Iconic 'Into the Wild' bus removed by Alaska officials citing safety issues

An abandoned bus in the Alaska wilderness where a young man documented his demise over 114 days in 1992 has been removed by officials as the bus has become a lure for dangerous, sometimes deadly pilgrimages into treacherous backcountry.

The bus was popularised after Sean Penn's 2007 feature "Into the Wild" movie. The bus was immortalised in John Krakauer's 1996 book "Into the Wild" that narrated the story of 24-year-old wanderer Chris McCandless, who died inside it in 1992 after a 114-day stay.

Eleven years later, Penn adapted the book into a feature film, starring Emile Hirsch as McCandless.

The Stampede Trail area that lies north of Denali National Park and Preserve, does not have cellphone service and is marked by unpredictable weather and at-times swollen rivers.

Many people have tried to follow the footsteps of McCandless and some have had to be rescued or have died.

On Thursday, the bus was removed by helicopter from the remote side of the Teklanika River near Healy through a joint effort of Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources and the Alaska Army National Guard

"After studying the issue closely, prioritising public safety and considering a variety of alternatives, we decided it was best to remove the bus from its location on the Stampede Trail," Commissioner Corri A Feige said in a press release from Alaska Army National Guard as reported by PTI. 

The Department of Natural Resources said the 1940s-era bus had been used by a construction company to house employees during work on an access road in the area and was abandoned when the work was finished in 1961.

The decision to remove the bus came after the rescue of five Italian tourists this year and the death of a woman from Belarus in 2019.

Feige said the bus will be stored at a secure location and the DNR is considering all options and alternatives for its permanent disposition.

(Inputs from agencies)