104-720: Christopher Johnson McCandless ( / m ə ˈ k æ n d l ɪ s / ; February 12, 1968 – c. August 1992), also known by his pseudonym " Alexander Supertramp ", was an American adventurer who sought an increasingly nomadic lifestyle as he grew up. McCandless is the subject of Into the Wild , a nonfiction book by Jon Krakauer that was later made into a full-length feature film . After graduating from Emory University in Georgia in 1990, McCandless traveled across North America and eventually hitchhiked to Alaska in April 1992. There, he entered
208-471: A handgun . He then navigated the Colorado River, without a permit, and was occasionally pursued by wildlife and park rangers who had heard of his exploits from other river travelers, several of whom had been concerned that McCandless had been seen white water rafting in dangerous areas of the river with no safety equipment. In all, reports of McCandless were received at Lake Havasu , Bill Williams River ,
312-558: A moose . However, the meat spoiled within days after he failed in his efforts to preserve it. McCandless would experience profound regret as a result of this experience, expressing in a journal entry “I now wish I had never shot the moose. One of the greatest tragedies of my life.” It had been speculated that McCandless was responsible for vandalizing several cabins in the area that were stocked with food, survival equipment, and emergency supplies. In response, Denali National Park Chief Ranger Ken Kehrer has categorically stated that McCandless
416-619: A California earthquake forecast, which models earthquake occurrence in California. This is a partial list of earthquakes in Southern California. For a full list, see List of earthquakes in California . Note: Earthquakes with epicenters in the Los Angeles Metro Area are marked with the (#) symbol. Other earthquakes mentioned indicates shaking was felt in the region. As of the 2020 United States Census , Southern California has
520-636: A M w 6.7 earthquake or greater, such as the San Andreas Fault , which can produce M w 8.0 or greater. The largest known earthquake in California was the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake that ruptured 200+ miles (320+ kilometers) of the San Andreas Fault from Parkfield to Wrightwood . With a recurrence interval of roughly 150 years, this part of the San Andreas fault is well within its window to produce another large earthquake. Along with
624-466: A canoe down a portion of the Colorado River before hitchhiking to Alaska in April 1992. McCandless had a particular interest in classic literature. According to Krakauer, some of his favorite writers were Jack London , Mark Twain , Leo Tolstoy and H. G. Wells . He was also heavily influenced by 19th-century American writer and naturalist Henry David Thoreau , and was engrossed by his essay On
728-490: A detailed topographical map of the region and was unaware of the existence of an abandoned, hand-operated cable car that crossed the river 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 m) downstream from where he had previously crossed. At this point, McCandless headed back to the bus and re-established his camp. He posted an S.O.S. note on the bus, stating: Attention Possible Visitors. S.O.S. I need your help. I am injured, near death, and too weak to hike out of here. I am all alone, this
832-679: A firearm at a border checkpoint. McCandless was briefly held in custody but released without charges after his gun was confiscated. Following this experience in Mexico, McCandless began hitchhiking north, eventually winding up back in South Dakota. In April 1992, McCandless hitchhiked from South Dakota to Fairbanks, Alaska . After his death, witnesses stated they had seen McCandless in Alaska first at Dot Lake , with several other sightings in Fairbanks. McCandless
936-421: A greater goal, such as the pursuit of knowledge that can only be obtained by such activities. Adventurous experiences create psychological arousal , which can be interpreted as negative (e.g. fear ) or positive (e.g. flow ). For some people, adventure becomes a major pursuit in and of itself. According to adventurer André Malraux , in his Man's Fate (1933), "If a man is not ready to risk his life, where
1040-525: A higher population, with 23.76 million residents as of the 2020 census . The sparsely populated desert region of California occupies a significant portion (part of which has even been proposed to be split into a new county due to cultural, economic and geographic differences relative to the rest of the more urban region) of the area: the Colorado Desert , along with the Colorado River , is located on Southern California's eastern border with Arizona , and
1144-631: A new hypothesis was proposed. Ronald Hamilton, a retired bookbinder at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania , suggested a link between the symptoms described by McCandless and the poisoning of Jewish prisoners in the concentration camp at Vapniarca . He put forward the proposal that McCandless starved to death because he was suffering from paralysis in his legs induced by lathyrism , which prevented him from gathering food or hiking. Lathyrism may be caused by oxalyldiaminopropionic acid (ODAP) poisoning from seeds of Hedysarum alpinum . The ODAP,
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#17328700335701248-606: A population of 23,762,904. Despite a reputation for high growth rates, Southern California's population has grown slower than the state average since the 2000s. This is due to California's growth becoming concentrated in the northern part of the state as result of a stronger, tech-oriented economy in the Bay Area and an emerging Greater Sacramento region. Southern California consists of one Combined Statistical Area , eight Metropolitan Statistical Areas , one international metropolitan area , and multiple metropolitan divisions. The region
1352-466: A population of approximately 4 million, Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the United States. South of Los Angeles and with a population of approximately 1.4 million is San Diego, the second most populous city in the state and the eighth most populous in the nation. The counties of Los Angeles , San Diego , Orange , Riverside , and San Bernardino are
