The Early Years
Chris McCandless growing up
Walt and Bille McCandless have sent me some pictures and
information that they would like to share. This is not the entire
collection of course, there will be many more in thew new book coming
out soon...
THE EARLY YEARS
We were dedicated to making sure there were frequent and seamless
interactions with Walt’s children from his first marriage and our
children. So Sam, Stacy, Shawn, Shelly, Shannon, Quinn, Chris and Carine
were together in some permutation, every summer and on other special
occasions.
These photographs show some of the locales and special times that they
shared. Camping and hiking were affordable and healthy activities for
such a large family. On special occasions the family went to popular
places such as Williamsburg, Amusement Parks and Disneyland. Vacations
with the family included renting a cottage at the beach, camping and
skiing in the mountains and going to various National Parks - including
Rocky Mountain, Shenandoah and Mesa Verde. Special occasions included
being together in the summer of 1978, living near the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in Pasadena, California while Walt made the final
preparations for the launch of Seasat-1, NASA’s first oceanographic
satellite, at nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
All of this was driven by a desire to make sure that all felt as one and
that hopefully they would continue that fellowship through the rest of
their lives.
Walt and Billie McCandless
Chris's first backpacking experience. Climbing the highest peak in the
Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia with McCandless friend Don Montgomery
in 1976. Another friend, Al Robinson took the picture. Chris carried his
own pack. Chris and Walt did this climb every year until he was 16.
Vacation in 1977 on the Atlantic Ocean at Rehobeth Beach, Delaware.
Left to right are Shannon, Chris, Shelly, Quinn, Walt, Carine, and
Billie.
A family vacation week in 1979 with just the guys and Dad. Our goal
was to drive over and camp on the primitive, summer only, roads over
mountain passes in Colorado. This road is now closed. Moffat was the
early 1900's pass that the railroad went over. My paternal grandfather
and his brother were day laborers on this project.. There is the remains
of a 2 mile long snow shed at the summit. Left to Right in the picture
is Chris's oldest brother, son Sam then Chris, family dog Buckley, and
brothers Quinn and Shannon.
