find a way to bring the ever evolving, best most factual information there is, on all aspects of the human condition, equitably, completely accessible to all. It looks like we have that potential, in this era of information and tech but we’re battling against forces of negative affect, motivated by agendas that serve very few and through extremely addictive, poisonous focuses. And this on grand, power wielding levels all the way down, again, to each individual. I have no idea what the world would look like should everyone be surrounded by transparent factual knowledge like this, nor how long it would take with the potential we have, today, should it overcome those negative forces. Nor, what it would take to overcome those forces, in the first place. That we have these uncountable variables and influences that, like a nasty, sour tasting cherry on top, are primarily processed subconsciously…it sounds like the biggest battle of humankind; a battle against and for itself. 🤯💔 Who are we? And what the hell is happening?
Even though his journey ended much earlier than it ought to have - his journey definitely did leave an impact on the world. A positive one. Into the Wild is one of my favourite stories, even though it's bittersweet. In the end - final curtains awaits us all, make the best of your time on stage.
“Much earlier than it ought to have?” He was lucky he lived as long as he did. No supplies and trying to live in a subarctic wilderness like a hipster? It was bound to happen.
Damn. Amazing tale. My opinion of him bridges the two extremes leaning slightly toward arrogant and willfully unprepared for his Alaskan trek. Had he known just a few simple things about meat and how to cure it and keep it edible in warm weather with next to nothing that moose meet could’ve kept him alive for a long time. There’s a really interesting tale of a man who was hiking and backpacking near the boundary waters of Minnesota and Canada. He shot a bear, skinned it and cooked all the meat. He had good thick plastic sealing bags. It kept him alive. While he was hiking a fierce three day blizzard trapped him there. The cold also helped keep the meat.
You maintain a kindness toward the characters you profile that's very admirable. We may roll our eyes or make a snarky remark off the cuff but at the heart of those stories you don't forget the humanity of it all. You remember the spark that makes all of us fallible, sometimes idiots, but within the parameters of Being Human. Being kind is a good rule of thought. Your POV is best focused. Great ! Stay true. Your videos are great.
Into the wild is almost 20 years old now, I read this story almost before the web was even around, amazing that some content creators are still getting mileage out of it. An important lesson on being prepared, and most of all don't just go around eating anything you find in the wild thinking it's harmless....
I met a guy who lived like that about 20 years ago. He camped in a state park that I was camping in .but he'd stay for a few weeks off the land. I would miss the conveniences of a warm bathroom and shower and all else.
@@BabyGirlTiny not worried about food, it's the cold that will get me. Then if I do happen to make it, mental demons of being alone will drive me to insanity which I've been there and done that before, when I tried separating myself from society and living off the land for a year
I totally understand Chris' desire to piss off.... I think many of us often tired - I don't there's anything wrong with that: there are people living in Alaska (Kanada, Siberia, Sweden) off the grid, some of them for decades, but they went there prepared and with equipment they needed; having what Chris did: venturing into Alaska's wilderness with nearly nothing WAS stupid. RIP Chris, hope you're in a better place, dude
I admire Chris for the courage he had. Yes, it’s possible he wasn’t totally prepared, but at least he had the nerve to do something only some of us dream of. A life of freedom with none of the chains a “normal” life brings. Rest In Peace.
He seemed kind of selfish. I was reading part of his diary and he diligently wrote down all the animals he killed. Along with pictures. He was really proud of killing things. He did kills like five geese in one day. Two porcupines in one day. Who needs to do that? You know most of it went bad, he just went gun happy. That's kind of crappy. It seemed like he was living out a cos-play. Which makes me wonder if his parents were as bad as he said, or any of the other stuff he said was true.
He had the intelligence of my sister's house cat. The house cat was an indoors cat, but always wanted to venture outside in to the unknown. He often tried to run away, but my sister, ever vigilant, would quickly prevent him. However, one fateful day he succeeded in getting away. We found him dead after a couple of days. He wanted to be free from the shackles of comforts that was given to him, he pursued it relentlessly and ultimately found it, along with death. It doesn't take much for a dream to become a nightmare. Sometimes it is better for you to let a dream just be that, a dream.
That is like saying "I admire the guy who jumped off a roof trying to fly." or the guy who yells "Just shoot me at the Police." All three are perfect examples of stupid decisions. Mother Nature is NOT your friend, neither is gravity, or police assisted suicide... you are lucky to survive any of those life choices?
ppl check out all the time there is homeless all over that travel place to place. They have graffiti signs to guide them and show them safe places etc. That shows ya just how long its been goin on! I will agree with its a shame we have to check out from others to get peace of mind....
Speak for yourself. Dying miserable and alone in an abandoned schoolbus is not my idea of an energetic and fulfilling life. If that is being 'lucky' than I hope I'm never lucky. Dude was a clueless idiot who threw his life away for nothing.
Speak for yourself. I live an exciting and fulfilling life as a firefighter and I am blessed with many friends and non-profit stuff that keeps me busy. This man was an idiot. He didn't do his homework and he died as a result.
@@slackerman9758 people tried to tell him like the last guy who saw him. He was told he was not prepared. He just didn't take it serious. I think the crap with his dad shattered his trust in people and he only trusted his own abilities. While his lifestyle in the lower 48 was doable it was light-years away from what is r quoted in an Arctic environment. One last bit of damage having a dirtbag as a father.
I've heard about Christopher McCandless before, but you tell the story so well that I enjoyed hearing it again, plus you added some information I hadn't heard before. I mostly just feel sorry for him. I can't imagine what he went through growing up and when he found out about his father's other family it must have been devastating. It appears that he found some peace and joy in his life before he died. I certainly hope so
I remember reading this book when it came out. I was a novice backpacker at the time, having hiked a bit of the Appalachian trail and then moved to Colorado where I did some summer AND winter backpacking - just a little. I just remember shaking my head in disbelief the entire time I read that book. It sounded like he was maybe (?) a smart city guy with absolutely zero common sense. I grew up in a city as well but had some sense of awareness and preparation. Maybe he had a death wish.
Out of all the times I've heard this man's story told, it was now finally told with the type of imagery, he'd have wanted it to be. The reason why he went out, and the reason why he accepted his fate out there, in the end. Beauty in nature.
R.I.P. Chris McCandless (a.k.a. Alexander Supertramp). Having read Into the Wild multiple times I wish peace to those who knew and loved you. Reading the memories of those you met on your travels remains with me as you were loved and friends with salt-of-the-earth people. May the journey continue!
Love this one! I'm a woodsy guy. Always prepared when I'm out in the bush. But still I understand what He was trying to do. Freedom is just some people talking but for some of us it is a lifetime persuit. RIP Cris ..
@Anne O'Nymous Earth is a prison... a Reincarnation soul trap (don't argue.. research it before you give any knee jerk reactions like most people do... robots) Until you understand where you are... you won't have freedom or be leaving.
I've just been reading the comments I haven't even been listening to the video cuz I know all about the story did this video include the fact that he burnt up all that money cuz he could have been prepared but he was in a mental block just needing to get away from his parents and their BS..
Honestly it seems he found peace and was happy, he lived a good life in those regards. He found what he was looking for. Even if he died, that’s a thing most people don’t truly find in their lives
@@SimuLord To many thing's get romanticized after the fact. I hear he was brave etc, so was Jefferey Dommer. If he wasn't so ignorant then it would have been suicide. IF he knew how to preserve that moose better and practiced it a few times. He wouldn't have to eat the poisoned plant. IF he would have known how to do the rub test first on his skin. That might have saved his life. IF he would have known to eat the charcoal in the fire in front of his face. He could have stopped himself from being poisoned. I could go on and on with his story but I wont. Just look how Hollywood makes movies of pirates. They use to burn towns that wouldn't trade with them and steal everything including their woman and children. Sell the men as slaves and rape the woman till they jumped over board all in front of their families etc. Who knows what they did to the kids. Yeah that's romantic. They leave that out of the movies too. When I watched the movie I couldn't help but to say how ignorant so many times. I check out of society from time to time way longer than he did! Many ppl do! He's not the first or the last. Yeah I come back but so was he. The river just stopped him. But he is the first I have heard of that did it so blindly. And being brave isn't having no fear at all its just having more courage than fear... That doesn't take anything but someone to grab their balls and man up.... And yeah he inspired others to go looking for the bus and they too died trying. 5 ppl to be exact! If you think that is amazing than your just as ignorant as this boy WAS!
I doubt he felt much peace in that rough final few months. And starving to death is as far from happiness as one can be. Just the fact that he tried to return to civilization tells us how satisfying this experience was. This is no noble death. I don't understand the romanticism of this story.
@@teriwright6678 sort of. Normally those seeds are harmless but the soil conditions made them dangerous to eat if you have a very low body fat percentage. And yeah normally if you want to move into the wilderness you need to take a lot of supplies to get started.
The state of Alaska moved the bus out the woods to town. It was costing the state time and money because of people having to be rescued from the trip to see the bus. What most people don't realize about rivers in Alaska is that at the begin of the summer the river water level is low because the winter snow fall is still frozen on the mountain. By the time the summer is over the snow has melted and run into the river. It can happen quickly, even in a day when its hot.
What's super crazy is the people that died or had to be rescued trying to visit the bus. The National Guard had to remove it from the forest. It always sticks in my head that I could die alone in a forest and then inadvertently cause the deaths of others. We are more connected than we can imagine.
I had been planning such a journey myself, when during a hike, following a game trail, I slipped and tumbled down a cliff, breaking my neck and dashing my dreams. Thankfully a friend was with me and called for help, or I wouldn't be alive today. Such a great story and movie, and in the end, he passed away doing what he loved. We should all be so lucky.
On the isle of man when a man is alone face to face with every part of himself. When he Ceases seeing himself thru the lenses of other's eyes and instead through his own. When he resigns himself to defining himself by the prejudices or biases of others, regardless of their populists I'll concieved predilection. When he understands that the pursuit of his person is not nor should be the pursuit of sex,revelry,drunkenness, adrenaline,power or money but rather purpose mission and a noble passion. When this man understands this, then this man becomes "The Man". For only through the Eyes of his Creator, Lord, God,Father and King can this man fully embrace and do what he was created and designed for. -Steven F Gooden-Cohen-
From the movie, I understood that he always had planned to leave Alaska at a certain time, and he actually did survive through a lot of tough time there, but the river he expected to cross to get back to civilization had melted and was too difficult to cross. This made him stuck impossibly and unable to find a way out from what information he had about the area at the time. It was a needless tragedy because before he went to Alaska several people offered him to live with them but he had a better idea. At least he did live the way he wanted for a certain amount of time. Sad, but you don't know everything at 24 yrs old.