1456-568: A profound impact on McCandless. McCandless graduated from Emory University in May 1990 with a bachelor's degree in the double majors of history and anthropology . McCandless was an academic high achiever. After graduating, he donated his college savings of over $ 24,000 (approximately $ 56,000 in 2023) to Oxfam and adopted a vagabond lifestyle, working when necessary as a restaurant food preparer and farm-hand. An avid outdoorsman , McCandless completed several lengthy wilderness hiking trips and paddled
1560-470: A ride from Fairbanks to the start of the rugged track just outside the small town of Healy , later said he had been seriously concerned about the safety of McCandless (who introduced himself as "Alex") after noticing his light pack, minimal equipment, meager rations , and obvious lack of experience. Gallien said he had deep doubts about "Alex's" ability to survive the harsh and unforgiving Alaskan bush . Gallien tried repeatedly to persuade McCandless to delay
1664-523: A sleeping bag in the back of the bus. The hunter radioed police, who arrived the following day. State troopers found McCandless's decomposing remains in the sleeping bag. In his book Into the Wild (1996), Jon Krakauer proposes two factors which may have contributed to McCandless's death; the first being McCandless running the risk of " rabbit starvation ", officially known as protein poisoning, from over-relying on lean meat for nutrition. Krakauer also speculated that McCandless might have been poisoned by
1768-596: A toxic alkaloid called swainsonine , after eating sweet-vetch seeds ( Hedysarum alpinum or Hedysarum mackenzii ) containing the toxin, or possibly by a mold that can grow on them , when he put them into a plastic bag. Swainsonine inhibits the metabolism of glycoproteins , which leads to starvation despite ample food consumption. However, in an article in the September 2007 issue of Men's Journal , correspondent Matthew Power states that extensive laboratory testing showed there were no toxins or alkaloids present in
1872-407: A toxic amino acid , had not been detected by Clausen's previous studies of the seeds because he had suspected and tested for a toxic alkaloid , rather than an amino acid, as no scientist had previously suspected that Hedysarum alpinum seeds contained this toxin. The protein would be relatively harmless to someone who was well-nourished, with access to a normal diet, but would be toxic to someone who
1976-754: A whole enacted the Alquist Priolo Special Studies Zone Act in the wake of the 1971 San Fernando earthquake . The act prohibits new construction of residential buildings closer than 50 feet (15 m) from a surface rupturing active fault zone. In addition, the act improved safety by requiring new structures (both residential and commercial) to be seismically retrofitted. It also required existing infrastructure to comply. Since 1972, numerous large magnitude earthquakes have struck Southern California with little widespread damage in part due to act. However, exceptions can be noted for epicenters that lie directly on top of densely populated regions such as
2080-496: A wide variety of literary genres. Many adventure games ( text and graphic ) are designed for a single player, since this emphasis on story and character makes multi-player design difficult. From ancient times, travelers and explorers have written about their adventures. Journals which became best-sellers in their day were written, such as Marco Polo 's journal The Travels of Marco Polo or Mark Twain 's Roughing It . Others were personal journals, only later published, such as
2184-477: Is about Chris and his dreams." In 1986, McCandless graduated from W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia . He excelled academically, although a number of teachers and fellow students observed that he "marched to the beat of a different drummer." McCandless also served as captain of the cross-country team, where he would urge teammates to treat running as a spiritual exercise in which they were "running against
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#17328700335702288-502: Is also home to a large surf and skateboard culture. Companies such as Vans , Volcom , Quiksilver , No Fear , Stüssy , RVCA , and Body Glove are all headquartered there. Skateboarder Tony Hawk ; surfers Rob Machado , Timmy Curran , Bobby Martinez , Pat O'Connell , Dane Reynolds , and Chris Ward live in Southern California. Some of the most famous surf locations are in Southern California as well, including Trestles , Rincon , The Wedge , Huntington Beach , and Malibu . Some of
2392-505: Is also known for its mountain resort communities, such as Big Bear Lake , Lake Arrowhead , and Wrightwood , and their ski resorts, like Bear Mountain , Snow Summit , Snow Valley Mountain Resort , and Mountain High . The inland desert city of Palm Springs is also popular. Southern California is generally considered the area of California south of the latitude 35°45', approximately one-third of
2496-670: Is an important government, arts and entertainment, and retail district. Downtown San Diego is the CBD of San Diego, though the city is filled with business districts. These include Carmel Valley , Del Mar Heights , Mission Valley , Rancho Bernardo , Sorrento Mesa , and University City . Most of these districts are located in Northern San Diego and some within North County regions. Los Angeles Orange County Riverside & San Bernardino San Diego Southern California
2600-852: Is his dignity?" Similarly, Helen Keller stated that "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Outdoor adventurous activities are typically undertaken for the purposes of recreation or excitement : examples are adventure racing and adventure tourism . Adventurous activities can also lead to gains in knowledge, such as those undertaken by explorers and pioneers – the British adventurer Jason Lewis , for example, uses adventures to draw global sustainability lessons from living within finite environmental constraints on expeditions to share with schoolchildren. Adventure education intentionally uses challenging experiences for learning . Author Jon Levy suggests that an experience should meet several criteria to be considered an adventure: Some of
