"Into The Wild," the 2007 film depicting college graduate Chris McCandless' Alaskan wilderness adventure, may appear fictional. However, it is based on a true story.

On September 6, 1992, two moose hunters stumbled upon an old, rusted bus near Denali National Park. This bus, a recognizable landmark in the region, had been a resting spot for travelers, trappers, and hunters for many years.

What was unusual was the crumpled note taped to its door, handwritten on a piece of paper torn from a novel:

"ATTENTION POSSIBLE VISITORS. S.O.S. I NEED YOUR HELP. I AM INJURED, NEAR DEATH, AND TOO WEAK TO HIKE OUT OF HERE. I AM ALL ALONE, THIS IS NO JOKE. IN THE NAME OF GOD, PLEASE REMAIN TO SAVE ME. I AM OUT COLLECTING BERRIES CLOSE BY AND SHALL RETURN THIS EVENING. THANK YOU."

The note was signed by Chris McCandless and dated "? August."

Inside the bus lay Chris McCandless himself, deceased for the past 19 days. His death prompted a years-long investigation into his life, ultimately resulting in Jon Krakauer's 1996 book, "Into The Wild."

McCandless kept a diary chronicling his adventures. Despite this, much about his journey, particularly the events leading up to his death, remains a mystery.

Chris McCandless Steps Into The Wild

It is known that in April 1992, McCandless hitchhiked from Carthage, South Dakota, to Fairbanks, Alaska. There, he hitched another ride with a local electrician named Jim Gallien on Gallien's way out of Fairbanks.

The young man introduced himself only as "Alex," refusing to disclose his last name. He asked Gallien to take him to Denali National Park to the southwest, where he said he planned to hike and "live off the land for a few months."

Gallien later recalled having "deep doubts" about McCandless' ability to survive in the wild, given the notoriously harsh conditions of the Alaskan wilderness.

McCandless lacked appropriate equipment, though he insisted he would be fine. Gallien tried to persuade the naive young man to reconsider his adventure, even offering to drive him to Anchorage to buy proper gear.

However, the young adventurer was stubborn. According to Gallien, McCandless carried only a light backpack, a ten-pound bag of rice, a Remington semiautomatic rifle, and a pair of Wellington boots that Gallien had given him. He had no compass and left his watch and his only map in Gallien's truck.

Gallien dropped him off at the head of the Stampede Trail, west of the park, on April 28, 1992. McCandless handed Gallien his camera and asked him to take a picture before he set off into the wilderness.

Into The Wild

Although Chris McCandless intended for an extended hike to the Bering Sea, he stopped about 20 miles into his journey at a rusted old bus, likely because it seemed like a good place to set up camp.

The bus, with its blue and white paint peeling, tires long deflated, and almost overgrown by plant life, provided McCandless with shelter. He was clearly pleased to find it and scribbled the following proclamation on a piece of plywood inside:

"Two years he walks the earth. No phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes. Ultimate freedom. An extremist. An aesthetic voyager whose home is the road. Escaped from Atlanta. Thou shalt not return, 'cause 'the West is the best.' And now after two rambling years comes the final and greatest adventure. The climactic battle to kill the false being within and victoriously conclude the spiritual pilgrimage. Ten days and nights of freight trains and hitchhiking bring him to the Great White North. No longer to be poisoned by civilization, he flees and walks alone upon the land to become lost in the wild.

Surviving In The Alaskan Back Country

For approximately 16 weeks, Chris McCandless inhabited this bus. His journey was marked by challenges, as his diary entries revealed weakness, being snowed in, and struggles with hunting for game. Despite a difficult initial week, McCandless gradually adapted to his new way of life.

He sustained himself with the rice he had brought, supplemented by foraging local plant life and hunting small game such as ptarmigan, squirrels, and geese. At one point, he even succeeded in killing a caribou, although the carcass spoiled before he could fully utilize it.

However, the entries from the last month portray a markedly different situation.

Returning To Civilization

After spending two months in solitude, Chris McCandless appeared to tire of his isolated lifestyle and made the decision to reintegrate into society. On July 3, he disassembled his camp and set out on the trek back to civilization.

However, upon reaching the previously frozen Teklanika River, McCandless encountered a significant obstacle. The once narrow stream had expanded into a 75-foot-wide river, its waters swollen by melting snow. McCandless now faced a daunting challenge of crossing the impassable and swiftly flowing waters.

Unbeknownst to him, a hand-operated tram located a mile downriver could have facilitated an easy crossing for Chris McCandless. Furthermore, six miles south of the bus, a snug cabin was equipped with ample food and supplies, a detail commonly marked on maps of the area.

This valuable information highlights the kind of resources McCandless might have benefited from had he heeded Gallien's advice and taken greater precautions in planning his expedition.

Desperate Survival In The Alaska Wilderness

Unable to cross, McCandless turned back and returned to the bus. His diary entry from that day simply stated, "Rained in. River looks impossible. Lonely, scared."

Upon reaching the bus on July 8, McCandless' journal entries became increasingly brief and despondent. Despite continuing to hunt and gather edible plants, he grew weaker over the three months he spent in the Alaskan wilderness, expending more calories than he consumed.

The final entry in his journal, penned on the 107th day of his stay in the bus, read only "Beautiful Blue Berries." From then until his last day alive, marked as day 113, his entries consisted solely of slashes.

On the 132nd day since Chris McCandless was last seen, hunters discovered his body. One of the men, who had read the note left on the bus, entered and mistook what he thought was a sleeping bag full of rotting food for Chris McCandless' body.

Making Sense Of Chris McCandless' Death

The cause of Chris McCandless' death has remained a topic of debate for decades. Initially, it was speculated that he had succumbed to starvation. With his rice supply dwindling, McCandless grew increasingly weak, making it difficult for him to gather the energy needed for hunting.

However, Jon Krakauer, the first journalist to delve into McCandless' story, proposed an alternative theory. Drawing from journal entries detailing his food sources, Krakauer suggests that McCandless may have consumed poisonous Hedysarum alpinum seeds.

In a healthy individual, these seeds might not pose a threat, as the toxin they contain is typically neutralized by stomach acid and gut bacteria. However, if ingested as a last resort when his digestive system was weakened, McCandless may have been unable to fend off the poison.

Indeed, one of his final journal entries mentions sickness attributed to "pot[ato] seed."

Another hypothesis proposes that McCandless was poisoned by mold. This theory suggests that the toxic seeds were improperly stored in a damp environment. Various other poisons and toxins have also been proposed as potential explanations, yet a definitive conclusion remains elusive.

Another captivating aspect of Chris McCandless' narrative is the collection of photographs he left behind. His camera contained numerous images documenting his journey, including self-portraits, which only add to the enigma.

These photographs vividly depict McCandless' physical decline. Despite his deteriorating condition, he appeared to smile and persist in his solitude, seeking help only when it was almost too late.

Ultimately, despite extensive investigations, the circumstances surrounding McCandless' death and his thoughts during his final moments remain unclear. Did he long for his family? Did he realize the consequences of his choices?

McCandless' tale continues to captivate interest even decades after his passing, as evidenced by the 2007 film 'Into The Wild.'

For many, McCandless represents the desire to escape civilization and survive independently. For them, he represents a grand, albeit sorrowful, embodiment of that aspiration.