He could have crossed the river only 800m from his attempted crossing point, though. If he had a map, he'd have known. (Note: I'm not criticising any of his actions - I devoted more than a decade of my life to an idealist, escapist quest fairly similar to McCandless's and did some pretty stupid things too - not only due to inexperience but also pigheadedness.)
@@JacoWium I too, can think of a few things I did when I was young I was very lucky to escape from by the grace of God. I even think God was trying to give him another path to live longer by the people he met and the old man wanting to adopt him, who could probably see ahead of time the kid wouldn't make it. If the movie is to be believed, he admitted where he went wrong and settled with it. I'm glad he got to live for awhile in what he felt was different than what society was offering him. He may have been pig headed and not taken advice he should have, but, at least he didn't die a billionaire having been responsible for the suffering of hundreds of thousands of workers or citizens.
There's a reason survival experts say, you need to make sure you do research and are prepare on where your going before you go. He live the way he wanted (no rules, and free), but even in nature there are rules, going into a environment like Alaska thinking it will be like camping in the lower 48 is asking to get killed. I praise him for living the way he wanted, but there was no way his death was how he wanted it, as he went out in the most slowly painful way anyone can (especially if the seeds were poisonous).
Chris sounds like a man who wasn't quite able to deal with the traumas he suffered, and was determined to have the best life he could, in a way that he could truly be proud of. He's an inspiration to DO, damn the consequences. He's proof that the only thing that matters, is the journey
he was kind of a prick though. everyone romanticizes this bloke like he was some kind of great guy. He may not have liked his parents but to punish them by deliberately having them not know if he was alive or dead is pretty psychotic behaviour. he reportedly even liked his sister and still didnt bother to let them know he was alive. sure he had some troubles growing up but folks have had it a lot worse and not been half as shitty.
@@TJfromEarth Have you read the book, Into The Wild, it'll give you insight into why of what he did. His sister also elaborates his story, of what he was trying to accomplish.
So many of your videos leave me in a quiet state, especially this one. I've spent many days wishing I lived in simpler times. Everyone just seems to be in so much of a hurry anymore. I'm guilty of some of these actions too.
Well, bravery and foolhardiness are often the same thing, seen from different perspectives. I think he should have brought or studied a map, brushed up on his skills, and been adequately prepared. Thousands of people do this every year around the world when “finding themselves in the wild”, and a much lower fraction die in the experience. Less brave? I guess. Also, no one makes a movie about them, because they were competent and not as foolhardy.
@@slackerman9758 I think people like learning the *wrong* lessons heh. The obvious lesson in this movie should be "don't go into the wilds unprepared" instead it seems to be "oh, what a hero!". People seem to forget just *why* we build cities of steel, glass, and concrete heh
20 years ago I was a high school English teacher, and this was one of the books we covered. I'd say that the class predominantly felt that Chris was foolish to do what he did without any preparation. However, the one book that always elicited the most passionate (and positive) response was "The Man Who Planted Trees," the true story of Eleazar Bouffiere.
I knew that one sister backed up his story of abuse during his childhood. And I knew that the rest of the siblings disputed that. I have never heard that there were 2 separate families. That's certainly a very important detail. Thank you 😊
> “What killed the man in this bus?” > stupidity I don’t know why people think Chris McCandless is some legendary guy, i appreciate his wanderlust demeanor but he put his parents through hell and ultimately died. Tragic really.
I'm very happy to have been born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. Chris/Alexander was not prepared. As for the bus, it's been since air lifted and moved due to people trying to find and visit it, and dying doing so, decades later being more prepared than he, himself. Seriously, don't underestimate how harsh Alaska can be.
I lived in Alaska working as a bush pilot when Chris did this. It's far more depressing and sad than uplifting. He had no idea how to live wild. Then, just 100 yards from him was a zip line to cross the swollen river with. As long as he was there, he never noticed it.
I agree. Any skills he had hiking or living how he did in the USA proper, would not of prepared him to live alone as he wanted in Alaska. Not having the right tools wouldnt of helped.
Wow I didn't know that part, how do you not notice that?
@@stevenschalck2781 it wasn't particularly well marked, but it was in the P&W literature. If you walked the riverbank it wasn't hard to see. As I said, more sad than uplifting. If he'd taken some pen flares, I could have easily picked him up with a helicopter.
That does seem impossible to miss but I think he may have been too weak to explore
100 yards? Should be visible if not hidden by foliage. But video said the cable car was 800 meters away, which is almost 875 yards.
I've watched the movie about him and read about him too, he was totally unprepared to live in the wild if he had done a couple of simple things he would probably be alive today.
Had he just walked a little further down the river that trapped him he'd have seen a hunters bridge and been fine.
I agree, he was totally arrogant about how cruel the cold can be. But I admire his courage to be free from society
@@paulseal6263 He was suffering under the Dunning Krueger effect. An heroic but very sad story
@@chuckdavidson5483 Not knowing what you don't know?
Hindsight is always 20/20
Oh the glory days when a man could support two families on a single job....
Lmao. Sad, but true.
Now a man can barely support himself.
I’m sure an aerospace engineer can do that even today
Aah yeah, you found the main point of the story! :)
Men paying spousal/child support still do
Into the Wild is a good book. If I remember rightly, the man who drove McCandless to the wilderness actually offered to take Chris back to town and buy the supplies he would need himself. But Chris refused. Afterwards, Alaska had to remove the bus because it had become a dangerous hiking destination.
"he didn't want a career he wanted a life, he didn't want things, he craved experiences" Me too Chris....me too....RIP
The experience of dying alone isn't that special tbh you can aim higher. I mean YOU should definitely leave your house more, just move, anything, lord knows... but just don't go that far from your house like he did.
@@GlennDavey everyone dies alone you delusional fool
@@GlennDavey
Get out more.....
Live A little.......
He was rich and had money,,, so really, the rest of us will not eat, drink, or travel without having a job.. He was stupid, too stupid to realize he didn’t have the proper equipment or know how.
He was an idiot.
I remember reading about this in school in like 2008, and when I visited Alaska with my family back in 2009 we went river rafting for a full-day trip. At the end, a plane with huge tires came and picked us up right from the riverbank. On our flight back to civilization we flew right over the bus, super low! Really neat to actually be able to see it, and it really is out in the middle of nowhere!
Personally I think it should be a cautionary tale instead of the idealism of anti materialism that Chris sought. His family life absolutely played a huge role in him turning his back on society. But so did his schooling in anthropology. Our universities have become anti-human, even back then.
This story was almost exactly what happened to my cousin as well, a very similar pattern at the least: a mostly easy childhood, then in young adulthood serious trauma that made him question his upbringing, followed by an education system that made him further doubt the world and society around him.
My cousin grew up in a middle class family, his grandfather was the local pastor at the church, he enlisted in the Marines and went almost immediately to Fallujiah. His time was up shortly afterward & he grew into some depression. He ibis GI Bill to attend a nearby university focusing of social sciences and essentially through away everything he grew up with. Was a staunch conservative Christian, and almost overnight did a 180°. His professors merely added fuel to the fire. Then, to help “clear his head” he had his father drop him off at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail with the intention of doing a through hike. He made it 6-8 weeks before he was back on his dad’s doorstep unbeknownst to him. He had nearly died several times of dysentery & dehydration, gave up & took a bus home.
Into The Wild should more likely be a tale of “how not to be an idiot.”
youre the pixel gun youtuber right? I used to watch you every day!
@@soonerfrac4611 sounds like something an idiot would say
15:40 - "... and it really is out in the middle of nowhere!"
@@realitytroll1155 it's the same with all mountains and plains mother nature takes no prisoners! But his sister is on another level ,hoping she just needed the money for desperate measures for her family!!🤞
I spend my whole life in Alaska except for a few months on and off in recent years, and like to think I've become quite the Outdoorsman, we all know his story and we all think he was foolish, Alaska is very unforgiving and hundreds of people disappear each year. But God rest his soul, he got to experience what many never will. My longest uninterrupted time in the woods is only half his, it was some of the greatest time of my life. Thanks for sharing his story
The thing that hit me belatedly was that this happened during the Alaskan spring/summer months (as indicated by the swollen river due to meltwater). Unless he'd planned to spend the summer there and then hike out, he'd have never survived the autumn and winter months.
@@balesjo I wouldn't say never. A little more knowledge with some practice and I believe he would still be here telling the story himself. The charcoal in the fire could have helped with the positioning. Knowing the terrain more so and along with better mapping skills and he could have avoided the river levels! He threw himself in the wild BLINDLY. I was in boy scouts most of my childhood. Some of those skills could have helped him a lot. We had to spend 5 days in the wild with what we had in our pockets. Which then I cared a lot. Like a multi tool etc. I had a bug out bag for weekends in the woods. He would have known how to preserve that moose, or even some trapping skill and had practice these skills before hand. I believe he would could have survived it!
@@josephspruill1212 Ahh yes...because you were a boy scout that definitely equates to being able to survive the harsh winter of Alaska with just a multi tool. Dumbest thing I've heard all month. Go try it and let us know how it goes buddy.
I was a bush pilot for 12 years and married an Alaska girl from Delta. We felt the same way. Dumb kid.
@@josephspruill1212 I think it is safe to say >he< wouldn’t have survived the winter, given his nearly non-existent preparation and minimal skills. That someone else could survive the winter in Alaska well prepared? Well, people have been doing that for thousands of years.