2704-410: Is home to Los Angeles International Airport , the second-busiest airport in the United States by passenger volume (see World's busiest airports by passenger traffic ) and the third-busiest by international passenger volume (see Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic ); San Diego International Airport , the busiest single-runway airport in the world; Van Nuys Airport ,
2808-545: Is home to two extended metropolitan areas that exceed five million in population. These are the Greater Los Angeles Area at 17,786,419, and San Diego–Tijuana at 5,105,768. Of these metropolitan areas, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan area , Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area , and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura metropolitan area form Greater Los Angeles; while
2912-401: Is low to moderate depending on the area. Rain is infrequent, but is often heavy when it does occur, making flash floods an aspect of living in Southern California. This climatic pattern was alluded to in the hit song " It Never Rains (In Southern California) ". While snow is very rare in lower elevations, mountains above 5,000 feet (1,500 m) receive plentiful snowfall in the winter. Since
3016-436: Is no joke. In the name of God, please remain to save me. I am out collecting berries close by and shall return this evening. Thank you, Chris McCandless. August ? McCandless's final written journal entry, noted as "Day 107", simply read, "BEAUTIFUL BLUE BERRIES." Days 108 through 112 contained no words and were marked only with slashes, and on Day 113, there was no entry. The exact date and time of his death are unknown. Near
3120-472: Is very, very wrong. [...] Because I am in the unique position as both an Alaskan park ranger and a person who is, in many ways, like Chris McCandless, I feel I can speak with some authority on the subject. [...] McCandless, of course, did not commit suicide. He starved to death, accidentally poisoned himself, or a combination of the two. Sherry Simpson, writing in the Anchorage Press , described her trip to
3224-514: The Alaskan bush with minimal supplies, hoping to live simply off the land. On the eastern bank of the Sushana River, McCandless found an abandoned bus, Fairbanks Bus 142 , which he used as a makeshift shelter until his death. In September, his body, weighing only 67 pounds (30 kg), was found inside the bus by a hunter. McCandless's cause of death was officially ruled to be starvation , although
Chris McCandless - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-693: The Bering Sea ." However, he was deterred by the thick Alaskan bush and returned to the bus, where he set up camp and lived off the land. He had 4.5 kilograms (9.9 lb) of rice; a Remington Nylon 66 semi-automatic rifle with 400 rounds of .22LR hollowpoint ammunition; a number of books, including one on local plant life ; some personal effects and a few items of camping equipment. Self-portrait photographs and journal entries indicate he foraged for edible plants and hunted game including porcupines , squirrels , and birds such as ptarmigans and Canada geese . On June 9, 1992, McCandless illegally stalked and shot
3432-583: The El Centro metropolitan area and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos metropolitan area form the Southern Border Region . North of Greater Los Angeles are the Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and Bakersfield metropolitan areas. Los Angeles (with a population of approximately 3.9 million people) and San Diego (at nearly 1.4 million people) are the two largest cities in all of California, and are among
3536-745: The Los Angeles metropolitan area ( Los Angeles and Orange counties, with 13.3 million people), the Inland Empire ( Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley cities, with 4.3 million people), and the Oxnard–Thousand Oaks–Ventura metropolitan area (0.8 million people). In addition, Southern California contains the San Diego metropolitan area with 3.3 million people, Bakersfield metro area with 0.9 million, and
3640-541: The Los Angeles metropolitan area (the second most populous urban agglomeration in the United States ) as well as the Inland Empire (another large metropolitan area). The region generally contains ten of California's 58 counties: Los Angeles , San Diego , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , Kern , Ventura , Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and Imperial counties. Although geographically smaller than Northern California in land area, Southern California has
3744-687: The Mojave Desert shares a border with Nevada to the northeast. Southern California's southern border with Baja California is part of the Mexico–United States border . Southern California encompasses eight metropolitan areas (MSAs), three of which together form the Greater Los Angeles Combined Statistical Area (CSA) with over 18 million people, the second-biggest CSA after the New York CSA . These three MSAs are
3848-734: The Newport–Inglewood-Rose Canyon Fault (located adjacent to SoFi Stadium and responsible for Signal Hill ), the Elsinore Fault (created Lake Elsinore ), the Garlock Fault (which marks boundary between of the Sierra Nevada and the Mojave Desert ), and the Hollywood fault (which is within feet of Capitol Records and is roughly parallel to Hollywood Boulevard ). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has released
3952-740: The San Diego metropolitan area as they do with the Inland Empire . To the east, the United States Census Bureau considers the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas, Riverside-San Bernardino area as a separate metropolitan area from Los Angeles County. Newly developed exurbs formed in the Antelope Valley , north of Los Angeles, the Victor Valley , and the Coachella Valley with the Imperial Valley . Also, population growth
