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Chris McCandless is born
McCandless is born to Walt and Billie McCandless in El Segundo, California. -
The McCandless family moves to their new home in Annandale, Virginia
Walt and Billie McCandless take Chris and his sister Carine across the country to their new home in Annandale. -
Chris Discovers Family Secrets
On an extended roadtrip, Chris McCandless drives to El Segundo. After talking to old neighbors and relatives, he realizes the lies and secrets of his father's past relationship. -
Chris graduates High School
Chris graduates from W.T. Woodson High School. -
Chris Graduates From Emory University
Chris graduates from Emory with a bachelor's degree in the double major of history and anthropology. -
Chris donates his college savings to OXFAM
Chris decides to donate around 25,000 dollars to OXFAM America instead of using it to go to Law school. -
Chris leaves Georgia to go West
Chris leaves his life, friends, and family without notice to live his life of tramping through the American west. Chris pays his last months rent, tells the post office to hold his parents letters, and leaves in his Datsun. -
Chris loses the Datsun
While traveling around Lake Mead, Chris decided to post up for the night near the lake, and a flash flood took his car and he abandoned it. It was the next morning that Chris burnt all of his money and ID. -
The Birth of Alexander Supertramp
Chris begins going by the alias of Alexander Supertramp and he begins to keep a journal of his experiences and the places he goes. -
The Burres'
Chris is picked up by "rubbertramps" by the name of Jan and Bob Burres. They become very close and Chris writes them throughout the rest of his journies. -
Carthage, ND
Chris hitchhikes to North Dakota where he meets Wayne Westerberg, who employs him on his farm and pays him to do some of the dirty jobs. -
The Kayak Trip From Arizona to Mexico
Chris buys a kayak and takes it all the way down the Colorado river from Arizona and into Mexico. He eventually hits irrigation canals and rough water so he abandons the kayak and heads to America. He was later held in jail for the night and the border agents removed his gun. -
Bullhead City
Chris lives in Bullhead City and works at a McDonalds. He is looked at oddly by co-workers and customers because he smells bad. He gets tired of co-workers and other toxic people so he leaves Bullhead City. -
The Slabs
Chris reconnects with his friends Bob and Jan Burres in Slab City, an abandoned military base in the middle of the desert. -
Salton City
Chris meets a man named Ronald Franz, and they become very close and Chris inspires the old man to live his life how Chris does, on the road. -
Return to Carthage
Chris trainhops and hitchhikes back to Carthage to see Wayne and earn some extra money for his final destination of Alaska. -
Alaska
Chris hikes to Alaska across the Canadian border and arrives in Fairbanks where he remains for a few days to write his final letters to his friends he's made throughout his travels. He hitches a ride from Jim Gallien to the highway where the stampede trail begins. -
Fairbanks Public Transport Bus No. #142
After he survives for 2 months in the wild, Chris dies of starvation after he falls ill from wild potato seeds. He is found 2 weeks later by hikers.