When my then teenage son suggested this as a book for me to read (Into The Wild) years ago I cried! I cried like any mother would as I could easily put myself in his or his parents shoes. This story affected me so much that even now. Years later. My thoughts sometimes, somehow, still wander to this young man and his plight. It was that profound for me. It’s ironic that just the past couple days something triggered me thinking of Chris yet again and not even 48 hours later, here’s his story once again looking me in the face. Of course I watched it. And sobbed all over again. It’s easy to understand him and why he chose an adventure for himself so as to grow spiritually and emotionally. It’s also so easy to understand his parents and that they only wanted to give their children the best in life but somehow got their priorities twisted and lost themselves along the way. Such a sad and profound story this is. Sleep peacefully Chris ❤🌟🌹🧚♂️
Me too. I too was thinking about him. Still cry thinking of what happened to him. Really felt a connection to him.
@@-Diana469 😃✨
He should be honored forever with a memorial plaque!!!
@@josephchang955 😃
I lived in Alaska when this happened and spent a lot of time out in the bush. The first info that was put out was that he thought that he was a survival expert and thought he could survive in the Alaska bush. They also said he died from exposure. This is interesting. Alaska is a different place from any other place in the US. Once outside of town, anything can happen and you need to be prepared.
Your also basically the north pole too so ya cold 🥶.
I have a hard time feeling sorry for a person like this. If you decide to live a "simple" life in the wilderness, then first make sure that you actually have some serious survival skills. Kind regards, someone from the Nordics.
@@Elora445 So how do you suppose your survival skills would matchup to McCandless, at age 22 & in a place where the temperature was the extreme opposite?
@@sunshine3914
Would probably be as bad. Hence, why I don't decide to suddenly live in the wilderness. But if I did, I would definitely be better prepared. Some things that are basics he decided to skip - that's just stupid. No matter if you are 22 or not.
When I heard where he spent his time before going to Alaska I just shook my head. Knew it was a bad idea to go from one extreme to the other.
I wouldn't like to live where outside can kill you.
My man just wanted to play his game without the tutorial and I respect that..
On survival mode fr.
Hardcore
He tried ironmanning the wildy
Hey played the red cartridge, first time, on Nightmare mode . He met his "Doom" alright
I feel bad for him tho, no joke, as stupid as this was, but I did this too and that could have been myself if I hadn't've smartened up and went back to town
I remember reading his story as a mandatory book in high school. I always thought, "You walked into the Alaskan wilderness with just that? How did no one stop him?"
I also studied that book in high school. Did you go to IB?
A couple people definitely tried, but an adult has free will. Can only lead a horse to water.
I also read that book and thought the same thing
the guy who dropped him off tried to. as stated in the above comment, also tried buying him some proper gear, but Chris refused. as also stated, a grown adult can do whatever he or she wants, no matter how stupid and foolish it may be. Chris was actually quite an experienced "adventurer", if you can call it that, and had survived several other dangerous excursions in dangerous areas. but Alaska is just on a completely different level of "dangerous" altogether, and even the most experienced outdoorsmen have perished in the Alaskan wilderness. Chris really didn't have any real skills for long term survival in the Alaskan wilderness. sure, he had survived many previous dangerous experiences..but in reality, he had just gotten really lucky. Alaska is no joke, and the lack of skills and proper equipment, in that kind of wilderness, is practically a death sentence.
It’s amazing how many people walked out the movie idealizing the guy as some sort of adventurous courageous hero when all he was is reckless, arrogant, ignorant and selfish
His story actually motivated me to live simple and travel. I first read it when I was a kid. RIP Chris. 🙏 thank you for writing your journey
bro his smile in every selfie he just looked so happy thats admirable for sure
yah....it feels like he was a changed man in those last days and judging from the notes he left it seems that he learned the lesson of compassion and the importance of society/family/love for your neighbor
You can learn that without carking it on a fucked bus, if you can't without such an experience then to be honest this dude had the right end
Thanks bRo!
@@noeyes6151 well obviously yah ....nobody should have to go on some epic search to "find themselves" or "find peace" ...or "find"..anything really......but people with the fortitude to just grow up don't get glorified the way that self-destructive people do.
Dude was mentally ill. There’s nothing to admire about his stupid story
I'm from Alaska. This has always been a cautionary tale (one of many) about the dangers of the bush and not respecting the wild. It's always been a story of all the things you need to not do in Alaska.
Like a Jack London story.
Prove you're from Alaska. Liar.
Alaska is very unforgiving --- even the most hardened survivalists will tell you that
@@fredwerza3478 Do you shake hands with imaginary people and say you spoke with the inventor of insulin, like your demented senile joke of a leader does? LOL! M oro n.
Poor fella had no clue what was in store for him.
Being from alaska, I’d like to also add that the three months of summer he survived in would be the only months it would be possible to without being incredibly well prepared. Like a float plane of materials and literally constant working prepared. The wildlife density is sparse in summer, but nonexistent in winter
the guy didn't know how to make jerky . something anyone who would want to live in the wild would want to learn if they had any brains.
Very true
As a Canadian, I approve this comment.
@@Galadrian70 but how do they feel about it in Letterkenny?
Yep, I am not from Alaska, but I was thinking the exact same about the season, actually quite focussed on in this aspect in the story, since this is quite a big difference. If even August is dangerous, then the cold months cannot do otherwise than becoming a huge problem. The human body uses energy to keep itself warm. That will get very difficult when very cold freezing temperatures arive. Not an issue with enough food, but with a shortage of it, it is not going to work out well.
But anyway, nobody says that Chris McCandless's plan was to stay there during winter. And apart from all this.
I think the story is beautiful in a lot of ways and even when dying was not Chris's plan, he at least found peace and beauty in his life and that's important here.
He lived life his way and done it . I take my hat off to him . RIP brave young man
he was a douche and died, loser who never was satisified. No loss, he is worm food.
He didnt live long. He made stupid decisions. He was not brave but ignorant. Died from misreading a book on poisonous plants. He was never going to make anything of himself.
That is probably true, but he did live life the way he wanted to and for that, I respect him
😂 that's not the way he wanted it! Didn't you watch or read the books?
I grew up in Healy. We trekked out to the bus many times as young adults but were prepared and understood the terrain. This man's story is nothing more than a tragedy and it being romanticized so often is why they had to finally move the bus entirely.
well said
Sad - and I wish I could disagree with you, but I feel the same.
The government couldn't figure a way to exploit it into a money maker, so they spent 1,000's of dollars to destroy it. Soon they will denie it ever existed.
So they destroyed a tourist attraction. Gotcha.
@@NiteCreature666 They removed a macabre novelty that generated multiple unnecessary rescues of unprepared people who romanticized a troubled young man.
An interesting side note is that that the Alaskan National Guard had to remove the "Magic Bus" with a CH-47 a few years back. This was because so many people sought out the bus as a pilgrimage site of sorts. These tourists were constantly getting lost or stuck that local authorities were afraid the disaster might be repeated.
I don't understand why the guy is idolized.
@@Bhartrampf I don't know myself, I think it is largely because of the book and movie "Into the Wild." Jon Krakauer goes out of his way to make a lot of comparisons to Chris and himself in a way that feels strange and unnecessary in the book. He also spent a lot of time commissioning studies to prove Chris was poisoned by some obscure process of potato seeds to prove something. I think Krakauers obsession and the constant excuses he makes for Chris is a big factor in the stories notoriety.
@@Bhartrampf People love to be involved with Books or movies. Take the "Joker" stairs that he dances on in the movie. Search social media and there are thousands and thousands of people that traveled there to dance on those stairs.
Society is just weird like that.
@@Sweetyhide 😲
@@andrewsmithphoto Yeah, I mean really, what does it matter how he died, as long as it wasn't murder, which it wasn't! What's this guy trying to prove?
Emile Hirsch did such a fantastic job portraying Christopher in the film 🎥 INTO THE WILD. The pain of his self realization he had eaten the wrong type of berries that helped in hastening his demise was an absolute, gut-wrenching heart ache. And the old man asking him could he adopt him? The heart strings were most definitely being tugged at!
How do you know that did you know the guy in person
I think it was because he thought he was eating wild potatoes but it was something else. Something that would prevent the stomach from digesting food. So he starved to death.
@@dustinfrost5214 Hollywood has been known to take "artistic liberties." In the end...he lived his short life his way. Choices can have positive and negative consequences, and sometimes you never know which. Always have a back-up plan,and never under estimate potential problems.
It was a great film, I love it
Yes 🥺 a great movie
He unfortunately was blinded by the luster of an adventure and did not think thoroughly. But with all his trauma and his sense of freedom. I can't help but admire his determination and even his character. He was pure at heart. At least he passed doing what he loved and managed to express it with some joy.
Prove he did not think thoroughly. He got what he wanted.
@@AislinsweetdreamsDo you think he planned on starving to death 😂😂😂
First time I heard this story was from Wendigoon, and it will always be one that sticks with me and I don't mind listening to it again. One of the things he wrote that I'll never forget is "Happiness is only real when shared."
Have you watched the movie Into The wild? It's a true story based on this guy that died in the bus.
@@AlanTClark It's definitely on my list, I'm just bad at watching movies when I'm not forced to lmao, I'll get to it eventually though
@@calebcraven7409
"Happiness is only real when shared" I sat here thinking about that statement, and came to the conclusion of how true that really is.
It sounds nice yes....But happiness is each owns experiences. Shared or not. If everyone lives to serve someone else, where will they find anyone?
@@oneandzero6251 I don't think they mean it has to be in service to someone else, but it's exceptionally hard to experience happiness when you are the only one experiencing it. They aren't saying work makes you happy but you are more happy when you are with other people, friends, family like that. Share the experience
I always appreciate an update on this story. There's a lot that can be learned from his mistakes when trying to live freely with no boundaries. Sometimes, to live freely, you do in fact need to be prepared.
@SoulJah That too. My next personal "into the wild" journey will be smarter and freer since I won't have things chaining me to a schedule by that time. Can't wait.
It wasn't a mistake...he was just stupid....even I'm a lone wolf and sometimes take risk and just wing it...but Alaska is extreme north and that too in winter, temp can get -20, -30 avg..
@@ameyas7726 I agree. He needed a better survival plan than sitting in a bus and not taking a map...
Shows you’re not really free, u have to plan and study the environment ur abt to live in, or else you’ll perish, just trading one life of hard work for another
@@notyourtypicalcomment2399 That's the price you pay for survival.
