-
Chris graduates from Emory University
He donates all the money in his college fund to OXFAM America,a charity dedicated to fighting hunger. -
Chris hikes around Lake Mead
Realizes it was a ""tremendous mistake...in extreme July temperatures becomes delirious." Suffering from heat stroke, but managed to flag boaters who brought him to Callville Bay -
Chris's parents decided to visit Chris
As they drove down to Atlanta, they realized his apartment was vacant and he has moved out end of June. -
Alex meets Bob and Jan Burres
("end of July...eleven days alter" Reason for date)
60 miles south of Oregon line, Jan and Bob noticed Alex on the side of the road. They get to talking and Jan realized that Alex needed to be taught somethings.
How Alex affected Jan: Jan has a son and wanted to talk to Alex about being realistic. Later she realized that Alex is finding his passion. -
Reached Morelos Dam and the Mexican border
Paddling through the dam's open floodgates to enter Mexico which consisted of dead ends, irrigation canals, and marshland, which McCandless repeatedly gets lost in. -
McCandless left southeast of El Golfo de Santa Clarato the deserted beach
Chris had not talked or has seen anyone in 36 days; during this period, he lived of of nothing but five pounds of rice and anything he could pull from the sea
How it affected him: Convinced him he could survive of similarly meager rations in the Alaska bush. -
Caught on U.S border by immigration authorities
Chris spent a night in jail, but this made him start the next 6 weeks on the move across the Southwest.He avoided many characters who ruled the street and freeway overpasses where he slept.
How it affected him: Learned to bury what money he had before entering a city, then recover it on the way out of town. -
Alex comes close to drowning in mexico
(ending of chapter 1) Told Gallein "A year ago down in Mexico, I was out on the ocean in a canoe, and I almost drowned when a storm came up."
How it Affected him: He became afraid of water. -
Chris buries his camera underground
Chris leaves his job in Vegas to start traveling again. With this, he buried his camera underground.
How it affected him: Realizes that having a camera is not important. What's important is the experiences, the memories, the joy of living to the fullest extent where real meaning is found. He's thankful that he's alive. -
Jan, Bob, and Alex meet again
Burres returned to their campsite and recognized Alex's bag. McCandless helped with Jan and Bob as they were vendors of the huge flea-market-swap meet.
How McCandless/Jan was Affected: As Alex stayed with Jan, she realized that books that glorify the primordial world, his championing of he great unwashed, mirrored McCandless's passion. She felt that he could figure out Alaska on his own. -
Ronald Franz and McCandless meet
This is the first time the 80year old cross paths with the young McCandless. Franz grew fond of McCandless as time passes on.
How did this affect Chris: He realized that many people are being held back so, he writes Franz a postcard telling him to, "do not need more me or anyone else to bring this new kind of light in your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it,, all you have to do is reach for it." -
Alex sends postcard to Wayne Westerburg and Mr. and Mrs.Burres
Alex sends a poster card to the Burres and Mr.Westerburg that this will be the last communication.
How THEY affected him: Wanted to tell them that it was great knowing them. -
Last time anyone sees Alex
Gallien (stranger Alex met), dropped off Alex three hours out of Fairbanks into the snow covered tracks of Denali. Before Alex left, he told Gallien to snap a photo of him.
How it affected: The start of his real wilderness adventure. Nothing could stop him. -
McCandless body is discovered
Thompson, Samuel, Swanson, a couple, and Killian (strangers), finds a dead body in a sleeping bag inside a bus. That person is identified as Chirs McCandless. -
Carine finds out her brother is dead
As Carine (Chris's sister) was bathing her rottweiler, Cris Fish pulls up and tells her that her brother was found dead.
How it affected Carine: Chris was extremely close to Carine. -
Issue of Outside are on stands
Jon Krakuer writes a 9000 work article about McCandless that is now published.
How this affects Chris: Everyone finds out about his death and his passion. He's searching for joy and happiness. -
The McCandless family visits the bus
The McCandless family visits the bus that Alex had been staying in. Walt and Billie (Alex's parents) are glad and happy knowing where Alex had stayed all this time.