4056-483: The San Fernando Valley . The area of Santa Monica and Venice (and perhaps some of Culver City) is informally referred to as "Silicon Beach" because of the concentration of financial and marketing technology-centric firms located in the region. The San Bernardino-Riverside Area maintains the business districts of Downtown San Bernardino , Hospitality Business/Financial Centre , University District which are in
4160-475: The Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and El Centro (Imperial County) metropolitan areas. The Southern California Megaregion (or megalopolis ) is larger still, extending northeast into Las Vegas , Nevada and south across the Mexican border into Tijuana . Within Southern California are two major cities, Los Angeles and San Diego , as well as three of the country's largest metropolitan areas . With
4264-520: The Transverse and Peninsular Ranges with their peaks, and into the large and small interior valleys, to the vast deserts of California . Note: Plate boundary faults are indicated with a (#) symbol. Each year, Southern California has about 10,000 earthquakes. Nearly all of them are too small to be felt. Only several hundred have been greater than magnitude (M w ) 3.0, and only about 15–20 have been greater than M w 4.0. California as
Chris McCandless - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-403: The entertainment industry . Other industries include software, automotive, aerospace, finance, biomedical, ports and regional logistics. The region was a leader in the housing bubble from 2001 to 2007, and has been heavily impacted by the housing crash. Since the 1920s, motion pictures, petroleum, and aircraft manufacturing have been major industries. In one of the richest agricultural regions in
4472-429: The "what a dumbshit" territory, tempered by brief alliances with the "he was just another romantic boy on an all-American quest" partisans. Mostly I'm puzzled by the way he's emerged as a hero. Krakauer defends McCandless, claiming that what critics point to as arrogance was merely McCandless's desire for "being the first to explore a blank spot on the map." He continues: "In 1992, however, there were no more blank spots on
4576-481: The Colorado River Reservoir, Cibola National Wildlife Refuge , Imperial National Wildlife Refuge , and Yuma Proving Ground . The authorities attempted, but never succeeded, in locating McCandless, who was wanted due to his lack of proper river training as well as kayaking on the river without a valid boating license. McCandless eventually followed the Colorado River all the way to Mexico, where he crossed
4680-560: The Duty of Civil Disobedience . McCandless highlighted a section on chastity in Thoreau's Walden , which has raised questions regarding his sexuality. There is no indication of McCandless having any romantic partners throughout his life, and he is believed to have remained celibate , although his sister Carine recalls how one night, as a teenager, McCandless drunkenly attempted to bring a girl up to his room, which awakened his mother Billie, who sent
4784-532: The Los Angeles Area are the major business districts of Downtown Pasadena , Downtown Burbank , Downtown Santa Monica , Downtown Glendale and Downtown Long Beach . Los Angeles proper has many business districts, such as Downtown LA and those lining Wilshire Boulevard , including Mid-Wilshire , the Miracle Mile , Downtown Beverly Hills , and Westwood ; others include Century City and Warner Center in
4888-399: The M w 6.7 1994 Northridge Earthquake and, to a lesser extent, the smaller M w 5.5 2008 Chino Hills earthquake . The Northridge earthquake occurred on a blind-thrust fault directly underneath the San Fernando Valley , which until the earthquake was previously undiscovered. Seismic retrofitting of existing and new construction is aimed to prevent damage and save lives in
4992-451: The Southern California desert system. Because of the barrier formed by the Tehachapi and Sierra Nevada ranges, cartographer George Wheeler observed in 1876 that Northern California was better connected to Oregon and Nevada than it was to Southern California. Following the acquisition of the territory of California by the United States, several pro-slavery politicians attempted to arrange
5096-485: The U.S., cattle and citrus were major industries until farmlands were turned into suburbs. Although military spending cutbacks have had an impact, aerospace continues to be a major factor. Southern California is home to many major business districts. Central business districts (CBD) include Downtown Los Angeles , Downtown Riverside , Downtown San Bernardino , downtown San Diego , and the South Coast Metro . Within
5200-487: The Wild , as the motivating factors in her brother's desire to "disappear" into the wilderness. In a statement released to the media shortly before the memoir was released, Walt and Billie McCandless denied their daughter's accusations, stating that her book is "fictionalized writing [that] has absolutely nothing to do with our beloved son, Chris, his journey or his character. This whole unfortunate event in Chris's life 22 years ago
5304-526: The Wild , directed by Sean Penn with Emile Hirsch portraying McCandless, received a number of awards, including Best Picture from the American Film Institute . Ron Lamothe 's documentary The Call of the Wild (2007) also covers McCandless's life story. The book Back to the Wild (2011) compiles photographs, postcards and journal entries by McCandless. A PBS documentary uncovering some additional information, with interviews, titled Return to
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#17328700335705408-499: The Wild" (February 8, 1993), was published in The New Yorker . Jon Krakauer's non-fiction book Into the Wild (1996) expands upon his 1993 Outside article and retraces McCandless's travels leading up to the hiker's eventual death. McCandless's story was adapted by screenwriter Chip Johannessen into a 1998 episode of Chris Carter 's television series Millennium , titled "Luminary." An eponymous 2007 film adaptation of Into