Into The Wild was by far one of the few pieces of mandatory reading in High School that I truly enjoyed. It's a story that's an interesting combination of inspiring, relatable, and tragic. To think that if he'd had the sense to travel up and down the river in search of a better crossing point, which would have led to finding the crossing trolly, he might've made it out alive.
The book was awesome. The movie Into The Wild was good too. Every time I hear the Eddie Vedder song "Hard Sun" I think of Chris.
Edited to add: The movie is on Pluto TV for Free
I read it “for school” when I was sitting in the hospital while my sister was passing away. I read it out loud to her and she loved hit. She was handicapped but always loved the wilderness. I think it was a great story.
That and Holes lol
@@Sweetyhide and also free with Surf Shark lol
It is just a shame that the book romanticized this idiot to the point where people were dying trying to copy him. This is one of the times where I really dont understand how people can think he was anything but an unprepared dumbass. Actually, maybe its because the people reading it blindly believe what's in the book instead of spending 5 seconds to realize that it was totally sensationalized. I think it is pretty telling that it is always people that are like 25 or less that actually idolized this person and got a positive message from the book.
I lived in part of Arizona called the big empty as a young man. I grew up in a neglectful home so when i filled a backpack with misc items and struck out one summer when school was out for an adventure my parents didn't really care. I came back 3 months later with a completely different perspective on nature, mostly due to the fact i barely made it back alive.
I'd come to realize every person who romanticizes the outdoors probably never spent a single night in it. They think living in the wild is some ultimate affirmation of freedom and independence when in reality it's a daily fight just to find enough to stay alive, you spend every day worrying worrying that the smallest injury will kill you (because it will) and even the basic like finding food and water becomes all consuming.
Imagine the worst day of your life then add starvation on top of that and you have a good idea of what "living off the land" is really like.
So true, so true.
We were stationed at Ft. Wainwright when this occurred. He was completely unprepared and at that time there wasn't much sympathy for him. He had a friend that worked as a park ranger and even he spoke up. Now, years later, there has been a movie and multiple books/articles about this guy. He didn't know how to prep food and the moose he killed ended up rotting. He didn't know what was safe to eat etc etc. Seriously, he should have never attempted this. The Alaskan wilderness is 100% unforgiving and if you make even 1 mistake, you are dead. I don't mean to sound harsh but the public mentality of the situation has completely flipflopped from when it happened..
As someone that lives in the area for 30+ years your assessment is 100% accurate.
As the public opinion should've.
Some people just don't know what they don't know....innocent as a child and naively gutsy. Too bad he DIDN'T survive. He might have been someone many more would have learned good things from.
Well said.
I agree but you got to give it to him unprepared and with no knowledge he managed to live there for 107 days sure the last couple were quite terrible but the guy was stout and idiot but stout indeed
Chris McCandless is a prime example of "don't do this" especially in Alaska. He romanticised Alaska without knowing anything about it. He was ill-prepared from the start. (BTW the bus is now in Fairbanks)
My husband said to me once "let's move to Alaska. Wouldn't it be fun?" I looked him dead in the eyes and said "I can't get you to chop wood for our 3 months of winter, let alone 6-9months. So let's not go and say we did"
His ignorance got him killed. I wouldn't say arrogance he seemed to have pure intentions and probably had a fairytale mindset
@@carlamarlene2927 Not everyone here in Alaska has to chop wood. Most cities/towns here have electricity. Lol
@@akmetalhead95 Back in the early days of the internet, in the 1990’s chat rooms, I used to talk to a kid from Canada. He said people asked him how he did the internet if he lived in an igloo…
I really got a kick out of that. So, if Canadians live in igloos, what do people think Alaskans live in?! Lol.
I have to wonder who's bus that was originally. And if he knew that the bus he abandoned would eventually have somebody live and die in it.
You told this better than I've heard it before. Astonishing story.
I agree, I’ve read the book and watched the movie. I like your video the most.
who asked?
Really? Better than the classic American book? You must have a hard time reading then cuz this video isn’t that great🤣🤣
check out Wendigoon then, he did a vid on the same topic, you might like it
@@ryanmurphy2089 stop bashing the man, not everyone knows about "classic american books" not everyone is american
This man lived my dream life. What a legend. The note he left for visitors knowing he'd ineluctably die soon after actually made me cry. After just 12 minutes of knowing of his existence, it felt like it was me dying. What a beautiful story, what beautiful pictures, what a beautiful smile. May his soul rest in peace.
I totally agree. It's sad that some people are saying that he was an arrogant sad person because he shunned society and people from his life. I think he is an amazing person who was brave enough to pursue his ideals that are unique to him. He didn't harm anyone along the way and created great memories with others when he could. He was incredible. I hope his soul is still having fun traveling and roaming around the way he pleases 🎉👻🧳🎉
My dad loved this guy, the book, the movie, and showing me the movie…he always loved doing things in the wild and would’ve loved to do something like this(obviously not to the extreme of passing away) but last summer at work he had a traumatic brain injury and has been in a vegetative state since…I loved the video the story just makes me think of my dad and my dad looks like Chris too …it just upsets me and rly makes me interested in the story…and I remember my dad always telling me if he walked half a mile he could’ve went across the river and hearing that in the video too just makes Chris’s story even more sad.
Sorry to hear about your dad. Hope he gets better
Give him as much attention as you can. ❤ I know I regret not doing it for my dad.
Maybe he is dreaming, and there he can fly...
I wish you all the best!
I feel sorry for you're dad😔
My senior high school (year 12) English teacher taught us this man’s story and honestly it was one of most engaging stories we had learned at that point. Almost everyone in my class was nose deep into the book, some even read ahead. I graduated in 2018 and I can still remember almost everything from that book, despite only reading it the once.
I learned about him too then in my first college semester, it was for a humanities class and we had to watch the movie adaptation and write an essay or a report on it I think! The movie is really good and heartbreaking it’s called Into the Wild
I hated reading his story with a fury 😂 I get why people like it, don’t get me wrong, I just found the book so boring to go through as someone who has only ever enjoyed books in the genres of fantasy and fairytales. The author’s writing style was entirely new to me and bored the hell out of me. It’s still not my style but I get it
What makes this story even sadder is that all this guy had to do was walk less than a mile north from where this bus was and he couldve crossed the river/stream where it was less than knee deep, but hey hindsight is 20/20
The car driver who gave him a lift should have contacted the authorities..
@@ameyas7726 10000000% AGREED
The river was a raging from the spring melt There was no place to cross
@@larryhullinger4141 there was a bridge around a two day hike south of the river crossing spot and also a USGS gauging station around half a mile north of him. But I was not willing to use a map, so I did not know or did not want to know.
@@michlblacksmith there was also several stocked cabins within a few miles of him They would have been clearly marked on a map
I am the child of homesteaders. I am from the north. I spent my school summer holidays working in the huge garden, foraging in the bush for wild berries on the weekends, working into the night with my working parents, preserving food for the winter.
I read Into the Wild. I just shook my head. So unprepared. He really didn't give himself a chance, especially in Alaska.
I live on a farm. Nearest city is 50 kilometers away. There's busses. It's still a hard life. This guy was a complete fool, had no clue what he was getting into.
“Talketna River” pronounced “tal-keet-na”
Fairbanksan here. You did a pretty great job with this story. There is no doubt he went in to the wilderness completely unprepared for the hardships he’d face. Survival in the interior of Alaska can really tough, even with all the necessary items, without them, there’s not much hope. People have no idea how brutal it can be. There’s zero room for error in the bush of Alaska.
Even if there wasn't any errors, it'll take someone out. He didn't stand a chance. Sad it happened but he refused to be prepared. 😕
Exactly
100% accurate stupidity killed this man
👻💬
69 likes . cool
I remember first hearing about him when I was eight years old, visiting Alaska and part of the trail where he walked so many years ago, it was gorgeous and I can tell why he was at peace with himself until the end. I respect him and his ideals but cmon man failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Hell yeah! Beats dying in the city.
He didn't fail. He found his peace and saw some of the most beautiful things in existence.... I say that's a success.
Last time I checked, NONE of us get out of "THIS" alive..."Prepare" all you want I suppose, but THIS ^^^ dude?!?! He didn't just TAKE the "baton" and RUN with it....He said: "Gimmie that fucking thing asshole!"🤣🤣
I feel sorry for anyone who would call him stupid or even arrogant....Just his life in the "Lower 48" is something pretty damn extraordinary!! (Never mind dying in the Alaskan wilderness!)
I suppose it might be understandable to call him unecessarily reckless though.😶
Who says he wanted to go there prepared?
This is a good take. He could have lived successfully in the bush had he taken a little time to prepare. He seemed to appreciate the beauty of the wild, but didn’t respect it.
Spent my childhood growing up in the mountains in Victoria and also the Aussie outback. Wound up in my 20’s and 30’s doing many solo treks that were days or weeks long, including spending nearly a year living in the Himalayas. Never, ever, EVER underestimate a true wilderness. Prepare. Prepare for the worst possible scenarios. Listen to the locals that have lived there all their lives. I’m sorry, but I’ve read about this kid a lot (actually he was born one year before me) and honestly what he basically did was a complicated way of committing suicide. No map? Unbelievable…..~
Perplexing that such a brilliant guy made all these mistakes. Very sad indeed.
This is what I was thinking. While sad AF he did commit it to himself.
Yeah its the least you can do
@@unstoppablezone4980 he wasn't intelligent. he thought the books about the brutal wildnerness and how it will kill the unprepared were the way to live yet didn't learn how to survive there and what supplies you needed.
@@unstoppablezone4980 Perhaps if his father didn't spend all his time trying to balance 2 families he could have taught him survival in the wilderness. My father took me fishing and hunting and basic ways to survive in the wilderness. He never had that and it cost him his life.
Eddie Vetter put it to words. Its a heartbreaking yet inspiring story.
Mr Supertramp, Chris, had the life he came here to Earth to live. It was not yours or mine but it was his and he lived it well.
Inspiring? So his story makes you want to go out into the most desolate wilderness utterly unprepared and attempt to live off the land with zero clue?
He lived it well? He died in pain in a bus of starvation/sickness, I most certainly assure you.
Uhm, Eddie Vedder!
