The Tragic True Story of Chris McCandless, Who Starved to Death in the Alaskan Wilderness in Pursuit of Ultimate Freedom

Deep in the Alaskan wilderness, 30 miles from the nearest town, a strange sight greeted a group of moose hunters on September 6th, 1992 - an old, abandoned bus. Though odd, it provided welcome shelter for the night. But upon entering, the overpowering stench of death permeated the air. Inside a sleeping bag lay a partially decomposed body - the first clue in a baffling case. Beside it, a diary and undeveloped film rolls - records of this man's unusual life.

The dead man was no grizzled local but Christopher McCandless, a 24-year old chasing a Thoreau-esque existence. His unbelievable story, stretching from a bigamous marriage to an unsolved poisoning, appeals in its unpredictability - or sheer idiocy, depending who you ask. This is the tale of McCandless, who ventured “into the wild” in search of freedom but never returned.

Born in 1968 to an affluent family, Chris’ childhood was reportedly marred by parental abuse. A star student, Chris rejected societal expectations after graduating college in 1990 - instead donating his savings to charity and disappearing without a word. What followed was two years of wandering, living as “Alexander Supertramp.” Crisscrossing America, McCandless formed fleeting connections, honed his survival skills and basked in his emancipation from modern burdens.

By 1992, crowded society still hemmed Chris in. Drawn to Alaska’s grand isolation, he hiked into the Stampede Trail in April. A concerned local, Jim Gallien, dropped Chris off, worried by his paltry supplies - he even lacked a map. It would be the last time anyone saw McCandless alive.

Just a month in, Chris happened upon an empty bus, 30 miles from the trail head. Here he made camp, foraging meager nourishment from the land. Despite wildlife attacks and endless toil, Chris reveled in his adventure...at first. But slowly, inevitably, Chris began wasting away, photos later revealing his gaunt frame.

67 days in, Chris decided to abort his plan of reaching the Bering Sea and hiked out...until halted by a raging river, dangerously swollen by snowmelt. Retreating to the bus in defeat, Chris awaited rescue that would never come. His scrawled SOS note revealed a shocking truth - he was too weak to save himself.

Over three excruciating months trapped alone in the bus, Chris slowly starved, diary entries documenting his deterioration: “Extremely weak...starving. Death looms as serious threat.” On his hundredth day, Chris was near death, yet still found beauty in the land, taking an eerie, smiling self-portrait holding his farewell note. His final entry was over a week later - he had survived 113 days in the Alaskan bush, 30 pounds and out of food, hope and strength. When hunters later read his desperate note, Chris had been dead for weeks.

Chris seemingly died from starvation, though some claim he accidentally ingested poison instead - a theory backed by disputed evidence of toxic seeds found near his body. Either way, many view Chris as foolishly unprepared, while others admire his idealistic courage - a debate that still rages today. If only Chris had a map showing a nearby cable car across the raging river that thwarted his escape - perhaps ignorance killed him over sheer bad luck.

Chris rejected societal norms, chasing freedom over money or responsibility. While some may scoff, Chris' defiant nonconformity still resonates today, perhaps even more so in our internet-saturated world where smartphones dominate life. Though Chris McCandless wandered into the Alaskan wild seeking liberation decades ago, his compelling saga of doomed idealism endures as a timeless parable on the alluring call of absolute freedom.