On his expedition across the United States, Chris McCandless was unprepared for obstacles. In Into the Wild, an observation of McCandless is “His gear seemed exceedingly minimal for the harsh conditions of the interior; which in April still lay buried under the winter snowpack” (Krakauer 5). McCandless planned to live in the Alaskan wilderness for an extended period of time with gear that was insufficient for the weather and terrain. The bitter temperatures, rough terrain, and aggressive wildlife characteristic of Alaska’s backcountry require sufficient preparation and supplies for survival. Additionally, McCandless only brought a basic map with him which he later threw away “Because he has no topographic map, however, he had no way of conceiving