@@alexmurray1971throwing the baby out with the bath water huh. Surely it’s inspiring and could’ve been handled differently and yes he’s lived a full life. He wasn’t dying from the beginning of his travels just towards the end of his life. lol usually how death works, or you can live a long slow death never daring to do anything outside of the norm.
I saw the movie and read the book my senior year and it literally changed my perspective on life. Going out in the Alaskan bush unprepared isn’t the best idea but his ideals are something to keep in mind. I spent my 20’s working seasonally on horse ranches and campgrounds, odd jobs and just living. Wouldn’t change a minute of it.
There was another guy like this who vanished for 27 years and lived.
@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 who?
At the darkest time of my life I found his story and because of it, it's saved my life. I know other people that have said the same I wouldn't doubt there's thousands of people that owe their life to Chris and his story.
Me too
I remember this story.
He basically created his own demise by doing everything wrong in a solo hike.
I think the nomad approach to life, rejecting materialism, is way more common than we realize, he just wrote about it. The soundtrack to the film adapted is really good. RIP Chis.
Yeah, the soundtrack is amazing.
Absolutely tear jerking! As a man who feels the crushing weight brought on by modern society I understand his need for true freedom more than most. It hits so close to home because I could see myself in his shoes following his steps and paying the ultimate price for freedom as he did. Excellent video thank you for sharing his story.
Should of listened to the locals…
It can still be done, howbeit in a safer way.
Hey buddy hope everything is fine with you
@@kennedybunga399 Fuck off did you just use "howbeit" unironically in 2022
DON'T read the book "On The Road" by Jack Kerouac....You might really get depressed about your life....Or you might just say after reading it... "Fuck it, I'm outta here!" ???🤣😭🤣😶
Cut yourself some slack man...It takes EXTREME idealism and/or balls to do what Chris McCandless did. I don't pity the guy...I'm mildly JEALOUS of him.
Dead by 24 of exposure to the elements. Hard to get more simple and authentic than that. Keeping it real 1200 ad style.
I often quote the words Chris scrawled on the bus as a personal mantra: "HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED."
I wrote that on a scrap of paper and stuck it on the wall with a push pin. I’d forgotten where that came from until just now reading your comment. I’ve lived alone for 18 years since my ex left me in 2004 after 18 years of marriage + 2 beautiful kids. The book and movie have been favorites of mine for a long time. Apologies for the rant….
@@dr.jamesolack8504 are u ok bro? not judging or fucking with u, i went thru it too.
I grew up in Alaska, and his lasting that long in the wild clueless is amazing in itself! I wish he had stayed in a town in AK long enough to learn more about survival. 🤘❤️🙏
I have not read the book by Krakauer, but the film adaptation lets us believe that Chris finally came to the realization, just before he died, that "happiness is not real unless shared". I believe that no one is capable of living a life all by themselves. All humans crave love, friendship and "togetherness". I was deeply moved by the movie, and every time I watch it I notice something else...
Aren't you such a intelligent emotional human being great job...
@@cameron3991 ? Pathetic much
I could only watch it once.
No, not everyone craves to share. Many wish to live free without encumbrances with no one to answer to or for. He did not prepare adequately for his adventure. But to him he lived his life in his own way. Tragic for such a young man. He certainly did not have a good example of family. Why would he aspire to emulate flawed relationships. In time perhaps, but he needed the solitude he craved. RIP sir!!!
Not all humans, people are very horrible and annoying and destructive
I felt nothing crazy about this, to be honest.
The way he'd just walked out and lived all the good sights and hard days of living a more-or-less homeless lifestyle, it looked like he'd done with total acceptance of everything that happened, good or bad.
Godspeed, goodman.
This man was unprepared but I have to admire his determination. The last picture of him brought tears to my mind. I truly hope he found peace.
Alaskans see this far too often and have to deal with heartbreak of knowing what will happen. My parents were stationed in Anchorage and heard first hand from people who had told a lot of young idealists, "Don't do this unprepared." McCandless is just one of many who've died this way in Alaska.
Whatever reason, whether ignorant to what he needed, or arrogant, I think he was brave af for even attempting. I pray he rests in peace, and I'm proud of him.
Thinking you are going to survive an Alaskan fall much less winter in a metal box on wheels, means you are a special kind of stupid, not brave.
I never heard of this guy until stumbling on this video, but MY sentiments exactly.
I'd recommend watching into the wild its a good movie if you haven't seen it.
I'd recommend the book into the wild as well. The movie is great but you get more detail into Chris in the book.
He was clearly mentally ill you retard. 😂
There's a survival show called Alone. In one of the more recent seasons, one of the expert survivalists had to be emergency evacuated because he was nearly dead in the wilderness.
Not because of shelter, which he had made into a comfortable living space, or because of lack of food, he had enough to feed a small army. He nearly starved to death while eating like a king...because he wasn't getting enough fat. It was a shame to watch him go.
Watched one with a fella who camped out there in a tent with just the basics, rifle and a camera. He couldn't feed himself properly or sleep through fear of wolves and bears. Pulled the plug in less than a week exhausted and depressed. You need a tribe and generations of skills and knowledge.
Stupid people, so afraid of becoming overweight, always fail to realize how important fat is to the body’s biological functions. Stupid parents have killed their children because of the same fears. Protein can be converted into calories at the detriment of your kidneys but there is no replacement for fat.
That rabbit sickness is terrible 🐇
Makes sense. You live on rabbits you will slowly starve from a diet of pure protein. You _need_ fats and/or carbs in some form!
Rabbit starvation; terrible way to go and insidious because you often don't know it's happening until its too late.
May Christopher McCandless rest in peace. Also, thank you Arran for another informative video, which I always look forward to every week.
Sweet young man. Bless him. One cannot live on enthusiasm and love of nature alone. It's beautiful but brutal.
His story is both inspirational and a cautionary tale, it's okay live out in the wild like he did but at least be a hundred percent prepared for survival.
Impossible. There's always something. Far better prepared men have died in the wilderness less than a week into a journey...things happen. Not many who were less prepared lasted all that long however.
Quite often, survival is just a roll of the dice. In 2019, my year on the Pacific Crest trail, an unsuspecting hiker from Germany was killed by a tree falling. Daytime, not doing anything reckless, et cetera. Sometimes.
Hardly inspirational
And, share and interact with others. The whole film he was running from everyone..."happiness is only real when shared"
@@joshuagharis9017 Those words were a paraphase from a part of a novel he was reading. It's insulting to insinuate that he did a 180° reversal of how he lived when all the substantive evidence suggests that he was consistent and true to his views, not saying that others have to necessarily agree with them.
If one carefully reads the book by Jon Krakaur they can see the distinction. Krakaur is consistently very careful with his research and writing. Few are his equal. It's sad that poor readers, non-readers and spin artists twist around the meaning of his writing and research.
it is an inspiration to ONLY IDIOTS.
I am from Norway. We have the same mountains, woods, and climate as Alaska. I can understand him. But no one get out in the wild without a compass, maps, or real boots and clothing. It is the certain typical death of a City Boy. Rest in Peace.
Yeah can confirm as a Fin. There is absolutely no way i would attempt to leave even the road with out compass, map, knife, fire tool of several sort, WATER and some way to communicate. This in area that i'm not entirely familiar with. To go over night to forest, tent, sleeping bag, several set of warm clothes in water tight bags, axe, saw, first aid kit, flashlight, whistle, cooking gear, dry materials say cotton in water proof container as fire starter materials as barest minimum...to live in the forest and live with its content, one would need to prep for that for years building up shelter, storage building garden to grow say potatoes, carrots, onions, smocking shed to store meat, access to sea or salt mine would be beneficial to get salt as preservation of meat, glass jars and well pretty much whole 40's house and tools pretty much just to have chance to live in summer, but winter would still be tough even when prepared properly. At very least one should have half a years supply of good foods if you try to survive in winter, but then you run into issue of heating.
Its kinda too bad the guy found the buss since that gave him shelter one would not normally have and he might had started to go back towards city much sooner than dying in malnutrition. Also even if you manage in Commifornia, or any other warm state does not mean you have any actual capability to survive in the forest like that, specially on start of you journey to great outback. Sure he made much further than 99% of the people, but that also was his doom. More idealistic and naïve would have realized their situation probably after couple first days and turned back, but his issues slowly creeped in and killed him. Too bad but its good lesson to many. While it is possible there is ridiculous amount of work required to be absolutely independent in the wild and even then since you are alone chances of you surviving long are decreased that of living in even small community. He simply went too far too fast.
@@Hellsong89
I'll add as a British Columbian that surviving in the woods in very mountainous places carries it's own challenges and that even people who'd consider themselves survival experts on flatter land run into problems in the mountains of BC, Alaska, the Yukon that they never anticipated. Stories and legends about the mountains and living in them/travelling through them rival the old mariners tales from the age of sail.
Going off and trying to just live in the woods isn't really heard of except among indigenous people and people who otherwise have lived a long time near and in the bush who eat sleep and breathe the mountains but all kinds of tourists get into trouble going to remote places and assuming they'll be able to pick up the phone, call 911 and have help arrive in a timely manner. If you are far enough south in the summertime, are fit enough, know how to find your own food and water and how to make a basic shelter, and arent in too extreme of an area surviving out there off the land wouldnt be impossible but in the winter you'd ideally want at least 10 years of experience of being in the bush all year round and to prepare for at least a year in advance.
@@user-xg8yy7yl1d I'll further add as someone who lives in a city in the flattest land in the south that it's common sense not to go to the wilderness without some prep. You guys aren't experts or anything, this guy was just extra stupid.
The movie by Sean Penn called “Into The Wild” (2007) is a phenomenal dramatized adaptation of this story. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to see more of Chris’ story.
I agree. Incredible interpretation of the book. Really well directed movie. 👌
It is frustrating that a lot of people call him crazy or stupid just because of how he wanted to live HIS LIFE. I found him inspiring and he became one of my favorite persons, just knowing money or what others thought he should do with HIS LIFE didn't matter to him. He was set up to have an easy life but didn't take that path. I didn't think he was "crazy" for not taking that path, I just think he was more free than most people ever are regardless of his age when he passed away. Love the movie too. 💖
I think he was stupid not because he wanted to live but how he thought he could survive let alone live in the cold wilderness of alaska without any real preparation whatsoever.