5512-605: The Wild: The Chris McCandless Story , first aired on the PBS network in November 2014. In 2014, Carine McCandless, Chris' sister, published The Wild Truth , a memoir of her life. It detailed their abusive home life, providing further context to Chris' actions. The podcast You're Wrong About discussed McCandless for its February 27, 2023 episode. The episode, with guest Blair Braverman , reviews several topics regarding
5616-432: The aftermath of a major quake, but it cannot guarantee that buildings will be unscathed if the epicenter is relatively close by. The 1994 Northridge earthquake was particularly destructive, causing a substantial number of deaths, injuries, and structural collapses. The quake caused the most property damage of any earthquake in U.S. history at an estimated $ 20 billion. Many Southern California faults are able to produce
5720-423: The bus with a friend, and their reaction upon reading the comments that tourists had left lauding McCandless as an insightful, Thoreau -like figure: Among my friends and acquaintances, the story of Christopher McCandless makes great after-dinner conversation. Much of the time I agree with the "he had a death wish" camp because I don't know how else to reconcile what we know of his ordeal. Now and then I venture into
5824-699: The bus, deemed a public safety issue after at least 15 people had to be rescued and at least two people died while attempting to cross the Teklanika River to reach the bus. It was flown via CH-47 Chinook helicopter to Healy, then driven via flatbed truck to an undisclosed location. On September 24, 2020, the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska Fairbanks announced it was the permanent home of McCandless's "Magic Bus 142", which will be restored and exhibited outdoors. It
5928-549: The centers of their respective metropolitan areas, composed of numerous smaller cities and communities. The urban area is also host to an international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan region, created by the urban area spilling over into Baja California . The main barrier to urbanization along the Interstate 5 corridor is Camp Pendleton . The cities and communities along Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 are so interrelated that Temecula and Murrieta have as much connection with
6032-602: The cities of San Bernardino and Riverside. In Orange County, has highly developed suburban business centers (also known as edge cities ) including the Anaheim–Santa Ana edge city along I-5; and another, the South Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city that stretches from the South Coast Metro to the Irvine Business Complex ; Newport Center ; and Irvine Spectrum . Downtown Santa Ana
6136-592: The death of Chris McCandless." The converted green and white bus where McCandless lived and died became a well-known destination for hikers. Known as "The Magic Bus", the 1946 International Harvester was abandoned by road workers in 1961 on the Stampede Trail. A plaque in McCandless's memory was affixed to the interior by his father, Walt McCandless. McCandless's life became the subject of numerous articles, books, films, and documentaries, which helped elevate his life to
6240-575: The division of Alta California at 36 degrees, 30 minutes, the line of the Missouri Compromise . Instead, the passing of the Compromise of 1850 enabled California to be admitted to the Union as a free state , preventing the southern half of California from becoming its own separate slave state . Subsequently, Californians (dissatisfied with inequitable taxes and land laws) and pro-slavery Southerners in
6344-536: The eastern United States. He also carried no car insurance on the vehicle and was driving with expired license plates . By the end of the summer, McCandless had reached the Lake Mead National Recreation Area , where a flash flood disabled his car. Fearful of fines or possibly even arrest due to lack of a valid license, registration, and insurance, McCandless removed the car's license plates, took what he could carry, and kept moving on foot. His car
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#17328700335706448-446: The exact circumstances relating to his death remain the subject of some debate. In January 1993, Krakauer published an article about McCandless in that month's issue of Outside magazine . Inspired by the details of McCandless's story, Krakauer wrote the biographical book Into the Wild , which was subsequently adapted into a 2007 film directed by Sean Penn , with Emile Hirsch portraying McCandless. That same year, McCandless became
6552-760: The family relocated to Annandale , Virginia , where McCandless's father was hired as an antenna specialist for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). McCandless's mother worked as a secretary for Hughes Aircraft . The couple went on to establish a successful consultancy business out of their home, specializing in Walt's area of expertise. Carine McCandless alleged in her memoir The Wild Truth that her parents inflicted verbal and physical abuse upon each other and their children, often fueled by her father's alcoholism . She cited their abusive childhood, as well as his reading of Jack London 's The Call of
6656-429: The first decade of the 21st century, droughts and wildfires have increased in frequency as a result of climate change . Southern California consists of one of the more varied collections of geologic, topographic, and natural ecosystem landscapes in a diversity outnumbering other major regions in the state and country. The region spans from Pacific Ocean islands , shorelines , beaches, and coastal plains , through
6760-738: The five most populous in the state, and are among the top 15 most populous counties in the United States. The motion picture , television and music industry are centered in the Los Angeles area in Southern California. Hollywood , a district of Los Angeles, gives its name to the American motion picture industry, which is synonymous with the neighborhood name. Headquartered in Southern California are The Walt Disney Company (which owns ABC ), Sony Pictures , Universal Pictures , MGM , Paramount Pictures , and Warner Bros . Universal, Warner Bros., and Sony also run major record companies. Southern California
