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For those of you who don't know the name Christopher McCandless, a.k.a. Alexander Supertramp (a nickname Chris gave himself), you soon will.
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Some of you know of him through the telling of his story in the Jon Krakauer bestseller "Into the Wild." His story will also soon be a feature film, directed by Sean Penn. After a long, philosophical journey from Virginia to Alaska, he died from starvation (or poisoning depending on who you talk to) in an old Fairbanks City Transit Bus about 25 miles off the Parks Highway just outside Healy, Alaska. |
Fairbanks City Bus 142 |
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In 2001, after reading the book, I was interested in seeing the bus for myself. My father and I set out on the Stampede Trail via snowmobile. The trail is an old mining road that was built in the 1930's. The old bus was dragged out to the Stampede Mine to give the miners a place to get out of the weather and away from the mosquitoes. Later in the 1960’s after the mine closed, it was dragged out closer to the highway to be used for hunters and backpackers. There is literally nothing for miles, the bus is 25 miles off the Park’s Highway and is about 10 miles from the Denali National Park boundary. It took about an hour to get out there because the trail was very rough. |
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The Bus |
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Once we arrived, I was definitely surprised at what I found. I knew from the book that there was a plaque from his parents and a note book left for people to record their thoughts and feelings. I had no idea how far reaching the impact of this story had been. It took almost an hour to read these entries from people who had traveled here from all over the world. The entries ran the gamut from "stupid is as stupid does" (reference to how unprepared and undersupplied Chris was) to stories of how Chris's story changed peoples life and put him almost into hero status. Inside there was also a suitcase left by Chris’s parents with an emergency blanket and some survival food to insure that no one would end up in the same situation as Chris. My impressions were definitely mixed after reading the book, but after visiting this place I can now see the impact this story had on people.I have to say I was definitely moved and the farewell journal entry from his mother saddened me.
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The Barren Landscape
(My father, Bill, on the snowmachine) |
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If you have not read the book "Into the Wild," I encourage you to do so. I hope the upcoming movie will do this book justice.
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The Plaque and Survival Kit left by Chris's Parents |
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The Plaque Reads:
CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON McCANDLESS
"ALEX"
2/68 — 8/92
Chris, our beloved son and brother died here during his adventurous travels in search of how he could best realize God's great gift of life with his final message, "I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and May God Bless All" we commend his soul to the world.
-The McCandless Family 7/93
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