Exactly this. He didn't feel at home in the system, so he left it. And people call him stupid for doing so. He may not have been able to enjoy his freedom for long, but he still experienced more freedom than most of us will in eight decades. Honestly, I envy him. He didn't die because of illness or an accident, he took a risk and died on his own terms.
This story always fascinated me.
I think it tells more than not being "foolish enough" to just go to Alaska unprepared. This man was suffering years before his final trip. He went too radical in rejecting the worst in the West society, and never understood how to get over the 'rejection phase' into actions that could make him find a sense in the world around.
He was a clueless knucklehead.
I lived in Alaska when this guy disappeared. There were private investigators and FBI all over the place questioning everybody because they thought he had been kidnapped or murdered.
I live in Anchorage, Alaska and have lived here all of my life. I'm also half Indian from Chitina and the Copper River valley area which is about 250 miles outside of Anchorage. Actually Sean Penn showed up at our Ahtna annual meeting when he was filming "Into The Wild." . (He's about how you'd expect him to be..arrogant.) But Chris must have been crazy to think he could just travel hundreds of miles through Alaska with barely any supplies. No map. Small gun. Not enough to survive in Alaska, especially in winter. It's October 31st right now..Halloween and the temperature outside is 21 degrees. He's lucky a Brown bear didn't decide to make a meal out of him. There are also some other thing's in Alaska that my ancestors call "Bush Indians" or Kol'Eni and many other strange things in the Alaskan Bush that I wouldn't even believe in if I didn't have my own personal encounters with in the Chitina area. Over 2,000 people disappear from Alaska every single year which is a staggering number when compared with our 700,000 population. That means 1 in just every 300-350 vanish every year and are never found like Chris was. I feel bad for the guy in a way, but COME ON DUDE!! Wtf did you think was gonna happen going off into the deep woods of the most remote place in America with plenty of wolves, bears, and "Other" predators ?! I don't even go into my peoples area without a semi-automatic gas-fed 12 guage shotgun and 10 round magazine loaded with solid steel "Slugs" , a machete, bear mace, people mace, flashlights, an Ar-15 in my trunk, extra food, medical kit, etc and I have a big SUV with me. I'm just prepared to accidentally go off the road late at night and very limited exploring of my Ancestors burial grounds and walking just a little ways through the deep woods out by my village Chitina. If I was going deep into the woods I'd have triple as much including cooking supplies, map, tent, fishing pole, sat phone, arctic gear, and on and on. Chris was very silly to think he was above the Alaskan wilderness...And that was during the summer time.
So I googled the bush Indians but only found one very brief article and some books. Thinking about ordering one of the books as that sounds like a neat bit of obscure folklore, but could you please elaborate on what they are and share the experiences you’ve had?
Are you an Indigenous Alaskan?
educated idiot really but I'm thinking mentally something snapped and wrote his end.
I do agree with what you are saying, it's not a movie or a game you can respawn if you die and it's not like you can just go to the corner store etc. either. lol
I live in thy MATSU Valley... I don't go to Fred Meyer or Carrs without a .45!
We bought the movie bc my husband had memories of this story. At one point I just had to call it like it was: that kid was an idiot. Hubs said "don't you think that's cool?" Not really. He hadn't the first idea of how to survive on Colorado wilderness let alone Alaska wilderness. I told my kids " don't be like this idiot." Don't worry mom we wont
I read the book when I was in college. I actually had the honor of interviewing his aunt to write my college paper about that book. It was an amazing experience and I respect chris. Man lived how he wanted.
Oh sounds cool.
When I first heard of this story I was in my early 20s and let's just say that whole decade was kind of a personal "dark ages" for me. In retrospect I believe I was in what could reasonably be called a radical depression for a long time (I got better--hey, if you're in your 20s and it sucks, listen...it gets better. That's a rough decade for a lot of people). Point is, I started hearing about the movie and just from the broad outlines I knew I was not ready to see it. I knew that with the state of my mind, that kind of thing held a dangerous appeal to me, partially because on some level I would not have put a particular emphasis on coming out alive on the other end. I didn't *want* to die, but I just didn't especially see a whole lot of value in staying alive forever either. I do wonder if he went in with something of a similar mentality.
In any case, I consciously avoided seeing the movie for years until I eventually found myself in a better state. Finally saw it, read the book too, and came to the same conclusion most people do. He was both admirable and stupid. Both can be true at once. For my part I've been able to occasionally find adventure and higher meaning in a non-deathwish way and I'm so glad I'm here in my 40s better than ever.
Sorry that's a lot but I've really thought about this story a lot over the years
It doesn't really get easier; u just develop better coping skills.
@@ROBYNMARKOW I’d agree but only because the opportunity to find one’s own path to thriving instead of surviving and coping, is incredibly difficult due to the way things are, the way society is, the distractions from & oppressions of quality education & knowledge spreading.
Idk who isn’t lacking intelligence. So this idea that he was “stupid” or too full of himself, is ridiculous to me, as some sort of highlighted point. So…”interesting” to me, when humans judge other humans as though they know so much better. And yet, no one would actually take the responsibility of someone else’s entire life, should they be guided by that person’s judgment. You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it. And even then, so many variables go into each person’s choices and behaviors and beliefs. We can’t even take perfect responsibility for ourselves, let alone the affects our “stupidity” has on endless others. And so few even think beyond their judgments…doesn’t make the reality of affect any less real & we continue to harm others and ourselves, blindly, blind to any effect it has, as we continue to waste precious time & mind & our own potential just by judging the shit out of others. That’s stupidity, in its entirety, IMO. -Really glad to hear you took so much care of yourself, despite the struggle of depression. Sounds like your core self was working overtime to preserve. And it’s really nice to see someone contemplating these things, as habit, in their existence. Hope you’re feeling fulfilled and blessed.
All of this speaks to me a lot. My high school history teacher showed us the movie, and even though I remembered none of the details the allure stuck with me. It's a dangerous pull. And I simultaneously admire him for having the strength to do something and pity him for falling for the trap.
I'm in my late 50's, I have 3 adult children, a wife, I was a fighter pilot in the USAF, a paramedic and a volunteer firefighter, a police officer, I retired as a captain for Continental airlines, I was an Alaskan bush pilot, I flew for the royal flying doctors in Alaska (I'm a native Texan) and more. If you can't handle your 20's you're in trouble, that's probably the easiest decade of your entire life. Seriously, get help immediately if your 20's start eating your lunch.
Into the wild, the film, was sean penn's directorial debut. Its long, but well worth the time. I don't know how close to the truth it was, but its a great film. Vince Vaughan is in it too.
Hi, I really like the film, very emotional at times and a great soundtrack by Pearl Jams Eddie Vedder.
Its one of my top 5 movies of all time.. I think it's very underrated..
Correction: it was his 4th movie as a director
@@alisaif4130 well, there's another thing that I thought I knew but didn't.
I need to debunk some myths for this story.
Chris never gave up his IDs, wallet, or cash he had in his wallet. One of the guys who found Chris's body, took his backpack that was in the bus. It was search while they were trying to identify him, but they missed the hidden pocket. In this pocket contained his wallet, IDs, library card, social security card, bike lock combo, and $300 dollars in cash. The documentary "The Call of The Wild (2007) shows his backpack, the man who found it, and the contents. One of the best documentaries on Chris, I suggest giving it a watch.
*Into the wild.
@@nuaru100 why did you type that?
Better name for the movie. OOPS.
The 2007 film is called Into the Wild. Call of the Wild is a 1903 novel by Jack London
@@_wanderingrocks_ that's true but I gues you didn't read my comment? I'm talking about the documentary by Ron. The call of the wild was actually filmed during the same time the movie into the wild was filmed. You get much much much more info from the documentary. The movie got lots of locations and facts very wrong.
I watched the movie and could never forget the story! His sister was very devoted to him and commented a lot during the film. It seems that beside being idealistic and fundamentally honest person he had some psychological problems (Borderline disorder?). People liked him but it didn't seem reciprocal. He suddenly abandoned his parents without scruples and without a word, and his sister -- also. His parents were flawed but loving and his sister considered herself to be his best friend. He left a couple of hippies who liked him, a girl who fell in love with him and -- most important -- an old lonely man, who became attached to him and treated him like a son (his own son and wife were killed in the car crash years ago). After Chris's death this man stopped believing in God. If I remember right not long before his death Chris wrote in his diary that the beauties of the world have meaning only if you share them with somebody. Maybe that's what he was supposed to learn. I feel so much sympathy towards his sister! His parents and an old man are probably not alive any more, but they died with broken hearts. Such a bright young man, such mistake, such despair and painful death in the end!
If it's possible, and we all get the chance, then I hope Chris has found the peace and contentment that he craved, wherever that may be. Foolish or not, he lived his life on his own terms, and that's more than most of us can say to ourselves, in all honesty, if only we look deeply enough inside and admit the truth. RIP, Chris.
He lived his life on his own terms right up until he lived his last on Alaska’s terms.
This was not on his terms! If he was an old man then yeah but that young and dying so easily is a waste of life, did you not hear his diary entries? This was not his terms 😂
I grew up with the story of Chris McCandless so I want to give him a little of his dignity back:
It wasn't like Chris never knew hardship or starvation out in the wild before. It's what he spent his time doing from the when he ran away to the time he hit Alaska -- and that's a couple years of learning to be out in the wild. While it's true that he hadn't spent as much time in the north as he had in the desert, he knew very well how serious the hardships were ahead of him. The thing about Chris was, he just didn't seem to care. There's a natural recklessness that comes with knowing that you have absolutely nothing left to lose and it feels freer than anything you've ever felt before. He just wanted to feel something outside of what everyone else thought was important. He wanted to feel a genuine connection to his environment, stripped down of everything else, so that he could see the world around him with his own bare eyes, and hear the chatter of life on its own terms without the din of traffic. Chris was not stupid or sheltered; he knew, deep down, it would cost him. Somewhere inside him, he must have just decided it was worth the price.