6864-461: The forces of darkness ... all the evil in the world, all the hatred." In the summer of 1986, McCandless travelled to Southern California and reconnected with relatives and friends. While he was there, McCandless learned that his father had lived for a time in a bigamous union with his second wife; he had also fathered a child with his first wife after the birth of his children by his second wife. Jon Krakauer speculated that this discovery had
6968-532: The girl home. While staying in Niland Slabs, a seventeen-year-old girl named Tracy pursued McCandless romantically; however, McCandless rejected her advances. Wayne Westerburg recalls McCandless stating that he hoped to get married and have a family in his future. McCandless left Virginia in the summer of 1990, driving a Datsun west in an apparent cross-country trip to California. His car was in poor condition and suffered numerous breakdowns as he made his way out of
7072-530: The idea of a quest: the hero goes off in pursuit of a reward, whether it be a skill, prize, treasure, or perhaps the safety of a person. On the way, the hero must overcome various obstacles to obtain their reward. In video game culture , an adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle solving . The genre 's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative -based media, literature and film , encompassing
7176-465: The incapacitating effects of lathyrism after ingesting the neurotoxin ". In March 2015, Krakauer co-authored a scientific analysis of the Hedysarum alpinum seeds McCandless ate. Instead of ODAP, the report found relatively high levels of L- canavanine (an antimetabolite toxic to mammals) in the H. alpinum seeds and concluded "it is highly likely that the consumption of H. alpinum seeds contributed to
7280-465: The international border through a spillway at the Morelos Dam . After encountering waterfalls, through which he could no longer navigate in a canoe, McCandless abandoned his river journey and spent a few days alone at the village of El Golfo de Santa Clara, in the state of Sonora . Finding Mexico intimidating, with no way to support himself, he attempted to re-enter the U.S. and was arrested for carrying
7384-510: The journals of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark or Captain James Cook 's journals. There are also books written by those not directly a part of the adventure in question, such as The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe or books written by those participating in the adventure but in a format other than that of a journal, such as Conquistadors of the Useless by Lionel Terray . Documentaries often use
7488-496: The life, death, and legacy of McCandless and his impact on discussion of wilderness, Alaska, and domestic violence. Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky . Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling , exploring , skydiving , mountain climbing , scuba diving , river rafting , or other extreme sports . Adventures are often undertaken to create psychological arousal or in order to achieve
7592-565: The lightly populated "cow counties" of Southern California attempted three times in the 1850s to achieve a separate statehood or territorial status separate from Northern California . The last attempt, the Pico Act of 1859, was passed by the California State Legislature and signed by State Governor John B. Weller . It was approved overwhelmingly by nearly 75 percent of voters to form the proposed Territory of Colorado . This territory
7696-467: The map—not in Alaska, not anywhere. But Chris, with his idiosyncratic logic, came up with an elegant solution to this dilemma: He simply got rid of the map. In his own mind, if nowhere else, the terra would thereby remain incognita ." Krakauer's approximately 9,000-word article "Death of an Innocent" (January 1993) was published in Outside . Chip Brown's full-length article on McCandless, "I Now Walk Into
7800-539: The more urban region) that have been left undeveloped. It is the third most populated megalopolis in the United States, after the Great Lakes megalopolis and the Northeast megalopolis . Much of Southern California is famous for its large, spread-out, suburban communities and use of automobiles and highways. The dominant areas are Los Angeles, Orange County , San Diego , and Riverside – San Bernardino , each of which are
7904-531: The oldest and most widespread stories in the world are stories of adventure, such as Homer 's Odyssey . The knight errant was the form the "adventure seeker" character took in the Late Middle Ages . Adventure fiction exhibits these "protagonist on adventurous journey" characteristics, as do many popular feature films , such as Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark . Adventure books may have
8008-415: The remainder of 1991, until one day suddenly quitting and leaving his supervisor a postcard which read: Tramping is too easy with all this money. My days were more exciting when I was penniless and had to forage around for my next meal ... I've decided that I'm going to live this life for some time to come. McCandless then headed to Colorado, where he used money from his job to buy kayak supplies as well as
8112-405: The snow-covered Stampede Trail, McCandless came upon an abandoned bus (about 28 miles (45 km) west of Healy at 63°52′5.96″N 149°46′8.39″W / 63.8683222°N 149.7689972°W / 63.8683222; -149.7689972 ) alongside an overgrown section of the trail near Denali National Park . McCandless, according to Krakauer, attempted to continue "heading west until [he] hit
8216-468: The sole county to vote for the GOP, with Orange County having been Democrat since 2012. Southern California is one of the largest economies in the United States. It is dominated by, and heavily dependent upon, the abundance of petroleum, as opposed to other regions where automobiles are not nearly as dominant, due to the vast majority of transport that runs on this fuel. Southern California is famous for tourism and
