Into the Wild: McCandless's Journey and Vehicle Discovery

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Questions and Answers

What did the Rangers find beneath the yellow tarp?

Alex's old yellow Datsun.

List three things they found inside the vehicle.

A football, a set of jumper cables, and the keys to the vehicle's ignition.

What did another ranger do five days later?

Another ranger returned to the abandoned vehicle, managed to jump-start it, and drove it out to the National Park Service maintenance yard at Temple Bar.

Why was there nowhere to move the vehicle?

The only route of egress was now a foaming, full-blown river. Signup and view all the answers

What happened to the vehicle's battery?

McCandless drained the battery while trying to start the car. Signup and view all the answers

How did McCandless document his events?

He documented most events in a journal-snapshot album. Signup and view all the answers

What did McCandless set out to do on July 10th?

He set out to hike around Lake Mead. Signup and view all the answers

Where did McCandless travel for the next two months?

He tramped around the West. Signup and view all the answers

Who did Chris accept a ride from next?

He accepted a ride from a man who called himself Crazy Ernie. Signup and view all the answers

Where did Chris work for the next eleven days?

He worked on a ranch in northern California. Signup and view all the answers

What book does Jan Burres notice Chris referencing?

A book about plants. Signup and view all the answers

What does Chris use the book to do?

He used the book to survive on edible plants he identified. Signup and view all the answers

What did Alex send Jan Burres and her boyfriend Bob for the next two years?

He sent them a postcard every month or two. Signup and view all the answers

Where did McCandless lose his way on the canoe?

Below the Morelos Dam. Signup and view all the answers

What did McCandless eventually do with the canoe?

He left the canoe on a hummock of dune grass and started walking north. Signup and view all the answers

When had he last spoken to another person?

He had not seen or talked to another soul in thirty-six days. Signup and view all the answers

What had Chris been surviving off of?

Five pounds of rice and what marine life he could pull from the sea. Signup and view all the answers

Who caught Chris on his way back to the United States?

Immigration authorities. Signup and view all the answers

What did Chris do with his money when he entered and left a city?

He learned to bury what money he had before entering a city and then recover it on the way out. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Discovery of the Vehicle

Rangers discovered a yellow Datsun belonging to Alex McCandless under a yellow tarp.
Found inside the vehicle were a football, jumper cables, and ignition keys in the glove compartment.

Vehicle Status and Recovery

Five days post-discovery, a ranger jump-started the Datsun and took it to the National Park Service maintenance yard at Temple Bar.
The vehicle could not be moved due to rising water levels, creating a full-blown river as the only exit route.

McCandless's Attempts and Documentation

Shortly after discovering the Datsun, McCandless attempted to start the car, draining the battery in the process.
He recorded his experiences in a journal-snapshot album, which he left with Wayne Westerberg for safekeeping before heading to Alaska.

Journey and Experiences

On July 10, McCandless began hiking around Lake Mead and spent the subsequent two months traveling across the western United States.
Accepted a ride from a man known as Crazy Ernie, who offered him a job on a ranch in northern California.

Ranch Work and Connections

McCandless worked at the ranch for eleven days, where he was noted by Jan Burres for referencing a book on plant identification.
This book helped him identify edible plants for survival.

Correspondence and Canoeing Journey

For two years, McCandless sent postcards to Jan Burres and Bob, a couple he met during his travels.
While canoeing below the Morelos Dam, he encountered a maze of canals where he often lost his way.

Wilderness Survival and Isolation

On January 16, he abandoned the canoe on a dune grass hummock and walked along the deserted beach.
He had not interacted with anyone for thirty-six days, surviving on five pounds of rice and marine life sourced from the sea.

Encounters and Money Management

Caught by immigration authorities while re-entering the U.S. without identification, he spent a night in custody and created a story to be released.
Developed a strategy of burying his money before entering a city, recovering it when leaving.

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Description

Explore the pivotal moments from Christopher McCandless's adventure as documented in his experiences with a yellow Datsun. This quiz covers the details of the vehicle discovery, recovery attempts, and McCandless's travels across the U.S. Join us to delve into the compelling story behind his journey and the choices he made.