Modern bushcraft is the safer version of this -- it's going after the same thing...only making sure you can also make it back. It appeals to people like Chris, veterans, trauma victims, normies who don't feel any control over there lives, and simply messed up girls like me. It's because there is something so honest when you're out there that realigns your soul. Suddenly all that chaotic chatter of the "real world" just falls away and you can finally breathe, and focus. It's incredibly healing for those of us who can't seem to relate to or reconcile with the ludicrous demands of society.
Saying this I feel so bad for his sister. When you grow up in a family like that with siblings your relationships with them are not totally unlike that of veterans who've served together. There's a bond there that can't be explained to anyone else, and continues to be your lifeline long after the war's over. Even if that sibling is just in your thoughts, just knowing that that person is out there somewhere in the world for you can become your strength. I cannot imagine losing my brother so young in life. She must have felt so alone in the world. She probably still does.
@Anne O'Nymous All due respect, Anne, FU. Until you've lost every last person you love, home, beloved dog, personal freedom, mind, and even your right to own a damned hairbrush, don't tell me I'm pathetic. You have no idea how you would respond in such a situation. At that point anything at all left no longer holds meaning and "nothing left to lose" is different for everyone. For some, it's finding out their entire existence has been a lie including their own family. For others it's career-related, and others still it's because they've sifted through a lifetime of abuse and come up short. There are certain torments that are far worse than death. But it sounds to me you've never had to actually survive anything except losing your potato masher.
@@CleoHarperReturns goodness…what on earth did Anne say? Must’ve been incredibly careless by the looks of it.
You've got a lotta SOUL; 'preciate it!
I’ve also seen how abuse rips siblings completely apart, jaded toward one another & essentially, IMO, projecting the pain they’ve endured and carried undue them, on the only ppl they can “safely” do so, as the abuser isn’t anyone safe to communicate with, in any way. And it’s fecking heart wrenching, soul crushing to witness & feel helpless to do much about. Especially with regard to different stages of human maturation in childhood, with abuses occurring in the perfectly fragile early childhood stage. And this, a guarantee that those influences will mark and guide one’s entire life.
Abuse is projecting through symptoms of catalysts of the same, if I had to guess & summarize. The farther back you go in modern eras, the less & less are the qualified supports & understanding of, basically, the human condition. If you’ve been abused by parents, it’s difficult for many to accept that they, too, are most likely coming from abuses, neglect & consequences of of their parents and/or community member’s lack of knowledge. And from the individual home comes together a very misguided society, to boot. IMO.
Whether we realize it or not, accept it or not, humans are a system that deeply affects its individuals, from one person out to innumerable, and back again. Should any individual have a healthy mind, a healthy environment, equally healthy members of their community affecting them and should that individual be given the knowledge of positive & negative forces and a choice between adopting one of the two or a mix of both, I cannot see an individual choosing, cognitively, the negative. This also has to continue on in each individual, in order to produce more of the same. We seem to have absolutely nothing of the like as even an elusive, limited option. Without the knowledge…I think most of us suffer things undue, unnecessary to our development & survival as a species and as a communal species, introverts included, we do to one another.
All in all, humans confuse the shit out of me…and break my damn heart, constantly. I think our best bet, for the individual and humanity as a whole, is to find a way to bring the ever evolving, best most factual information there is, on all aspects of the human condition, equitably, completely accessible to all. It looks like we have that potential, in this era of information and tech but we’re battling against forces of negative affect, motivated by agendas that serve very few and through extremely addictive, poisonous focuses. And this on grand, power wielding levels all the way down, again, to each individual.
I have no idea what the world would look like should everyone be surrounded by transparent factual knowledge like this, nor how long it would take with the potential we have, today, should it overcome those negative forces. Nor, what it would take to overcome those forces, in the first place. That we have these uncountable variables and influences that, like a nasty, sour tasting cherry on top, are primarily processed subconsciously…it sounds like the biggest battle of humankind; a battle against and for itself. 🤯💔
Who are we? And what the hell is happening?
Even though his journey ended much earlier than it ought to have - his journey definitely did leave an impact on the world. A positive one. Into the Wild is one of my favourite stories, even though it's bittersweet.
In the end - final curtains awaits us all, make the best of your time on stage.
True words!
Also produced a good movie, with the awsome song "Society" by Eddie Vedder.
Love the "on stage" analogy.
“Much earlier than it ought to have?”
He was lucky he lived as long as he did. No supplies and trying to live in a subarctic wilderness like a hipster?
It was bound to happen.
Well said
💛
Damn. Amazing tale. My opinion of him bridges the two extremes leaning slightly toward arrogant and willfully unprepared for his Alaskan trek. Had he known just a few simple things about meat and how to cure it and keep it edible in warm weather with next to nothing that moose meet could’ve kept him alive for a long time. There’s a really interesting tale of a man who was hiking and backpacking near the boundary waters of Minnesota and Canada. He shot a bear, skinned it and cooked all the meat. He had good thick plastic sealing bags. It kept him alive. While he was hiking a fierce three day blizzard trapped him there. The cold also helped keep the meat.
McCandless's story is definitely one worth learning about: it offers both inspiration and caution.
You maintain a kindness toward the characters you profile that's very admirable. We may roll our eyes or make a snarky remark off the cuff but at the heart of those stories you don't forget the humanity of it all. You remember the spark that makes all of us fallible, sometimes idiots, but within the parameters of Being Human. Being kind is a good rule of thought.
Your POV is best focused. Great ! Stay true. Your videos are great.
Into the wild is almost 20 years old now, I read this story almost before the web was even around, amazing that some content creators are still getting mileage out of it. An important lesson on being prepared, and most of all don't just go around eating anything you find in the wild thinking it's harmless....
I met a guy who lived like that about 20 years ago. He camped in a state park that I was camping in .but he'd stay for a few weeks off the land. I would miss the conveniences of a warm bathroom and shower and all else.
I’m slightly envious of him being able to just live. I’m certain he was happy despite the trials. Thank you for a wonderful story.
He didn't live. He died.
There's nothing to envy. He took the selfish, childish, and stupid way out.
@@stevenschnepp576 nothing stupid about it, he just wanted to be free. This society is fucked and I see no point of continuing on
@@forrestwright5981 and then he starved. I guess you can be happy while starving
@@BabyGirlTiny not worried about food, it's the cold that will get me. Then if I do happen to make it, mental demons of being alone will drive me to insanity which I've been there and done that before, when I tried separating myself from society and living off the land for a year
As tragic as his death was, it was exactly what he wanted. A true free spirit, that I can't help but to adore
The story of Chris McCandles is truly beautiful. Such a tragedy, and such a unique soul lost so young. RIP
I totally understand Chris' desire to piss off.... I think many of us often tired - I don't there's anything wrong with that: there are people living in Alaska (Kanada, Siberia, Sweden) off the grid, some of them for decades, but they went there prepared and with equipment they needed; having what Chris did: venturing into Alaska's wilderness with nearly nothing WAS stupid. RIP Chris, hope you're in a better place, dude
People have lived in isolated regions for thousands of years
I admire Chris for the courage he had. Yes, it’s possible he wasn’t totally prepared, but at least he had the nerve to do something only some of us dream of. A life of freedom with none of the chains a “normal” life brings. Rest In Peace.
His name was Alexander supertramp
He seemed kind of selfish. I was reading part of his diary and he diligently wrote down all the animals he killed. Along with pictures. He was really proud of killing things. He did kills like five geese in one day. Two porcupines in one day. Who needs to do that? You know most of it went bad, he just went gun happy. That's kind of crappy. It seemed like he was living out a cos-play. Which makes me wonder if his parents were as bad as he said, or any of the other stuff he said was true.
He had the intelligence of my sister's house cat. The house cat was an indoors cat, but always wanted to venture outside in to the unknown. He often tried to run away, but my sister, ever vigilant, would quickly prevent him. However, one fateful day he succeeded in getting away. We found him dead after a couple of days. He wanted to be free from the shackles of comforts that was given to him, he pursued it relentlessly and ultimately found it, along with death.
It doesn't take much for a dream to become a nightmare. Sometimes it is better for you to let a dream just be that, a dream.
That is like saying "I admire the guy who jumped off a roof trying to fly." or the guy who yells "Just shoot me at the Police." All three are perfect examples of stupid decisions. Mother Nature is NOT your friend, neither is gravity, or police assisted suicide... you are lucky to survive any of those life choices?
ppl check out all the time there is homeless all over that travel place to place. They have graffiti signs to guide them and show them safe places etc. That shows ya just how long its been goin on! I will agree with its a shame we have to check out from others to get peace of mind....
Gotta admit this dude lived a life far more free and energetic than any of us could.
Dude lived on his own terms, were we all so lucky.
Dude was an idiot who had no respect for society *or* nature... Not sure how walking out into the bush to die is "a life far more free"...
Speak for yourself. Dying miserable and alone in an abandoned schoolbus is not my idea of an energetic and fulfilling life. If that is being 'lucky' than I hope I'm never lucky. Dude was a clueless idiot who threw his life away for nothing.
Speak for yourself. I live an exciting and fulfilling life as a firefighter and I am blessed with many friends and non-profit stuff that keeps me busy. This man was an idiot. He didn't do his homework and he died as a result.
@@mikejewpants4099 The result of life itself, is always death - so, that's really a moot point, isn't it?
@@NaruSanavai I try to use my time on this earth helping others. So far so good! (Also, I would like a dog.)
I watched a full documentary on this. super sad story and a lesson for those who move to the wilderness unprepared.
I agree. Sure, don’t blindly follow the status quo, but sheesh, learn about the status qualm that you choose to follow.
@@slackerman9758 people tried to tell him like the last guy who saw him. He was told he was not prepared. He just didn't take it serious. I think the crap with his dad shattered his trust in people and he only trusted his own abilities. While his lifestyle in the lower 48 was doable it was light-years away from what is r quoted in an Arctic environment. One last bit of damage having a dirtbag as a father.
@@diamondback2085 yup, his lifestyle was survivable when around civilization but the wilderness is a whole other beast.
What a Beautiful Person. In Tears.