8320-566: The southern section of the San Andreas (in the Palm Springs region, which has not ruptured in ~400 years), the entire Southern California portion of the San Andreas Fault is ready to produce a powerful earthquake in the near future. Notable faults capable of large magnitude events include the San Jacinto Fault (a splay of the San Andreas that runs directly under the I-10 & I-215 interchange),
8424-461: The state, formed by the northern boundaries of San Luis Obispo , Kern , and San Bernardino counties, which are not exactly a straight line. Another definition for Southern California uses Point Conception and the Tehachapi Mountains as the northern geographical barriers, especially when defining California's bioregions . In this definition, Owens Valley and Death Valley are part of
8528-509: The status of modern myth . He became a romantic figure to some, inspired by what they see as his free-spirited transcendentalism , but to others, he is a controversial, misguided person. "The Magic Bus" became a pilgrimage destination for trekkers who would camp at the vehicle. Some of these experienced their own difficulties, or even died attempting to cross the Teklanika River. On June 18, 2020, various government agencies coordinated with an Alaska Army National Guard training mission to remove
8632-722: The subject of Ron Lamothe 's documentary The Call of the Wild . Christopher Johnson McCandless was born in Inglewood , California and spent his early childhood in El Segundo , California . He was the elder child of Wilhelmina Marie "Billie" McCandless ( née Johnson) and Walter "Walt" McCandless, and had a younger sister named Carine, born in July of 1971. McCandless also had six half-siblings from Walt's first marriage, who lived with their mother in California and later in Denver , Colorado . In 1976,
8736-468: The sweet-vetch seeds McCandless had been eating. Thomas Clausen, then-head of the chemistry and biochemistry department at University of Alaska Fairbanks , said, "I tore that plant apart. There were no toxins. No alkaloids. I'd eat it myself." Further, there are no accounts in modern medical literature of a person being poisoned by this species of plant. Power argued that McCandless "couldn't catch enough food to survive, and simply starved to death". In 2013,
8840-436: The theme of adventure as well. There are many sports classified as adventure sports, due to their inherent danger and excitement. Some of these include mountain climbing , skydiving , or other extreme sports . Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal ) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California . It includes
8944-463: The theme of the hero or main character going to face the wilderness or Mother Nature . Examples include books such as Hatchet or My Side of the Mountain . These books are less about "questing", such as in mythology or other adventure novels, but more about surviving on their own, living off the land, gaining new experiences, and becoming closer to the natural world. Many adventures are based on
9048-408: The time of his death, McCandless took a picture of himself waving while holding a written note, which read: I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL! On September 6, 1992, a hunter who was looking for shelter for the night came upon the converted bus where McCandless had been staying. Upon entering, he smelled what he thought was rotting food and discovered "a lump" in
9152-417: The top eight largest cities in the United States. In Southern California, there are also 14 cities with more than 200,000 residents and 48 cities over 100,000 residents. Many of Southern California's most developed cities lie along or in close proximity to the coast, with the exception of San Bernardino and Riverside. Southern California has drifted left since 2004, and is solidly Democrat. Kern County remains
9256-436: The trip, at one point offering to detour to Anchorage and buy him suitable equipment and supplies. However, McCandless ignored Gallien's persistent warnings and refused his offers of assistance (though he did accept a pair of Xtratufs , two sandwiches, and a packet of corn chips from Gallien). Gallien dropped McCandless off, believing he would head back towards the highway within a few days as hunger set in. After hiking along
9360-415: The wild. He arrived at the Stampede Trail without even a map of the area. If he [had] had a good map he could have walked out of his predicament [...] Essentially, Chris McCandless committed suicide . Ken Ilgunas, also an Alaskan Park Ranger and the author of The McCandless Mecca , wrote in response: Before I go any further, I should say that Pete is a really good guy [...] But with that said, I think Pete
9464-429: The world's busiest general aviation airport; major commercial airports at San Bernardino , Orange County , Bakersfield , Ontario , Burbank , and Long Beach ; and numerous smaller commercial and general aviation airports. Six of the seven lines of the commuter rail system, Metrolink , run out of Downtown Los Angeles, connecting Los Angeles, Ventura , San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties with
9568-435: The world's largest action sports events, including the X Games , Boost Mobile Pro , and the U.S. Open of Surfing , are held in Southern California. The region is also important to the world of yachting with premier events including the annual Transpacific Yacht Race , or Transpac , from Los Angeles to Hawaii. San Diego Yacht Club hosted the three America's Cup races from 1988 to 1995. The first modern-era triathlon
9672-666: Was malnourished , physically stressed, and on an irregular and insufficient diet, as McCandless was. As Krakauer points out, McCandless's field guide did not warn of any dangers of eating the seeds, which were not known to be toxic when the guide was published. Krakauer suspects this is the meaning of McCandless's journal entry of July 30, which states, "EXTREMELY WEAK. FAULT OF POT[ATO] SEED. MUCH TROUBLE JUST TO STAND UP. STARVING. GREAT JEOPARDY." In September 2013, Krakauer published an article in The New Yorker following up on Hamilton's claims. A sample of fresh Hedysarum alpinum seeds
