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Christopher McCandless' Pilgrimage
After reading the book and seeing the movie....I'm slightly curious as to anyone that has attempted to follow in his path. I know there are people that have made pilgrimage to the bus, my curiosity pulls me towards it, but I don't know if that's something I'd ever attempt.
Any thoughts on folks that have done it or does anyone know of or met some that have done this type of journey and survived. |
This isn't some sort of grand adventure, it quite easy to get to. In fact the park service is looking to remove the bus for the "pilgrimage" problem that is looming, they don't want more people getting into a situation in which they have no business in. The problem is the bad name this guy gives to Alaska and Alaskans
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McCandlless wasn't Alaskan, he went to Alaska to find himself. Someone said, Alaska is a great place to test yourself but not to find yourself. I agree and I agree with elkedog. Man needed help but did not ask for it. He starved to death, then was glorified by the author of the book and filmmakers. My 2 cents
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His path? This was mental illness.
Yeah, it's a great story that Krakauer and the movie told, but not very real. This sums it up better than most: http://dwb.adn.com/outdoors/craig_me...-9342328c.html |
First, to respond to the responses:
Anyone who knows the first thing about Mccandless knows he wasn't Alaskan so he's not giving Alaskans a bad name. (Now, Alaskans posting hateful comments about someone others admire, that's another matter);) It's ridiculous to call him mentally ill. From that perspective, I think people who kill animals so they can possess their heads and hang them on the walls of their homes are "mentally ill". Doesn't make sense to me so it must be crazy. The news is full of young people doing reckless things. Unfortunately, their recklessness often endangers others (drunk driving,etc.) He wanted to test himself. (and as for it being easy to get to, a guide who takes people out there calls it treacherous, even on atvs.) Also, I've read a book called (I think) Death in Alaska that reports Alaskans doing some unbelievably stupid things, like being dropped off in the wilderness but forgetting to arrange to be picked up. I think that when you're someplace as big and extreme as Alaska, your mistakes cost you your life. Still doesn't make you mentally ill. To answer your original question, tzarinna, here's a link to a Nightline story about pilgrimmages to the bus: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Stor...748&page=1 I do think it would be reckless to try to replicate what he did, if that's what your asking, unless you're a seasoned hunter. To me, THAT'S what his story illustrates, that he thought he had all the information he needed to survive but knowledge doesn't substitute for experience. He probably wouldn't have starved to death if he had been able to cure that meat. |
His journey was far from a pilgrimage. He was naive and totally unprepared.
It was probably inevitable that someone would make a movie out of this tragedy. But there is no need to romanticize or idealize his ineptness. |
Thanks for sharing that article repete. Read the book, didn't see the movie, but mental illness of his sort should not be sugarcoated. Rest his soul.
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Gosh, where to start. Sometimes myths are so much more comforting than reality. (And sometimes ignorance is bliss ...;) )
I've got no reason to "hate" McCandless (and I'm certainly no trophy hunter ...). But pity seems a more appropriate response than admiration in this sad case. His own quotes ("the climatic battle to kill the false being within'')and complete lack of preparation show that this was premeditated personal negligence that's far beyond the typical youthful recklessness. As for the area being "treacherous," it makes a good quote for a national TV reporter, but in truth that's a fairly relative term even in Alaska. Just about any area off the road system can qualify as some degree of 'treacherous' just given the chances of sharing trails with bears and the currents of glacial streams. If you study the actual chain of events and the full context of McCandless' words -- rather than a Hollywood myth -- the story is much more sad than heroic. Unfortunately this is just the inverse of the old line ... "show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy." Medred's column is classic myth busting ... |
repete said it best. I read the book and didn't see the movie, but will rent it for the scenery.
Sean Penn's vision or impression of McCandless was vastly different than what McCandless actually did once up here. When we worked in the seafood industry in the Aleutians, we met similar types of people, some from very prominent families, who were also searching for something different, but didn't understand the environment. One guy who was fired wanted to hike the 628 miles back to Anchorage from Cold Bay through the Aleutian range(no roads).. we saw a few flip out from the isolation and deal with mental illness.. My husband took an axe away from a kid who was wandering around the grounds of the cannery one night, claiming to keep us safe from bears. Anyway, it was a sad way for his life to end. The Grizzly Man made bad choices too. Krakauer's book was very well written in any case.. J. |
I agree with"follow your bliss'.
CM was not mentally ill and he was not ill prepared. He die because he made a fatal mistake of misidentifying a plant. People make far, far more stupid wasteful mistakes all the time. Here was a young man who sought adventure of the mind. Alaska was just the backdrop. Most of use will live our entire life and never achieve the insight that this man attempted. Most of us will die on our deathbeds wishing we lived our life a little more like CM. I think 'repete' is wrong. His life and death wasn't a trajedy. It was an attempt to live a full life. Thats more than most of us ever dare do. |
My late dad, after completing his military duty in WW2, also "followed his bliss", but didn't die in his twenties for it.
He, along with two buddies, drove up the Alcan Highway from Idaho, and ended up talking their way into jobs with the Alaska Railroad in the late forties. They were in their mid twenties. He hiked up McKinley, built his own cabin and homesteaded 25 miles out of town without a car(he had horses and they'd ride up the beach to town), lived off the land by hunting and fishing, became a crab fisherman in the days when there was no GPS and much smaller boats. He had a few lean years, but ended up in a good place after roughing it. He later finished college and taught school for many years. Maybe to some, McCandless was some sort of modern day adventurer/inspiration. I just think his death was a total tragedy. J.((F)) |
"Not ill-prepared"?
If you look at what McCandless took with him, that is a very, very difficult decision to defend. How much time have you spent in the Alaskan bush, artman? No, it wasn't just the plant ... This brings up memories of Gene Rosellini, another story with a sad ending. |
Interesting POV's on this subject.
I do agree that Chris was unprepared, he didn't want to do it the easy way I thought that was pretty clear. I think that was also why I was so annoyed with him in the book and still desired to have him talked out of it by the people he met along the way when I watched the movie. :( Anyway, I still have a small part of me that would like to visit the bus but not endure any hardships along the way. X( |
Sounds like Darwinism at its best . .
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That sounded coldhearted at its best.
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It is a shame. He could have a very full life if he'd known more about the climate and conditions.
It is not uncommon for interior Ak. temps to be minus 60-70 below with wind chill. The few times I've been in negative 20-30 were tough. I can't imagine how he was able to survive for as long as he did up there. http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/e...tos/dad001.jpg |
Is that your Dad jetset?
He is cute. ;) |
yes tzarrina.. but my favorite photo is MIA.. I have been searching all day:(
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I found it! okay, he was in his early twenties here. What a guy.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/e...ysinAlaska.jpg |
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