I've heard about Christopher McCandless before, but you tell the story so well that I enjoyed hearing it again, plus you added some information I hadn't heard before. I mostly just feel sorry for him. I can't imagine what he went through growing up and when he found out about his father's other family it must have been devastating. It appears that he found some peace and joy in his life before he died. I certainly hope so
I remember reading this book when it came out. I was a novice backpacker at the time, having hiked a bit of the Appalachian trail and then moved to Colorado where I did some summer AND winter backpacking - just a little. I just remember shaking my head in disbelief the entire time I read that book. It sounded like he was maybe (?) a smart city guy with absolutely zero common sense. I grew up in a city as well but had some sense of awareness and preparation. Maybe he had a death wish.
HE. ABSOLUTELY. HAD. A. DEATH. WISH.
Out of all the times I've heard this man's story told, it was now finally told with the type of imagery, he'd have wanted it to be. The reason why he went out, and the reason why he accepted his fate out there, in the end. Beauty in nature.
R.I.P. Chris McCandless (a.k.a. Alexander Supertramp). Having read Into the Wild multiple times I wish peace to those who knew and loved you. Reading the memories of those you met on your travels remains with me as you were loved and friends with salt-of-the-earth people. May the journey continue!
Love this one! I'm a woodsy guy. Always prepared when I'm out in the bush. But still I understand what He was trying to do. Freedom is just some people talking but for some of us it is a lifetime persuit. RIP Cris ..
@Anne O'Nymous Earth is a prison... a Reincarnation soul trap (don't argue.. research it before you give any knee jerk reactions like most people do... robots)
Until you understand where you are... you won't have freedom or be leaving.
I've just been reading the comments I haven't even been listening to the video cuz I know all about the story did this video include the fact that he burnt up all that money cuz he could have been prepared but he was in a mental block just needing to get away from his parents and their BS..
@@mrdeej7164 It did say he got rid of all his money but not that reason. It just said he donated it away.
Honestly it seems he found peace and was happy, he lived a good life in those regards. He found what he was looking for. Even if he died, that’s a thing most people don’t truly find in their lives
Shame you have to get away from everyone to find peace
@@SimuLord To many thing's get romanticized after the fact. I hear he was brave etc, so was Jefferey Dommer. If he wasn't so ignorant then it would have been suicide. IF he knew how to preserve that moose better and practiced it a few times. He wouldn't have to eat the poisoned plant. IF he would have known how to do the rub test first on his skin. That might have saved his life. IF he would have known to eat the charcoal in the fire in front of his face. He could have stopped himself from being poisoned. I could go on and on with his story but I wont.
Just look how Hollywood makes movies of pirates. They use to burn towns that wouldn't trade with them and steal everything including their woman and children. Sell the men as slaves and rape the woman till they jumped over board all in front of their families etc. Who knows what they did to the kids. Yeah that's romantic. They leave that out of the movies too.
When I watched the movie I couldn't help but to say how ignorant so many times. I check out of society from time to time way longer than he did! Many ppl do! He's not the first or the last. Yeah I come back but so was he. The river just stopped him. But he is the first I have heard of that did it so blindly. And being brave isn't having no fear at all its just having more courage than fear... That doesn't take anything but someone to grab their balls and man up.... And yeah he inspired others to go looking for the bus and they too died trying. 5 ppl to be exact! If you think that is amazing than your just as ignorant as this boy WAS!
And if he’d educated himself a bit more, he may have been able to make it a lot longer since eating the wrong wild poisonous plants killed him!
I doubt he felt much peace in that rough final few months. And starving to death is as far from happiness as one can be. Just the fact that he tried to return to civilization tells us how satisfying this experience was. This is no noble death. I don't understand the romanticism of this story.
@@teriwright6678 sort of. Normally those seeds are harmless but the soil conditions made them dangerous to eat if you have a very low body fat percentage. And yeah normally if you want to move into the wilderness you need to take a lot of supplies to get started.
The state of Alaska moved the bus out the woods to town. It was costing the state time and money because of people having to be rescued from the trip to see the bus. What most people don't realize about rivers in Alaska is that at the begin of the summer the river water level is low because the winter snow fall is still frozen on the mountain. By the time the summer is over the snow has melted and run into the river. It can happen quickly, even in a day when its hot.
What's super crazy is the people that died or had to be rescued trying to visit the bus. The National Guard had to remove it from the forest. It always sticks in my head that I could die alone in a forest and then inadvertently cause the deaths of others. We are more connected than we can imagine.
👍👍👍
I had been planning such a journey myself, when during a hike, following a game trail, I slipped and tumbled down a cliff, breaking my neck and dashing my dreams. Thankfully a friend was with me and called for help, or I wouldn't be alive today. Such a great story and movie, and in the end, he passed away doing what he loved. We should all be so lucky.
On the isle of man when a man is alone face to face with every part of himself. When he
Ceases seeing himself thru the lenses of other's eyes and instead through his own. When he resigns himself to defining himself by the prejudices or biases of others, regardless of their populists I'll concieved predilection. When he understands that the pursuit of his person is not nor should be the pursuit of sex,revelry,drunkenness, adrenaline,power or money but rather purpose mission and a noble passion. When this man understands this, then this man becomes "The Man". For only through the Eyes of his Creator, Lord, God,Father and King can this man fully embrace and do what he was created and designed for.
-Steven F Gooden-Cohen-
From the movie, I understood that he always had planned to leave Alaska at a certain time, and he actually did survive through a lot of tough time there, but the river he expected to cross to get back to civilization had melted and was too difficult to cross. This made him stuck impossibly and unable to find a way out from what information he had about the area at the time. It was a needless tragedy because before he went to Alaska several people offered him to live with them but he had a better idea.
At least he did live the way he wanted for a certain amount of time. Sad, but you don't know everything at 24 yrs old.
He could have crossed the river only 800m from his attempted crossing point, though. If he had a map, he'd have known. (Note: I'm not criticising any of his actions - I devoted more than a decade of my life to an idealist, escapist quest fairly similar to McCandless's and did some pretty stupid things too - not only due to inexperience but also pigheadedness.)
@@JacoWium we were lucky, we lived to tell the tale friend.👊🏼
@@JacoWium I too, can think of a few things I did when I was young I was very lucky to escape from by the grace of God. I even think God was trying to give him another path to live longer by the people he met and the old man wanting to adopt him, who could probably see ahead of time the kid wouldn't make it. If the movie is to be believed, he admitted where he went wrong and settled with it. I'm glad he got to live for awhile in what he felt was different than what society was offering him. He may have been pig headed and not taken advice he should have, but, at least he didn't die a billionaire having been responsible for the suffering of hundreds of thousands of workers or citizens.
He didn't want a career.. he wanted a life.
Damn, that hits hard
And he lost it in the process
You don't want life if you think its ok to live in a metal box at -40F. I know I have survived 34 winters in the area!
He reminds of most people I talk to when I asked then, "What is your plan". And what they usually give me is a goal, not a plan.
@@answerman9933 That is an amazing way of phrasing it!
@@answerman9933 so basically he is not any different 🤔
There's a reason survival experts say, you need to make sure you do research and are prepare on where your going before you go. He live the way he wanted (no rules, and free), but even in nature there are rules, going into a environment like Alaska thinking it will be like camping in the lower 48 is asking to get killed. I praise him for living the way he wanted, but there was no way his death was how he wanted it, as he went out in the most slowly painful way anyone can (especially if the seeds were poisonous).
Chris sounds like a man who wasn't quite able to deal with the traumas he suffered, and was determined to have the best life he could, in a way that he could truly be proud of. He's an inspiration to DO, damn the consequences.
He's proof that the only thing that matters, is the journey
he was kind of a prick though. everyone romanticizes this bloke like he was some kind of great guy. He may not have liked his parents but to punish them by deliberately having them not know if he was alive or dead is pretty psychotic behaviour. he reportedly even liked his sister and still didnt bother to let them know he was alive. sure he had some troubles growing up but folks have had it a lot worse and not been half as shitty.
His journey was his way of dealing with the traumas from his upbringing.
@@TJfromEarth Have you read the book, Into The Wild, it'll give you insight into why of what he did. His sister also elaborates his story, of what he was trying to accomplish.
@@TJfromEarth judging as if you were his colleague or something
You can do it wisely, or be a fool.
So many of your videos leave me in a quiet state, especially this one. I've spent many days wishing I lived in simpler times. Everyone just seems to be in so much of a hurry anymore. I'm guilty of some of these actions too.
You should watch the movie
he was both a brave and amazing man for his life choices. fear of the unknown is what keeps most of us complacent.
Well, bravery and foolhardiness are often the same thing, seen from different perspectives. I think he should have brought or studied a map, brushed up on his skills, and been adequately prepared. Thousands of people do this every year around the world when “finding themselves in the wild”, and a much lower fraction die in the experience. Less brave? I guess. Also, no one makes a movie about them, because they were competent and not as foolhardy.
fear of the unknown is also what keeps us safe from our own stupidity lest we starve to death in some frozen wilderness
Yep, the characteristics that allow people to survive and prosper...you call complacent. Nothing brave or, much less, amazing.
@@slackerman9758 I think people like learning the *wrong* lessons heh. The obvious lesson in this movie should be "don't go into the wilds unprepared" instead it seems to be "oh, what a hero!". People seem to forget just *why* we build cities of steel, glass, and concrete heh
20 years ago I was a high school English teacher, and this was one of the books we covered. I'd say that the class predominantly felt that Chris was foolish to do what he did without any preparation. However, the one book that always elicited the most passionate (and positive) response was "The Man Who Planted Trees," the true story of Eleazar Bouffiere.
I knew that one sister backed up his story of abuse during his childhood. And I knew that the rest of the siblings disputed that. I have never heard that there were 2 separate families. That's certainly a very important detail. Thank you 😊
I've heard a lotta people tell this story but this was by far the best telling I've heard.
Very balanced & unbiased.
> “What killed the man in this bus?”
> stupidity
I don’t know why people think Chris McCandless is some legendary guy, i appreciate his wanderlust demeanor but he put his parents through hell and ultimately died. Tragic really.
Newsflash: We all die.
I'm very happy to have been born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. Chris/Alexander was not prepared. As for the bus, it's been since air lifted and moved due to people trying to find and visit it, and dying doing so, decades later being more prepared than he, himself. Seriously, don't underestimate how harsh Alaska can be.