In what may have been Chris McCandless's last contact with humanity, he tells his new comrade, Wayne Westerberg: "If this adventure proves fatal and you haven't heard from me anymore, I want you to know that you are a great man. I now walk in nature” (Krakauer 3). For 112 days, Chris lived in the harsh lands of Alaska. For anyone brave enough to take the stampede trail and cross the dangerous Teklanika River, you will encounter Fairbanks City Transit System Bus 142. Once a backcountry refuge for hunters, trappers, ranger patrols and, for a short time, Chris McCandless, Bus 142 now serves as a memorial to Chris McCandless. Travelers will make the trip to see the basic resources Chris had and the courage it took to get this far on his journey. Chris was well aware of the dangers of the Alaskan wilderness. He was fully informed of the challenges he would face and was confident, perhaps even arrogant, in his ability to overcome them. Non-supporters would say that this makes Chris stupid, reckless, hot-headed, or even unintelligent, when in fact it's quite the opposite. Chris was a hero because he knew his differences and accepted them, his ambition and quest for perfection cost him his life, and he pursued his dreams no matter the cost. Chris McCandless had a reputation for being overly ambitious since elementary school. His teachers noticed from an early age that he had an unusually strong will, which he combined with intense idealism and strong physical endurance. In high school, Chris was captain of his cross country team, instructing them to treat each race as a spiritual experience. After graduating from high school, Chris went on to college where he earned a bachelor's degree, a double...... middle of paper...... all aspects of his life, whether it is his education, his physical endurance or his professional activity. through the Alaskan wilderness with nothing more than a rifle, a backpack and a road map. Chris was aware of his differences and the fact that he did not fit into society. He fully accepted this and chose to follow his own path. Chris lived a happy life according to one of his last journal entries he wrote: “I have had a happy life and I thank the Lord. Goodbye and God bless everyone! (Krakauer 199). Chris was willing to risk everything to achieve this happiness. His ambition to enter the desert ultimately cost him his life, but that didn't stop him. He would have preferred to die happy rather than live unhappy. Chris ventured into the desert and found himself; a tragic story for a tragic hero. Works Cited Krakauer, Jon. In nature. New York: Anchor Books, 1997. Print.