9776-778: Was exhibited indoors for two years, until October, 2023, but as of 2024 is being kept in storage until sufficient funds for restoration are raised. McCandless has been a polarizing figure since his story came to widespread public attention with the publication of Krakauer's January 1993 Outside article. While the author and many others have a sympathetic view of the young traveler, others, particularly Alaskans, have expressed negative views about McCandless and those who romanticize his fate. Alaskan Park Ranger Peter Christian wrote: When you consider McCandless from my perspective, you quickly see that what he did wasn't even particularly daring, just stupid, tragic, and inconsiderate. First off, he spent very little time learning how to actually live in
9880-515: Was grouped with other counties of the San Joaquin Valley , California's central agricultural valley. Southern California consists of a heavily developed urban environment, home to some of the largest urban areas in the state, along with the Deserts of California (part of which was even proposed to become a new county due to cultural, economic and geographic differences relative to the rest of
9984-646: Was held in San Diego's Mission Bay in 1974. Since then, Southern California, and San Diego in particular, have become a mecca for triathlon and multi-sport racing, products, and culture. Southern California has multiple sports franchises and networks, such as Fox Sports Net . Many of these locals and tourists frequent the Southern California coast for its beaches. Some of Southern California's most popular beaches are Malibu , Laguna Beach , La Jolla , Manhattan Beach , and Hermosa Beach . Southern California
10088-536: Was high in the Bakersfield-Kern County , Santa Maria , and San Luis Obispo areas. Most of Southern California has a Mediterranean -like climate, with warm and dry summers, mild and wet winters, where cool weather and freezing temperatures are rare. Southern California contains other types of climates, including semi-arid , desert and mountain , with infrequent rain and many sunny days. Summers are hot or warm, and dry, while winters are mild, and rainfall
10192-466: Was later found, repaired, and put into service as an undercover vehicle for the local police department. Traveling northwest, McCandless then hitchhiked into the Sierra Nevada mountains, where he broke into a closed cabin to steal food, supplies, and money. Throughout the winter of 1990 and in 1991, McCandless appears to have lived in hermit camps with other vagrants in the Sierra Nevada region. He
10296-596: Was not considered a viable suspect by the National Park Service . McCandless's journal documents 113 days in the area. In July, after living in the bus for a little over two months, he decided to head back to civilization, but the trail was blocked by the impassable Teklanika River swollen with late-summer runoff from the Cantwell Glacier ; the watercourse by that stage was considerably higher and swifter than when he had crossed in April. McCandless did not have
10400-551: Was sent to a laboratory for HPLC analysis. Results showed that the seeds contained 0.394% beta-ODAP by weight, a concentration well within the levels known to cause lathyrism in humans, although the interpretation of the results has been disputed by other chemists. The article notes that while occasional ingestion of foodstuffs containing ODAP is not hazardous for healthy individuals eating a balanced diet, "individuals suffering from malnutrition , stress, and acute hunger are especially sensitive to ODAP, and are thus highly susceptible to
10504-506: Was stated to be traveling with a "big backpack" and would give a false name if asked his identity. He was described as very suspicious of people around him, unkempt, and smelling due to lack of hygiene. One witness described McCandless as "generally strange, weird, with a weird energy". McCandless was then last seen alive at the head of the Stampede Trail on April 28 by a local electrician named Jim Gallien. Gallien, who had given McCandless
10608-529: Was suspected of burglarizing other cabins when food and money ran low, but only one case was ever positively confirmed by authorities after his death. In early 1991, McCandless left the Sierra Nevada and hitchhiked in a circular course south through California, into Arizona , and then north to South Dakota . Completely out of cash with no means to support himself, he obtained a job as a grain elevator operator in Carthage, South Dakota . He worked at this job for
10712-689: Was the name of a proposed new state which failed to get on the 2018 California ballot. The ballot measure proposed splitting the existing state into three parts. In December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic , the state government led by Governor Gavin Newsom divided the state into five regions for the purpose of issuing stay-at-home orders. The Southern California region consisted of the following counties: Imperial , Inyo , Los Angeles , Mono , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , San Diego , San Luis Obispo , Santa Barbara , and Ventura . However, Kern County
10816-756: Was to include a portion of the much larger Tulare County and all of San Luis Obispo County . The proposal was sent to Washington, D.C. , with a strong advocate in Senator Milton Latham . However, the secession crisis following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the subsequent American Civil War led to the proposal never coming to a vote. In 1900, the Los Angeles Times defined Southern California as including "the seven counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, and Santa Barbara." This definition left out San Luis Obispo and Kern counties. Southern California
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