Into the Wild Timeline

August 1990

Jan Burres and her boyfriend, Bob pick him up in Orick, California. They drive to Orick beach and chris camps with them for a week.

May 10th 1991

Leaves Vegas

September 1991

Hitches down Highway 11 into Cali and heads east into desert.

January 1991

After traveling south for a while, a nearly fatal storm hits, causin ghim to leave his canoe at el golfo de santa clara and heads north. as he crosses the Mexican border he US immigration catches him and throws him in jail for one night.

July 1990

Arrives at Leak Mead National Recreational Area (Nevada) and abandons car when it is damaged by flashflood, burns remaining cash, loads belongings into backpack and sets off via foot. Travels West for next 2 months, hitch hiking to Lake Tahoe, hiking into Sierra Nevada and spent a week walking to Pacific Crest Trail. At the end of July, "Crazy ernie" offers chris a job on a ranch in northern ca, and left 11 days after to set off hiking when he discovered his work meant no reward.

October 1991

Arrives in Bullhead City Arizona, working at Mcdonalds for 2 months, living in an empty RV for seen by old man Charlie

February 12th 1968

Chris Johnson McCandless was born in El Segundo, California to parents Walt McCandles and (Willhelmina) Billie Johnson.

Spring/Summer 1986

Chris graduates from high school and spends the summer traveling across America. "After leaving Virginia, Chris drove South and then wets across the texas plains, through the heat of New Mexico and Arizona, near the end of hi strip Chris had gotten lost in the Mojave desert and nearly succumbed to dehydration.

April 1992

Chris hitchhikes north. on April 21st arriving at Liard River Hotsprings (threshold of Yukon Territory and inveigles Gaylord Stuckey to drive him to Fairbanks. McCandles spends time at Alaska's fair bank campus reading up on edible plants. He buys a gun and sends the last postcard to Wayne Westerburg and Jane Burres. He heads west and is picked up by electrician Jim Gallien who happened to be on his way to Anchorage. The three hour drive had him at the Stampede Trail.

September/October 1990

He is picked up by Wayne Westerburg in Montana, and stays with him for days. When he leaves Wayne lets Chris know to look him up in Carthage if he needed a job. Chris shows up and is given a job and stays until westerburg is jailed.

august 1992

...Chris makes it to day 100 but is weakest condition. August 12th final journal entry is written. August 19th, Chris is dead.

June 1992

...Kills moose, capturing his moment with the carcass fighting the bugs until he leaves it to the wolves because maggots.

July 1992

...Prpeares backpack and sets off on 20mile trip toward civilization until to his dismay, the frozen beaver ponds have unmelted into a river that is uncrossable due to its tough current. Returning backto the bus he beomes very feeble and record in journal on July 30th "EXTREMELY WEAK, FAULT OF POT SEED. MUCH TROUBLE JUST TO STAND UP.STARVING. GREAT JEOPARDY."

October/November 1990

Chris reaches Colorado River, and heads south via foot. In Topock Arizona he purchases a canoe and paddles down a river, Sending a postcard to wayne in late November.

December 1990

Chris reaches Mexico and sneaks in via water with his canoe. Once realizing e won't meet the Gulf of CA this route hunters redirect and drive him to the Gulf. Once there Chris takes to sea, travelling south down eastern edge of gulf

May 1992

Finds old bus near the Sushana River, staying for a while due to crude comforts. In the meantime he hunts and eats small game, and edible plants.

February 1992

Franz drops him off at San Diego, causing him to live in the streets for one week.

March 12th-14th 1992

Franz is called from Coachella, Cali to pick him up since he lives near. One night is spent at Franz's house and then is driven by him to Grand Junction Colorado.

January 1992

Meets Ronald Franz while hitchhiking near Cali's Salton Sea, The two spend a lot of time together, Franz taught craftsmenship where a belt is created full of an artful pictorial record of his wanderings.

February 1991

The next six weeks is spent moving across the south west, (Houston to Pacific coast) He camps at the bottom of the GrAND cANYON with a young German Couple. February 24th- Returns to Detrital Wash and unearths belongings he left in the and at the beginning of his trip at Datsun , hitchhiking to Vegas

July/August 1991

Travels Oregon Coast

December 1991

Unexpectedy appears at Jan Burres' campsites at Slabs campground in Niland.

Mid/End of March 1992

Works @ Wayne's Westerburg's grain elevator in Carthage (south dakota) to save $$$ for the great Alaskan voyage.