The iconic 1940s-era bus popularized in the 1996 book “Into the Wild” and the later film adaptation, was removed from the Alaskan wilderness.
The U.S. Army removed the bus via helicopter on Thursday as officials with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources decided that it was a “perilous attraction.” The bus was made popular after 24-year-old Chris McCandless used it for shelter during his attempt to hide Alaska’s coast in 1992. McCandless is believed to have died of starvation after spending over 100 days in the wilderness, inspiring the book “Into the Wild.”
Since then, many tourists have made the popular, yet dangerous trek to the bus, 30-miles away from the nearest town and across the Teklanika River. Between 2009 and 2017, Alaska authorities reported 15 search-and-rescues of tourists who got stuck. Two people drowned.
“However, this is an abandoned and deteriorating vehicle that was requiring dangerous and costly rescue efforts. More importantly, it was costing some visitors their lives,” – Alaska Natural Resources Commissioner Corri Feige.
The department has not officially announced what it will do with the bus.
