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Note on Timeline
As Into the Wild tells the journey of Chris McCandless in broad strokes of months, and rarely in days, the events will be by default set at the first day. -
Traveling West
Chris McCandless takes his old Datsun and drives West, He abandons the Datsun in Detrital Wash, Arizona. Chris McCandless leaves most of his possessions in the Datsun. -
Period: to
Into the Wild
The timespan in which Chris McCandless begun his journey through the United States as described in the novel Into the Wild. -
Hitching a Ride
Chris McCandless hitches a ride from Jan Burres in Northern Califorina. Due to her having a son similar in age to McCandless, she takes an instant liking to him.. -
Carthage
Chris McCandless hitches a ride from Wayne Westerberg in North Dakota, who offers Chris a job at his grain elevator in the town Carthage. -
Sneaking into Mexico
Chris McCandless left to Mexico after Wayne Westerberg was arrested in Catharge. Chris successfully sneaks into Mexico with his cheap kayak. After being barred by swamps from paddling into the Gulf Coast, Chris McCandless gets rid of his kayak and tries to return to America. -
Caught at the Tex-Mex Border
Chris McCandless is caught by the immigration police on the Texas-Mexico border. After being held overnight, Chris McCandless explains to the police his situation. They confiscate his handgun and allow him entry back into the United States. -
Bullhead City
Chris arrives in Bullhead City, Arizona, where he gets a trailer and a job at a McDonald's. -
The Slabs
Chris McCandless, Jan Burres, and her boyfriend Bob arrive at a location called the Slabs. Chris helps Jan run her stand, which sells books. -
En Route to Carthage Again
Chris McCandless is en route to Carthage, North Dakota, once again. McCandless meets an eighty-year-old man named Ronald Franz in a city called Salton City in California. Franz teaches McCandless craftsmanship techniques that he uses to fashion a belt and scabbard, -
To San Diego
In February, Chris McCandless leaves Ronald Franz and begins to head toward San Diego. -
To Grand Junction, Colorado
Ronald Franz picks up Chris McCandless and drives him to Grand Junction, Colorado. -
Carthage Once Again
Chris McCandless arrives in Carthage, South Dakota three days later and begins to again work for Wayne Westerberg, -
Preparing for the Wild
Chris McCandless begins the final preperations for his "Alaskan Odyssey". -
Arriving at Fairbanks
After hiking for quite some time, Chris McCandless arrives in Fairbanks, Alaska. -
To the Stamede Trail
Meeting Jim Gallien, Chris McCandless hitches a ride from him and heads to the Stampede Trail. -
Crossing the Teklanika
After crossing the Teklanika River, Chris McCandless arrives at an abandoned bus. Chris kept a journal of his experience in the wild. -
Good Hunting
Chris hunts well for weeks. Attempts to proceed further into the Stampede Trail, finding it impassable. -
Killing a Moose
Chris McCandless shoots and kills a moose. -
Meat Goes Bad
After trying to preserve the meat, the meat goes bad after three days. -
Back to the Teklanika
Chris McCandless attempts to rejoin civilization and heads back to the Teklanika River. He finds that it is now impassable, Thinking he could wait for the rapids to recede, McCandless heads back to the bus. -
Trapped in the Wild
Chris McCandless takes to hunting squirrel, jays, woodpeckers, et cetera in order to survive. McCandless survives the next few weeks doing this and by eating plants and vegetables. -
A Mistake Was Made
McCandless' shaky survival is thrown into the extreme on July 30th. In late July the potatoes that McCandless were eating became inedible so he took to eating the seeds. The seeds are covered in alkaloid that prevents Alex from absorbing nourishment from food. -
A Note Is Left
On August 12th, Chris McCandless writes a frantic note that he tapes to the door of the bus. -
Alex Passes Away
Chris McCandless passes away on August 18th, leaving behind a final note. -
McCandless Is Found
Six hunters happen upon the body of Chris McCandless 19 days after his death.
