Chris' Belongings.

[Ascetic]

@Ascetic- No disputing what you wrote, it's what you meant that can be misunderstood. To break it down further for you, since you seem to need clarification, Your statement almost appears to state when Kelty started making backpacks period. You should elaborate more instead of generalizing.

How much more elaboration was necessary? I said Kelty had been making internal frame backpacks since 1974. What could possibly be ambiguous about the meaning of that sentence?

You replied by asking, "Did you mean they started making the INTERNAL frame style in the 70's?" Considering the fact that I already used the qualifying term "internal" in my original post, yes, that's what I meant. But then, what did you hope to clarify with your question?

You were essentially asking me to specify something I had already specified. It struck me as nitpicking. Maybe your eyes skipped over the word "internal" in my original post. If that's the case, then so be it. But what else could I have said?

[SteveSalmon]

~SS

[Ascetic]

Apology accepted - don't sweat it.

Backcountry.com has decent prices, but you could also become a member of REI.com. They run good deals from time to time, and give member discounts. That's all for new gear of course. You could go used, but you probably wouldn't know what you were getting. If you want to go that route, the old stand-bys like Ebay wouldbe worth a shot.

[GoNorth]

that is exactly why i posted this thread, to discuss things of that nature. but i used this pack theory to start it up.

And do you have more theories like that?

[ellisd]

that is exactly why i posted this thread, to discuss things of that nature. but i used this pack theory to start it up.

And do you have more theories like that?

yes i do!! a good friend and I have been talking about different ideas and theories. and not all of them are as far fetched as you would think either! im not a conspiracy type person, just a guy who has a open mind to things unknown. theres a lot about CM thats unexplained, and some things that are explained but make no sence. i will delve into this more when i get home from work, on lunch right now.

@Steve- nice job at keeping a level head!

[Ascetic]

For the record, I apologize as well. I can be a hypersensitive ass with little tolerance for correction of any kind. It's probably why I feel such a kinship with Chris.

[ellisd]

For the record, I apologize as well. I can be a hypersensitive ass with little tolerance for correction of any kind. It's probably why I feel such a kinship with Chris.

we all have our days and moments, me INCLUDED. but this goes to show we have a great group on this board

[GoNorth]

I had missed that before:

where is the rest of chris' belongings? like his belt?

The belt had never been in Alaska, as Chris had left it with Wayne before heading north.

I will have to come to the conclusion that the pack Will is in possession of in the documentary "Call of The Wild", is, in fact, Chris' backpack.

Probably. Otherwise, where would the real backpack be?
And if it's not sure whether it was a Kelty backpack or not, Burres might also have been wrong, simply.

I would also love to know why Mr. Forsberg found this backpack and NOT the state troopers initially.

According to the Krakauer book, Gordon Samel, one of the hunters who found the body in the bus, had seen "an expensive backpack" through the window. So it was there and visible at that time, but nobody took it?

yes i do!! a good friend and I have been talking about different ideas and theories. and not all of them are as far fetched as you would think either! im not a conspiracy type person, just a guy who has a open mind to things unknown. theres a lot about CM thats unexplained, and some things that are explained but make no sence. i will delve into this more when i get home from work, on lunch right now.

Looking forward to reading it.

[ellisd]

@GoNorth- I had no idea he left the belt with wayne, i only thought he left his photographs and journal with him, thanks for clearing that up.

ok, so if the hunters saw the expencive looking pack, and left it there for the troopers to find/go through, well how did they miss it? Steve whos been to the bus and documented himself being there with pictures, clearly shows how small the bus is, no real place to stash a pack properly. Well if the hunters seen it, the troopers missed it, and will forsberg knowingly knew of the fact someone died on the bus and went there, got the pack and took it as his own. Well. why did he not offer to give to pack to the family or authorities? and 'many years later' he fins CM's wallet and cash and ID. Why did he wait 'many years' before searching the pack propely top to bottom.i think it is possible [this is a theory, not what i think really happend] after hearing his cabin's demise of being wrecked, he left out to confront alex/chris.maybe even going as far as injuring him, maybe threatening him as well.

Now people may think chris trashed his cabin, maybe he did, maybe he didnt. All i know is that after talking to a life long friend who moved to fairbanks 15 years ago, has told me about bears getting in cabins, trashing them in a manner that looks closely like what a human being would do. Anywho, now what if will really went out and had a nasty confrontation with chris and possibly having it end up as a phsyical altercation, yes maybe chris would have written about it, but then again, will could have went back and made sure no note could be there to incriminate him.

Lets be honest here, some of us have cooler heads than others, but if you think of the fact that after you hear of your cabin being wrecked, you [i know i would] get really mad and go look for who or what might have done it. Will is a long time resident of the area, and knew of the bus for many years. he could have had the idea of someone squatting in it, and maybe to will, the squatter would be the 'guilty party'.

And lets face the fact that Alaska IS wild. Many many strange things happen there that go unexplained. And like i said, this is just a theory not what i really think happened to chris, just another possibility. but i will end this with a question or two. Why did will NOT turn the pack after he knew what happened at the bus not even a couple of months before he got the pack? and why, after the 'many years' of having the pack, and discovering it was chris', why did he NOT give it back to the family? that seems strange and cold hearted to me. but thats just my opinion.

[GoNorth]

@Why did he wait 'many years' before searching the pack propely top to bottom.

That seems strange indeed.

Why did will NOT turn the pack after he knew what happened at the bus not even a couple of months before he got the pack? and why, after the 'many years' of having the pack, and discovering it was chris', why did he NOT give it back to the family? that seems strange and cold hearted to me. but thats just my opinion.

I agree with you.
And I just had a closer look again at the first article that appeared in the Outside-magazine in January 1993 (http://outsideonline.com/outside/features/1993/1993_into_the_wild_1.html?page=3):
The Alaska State Troopers were contacted, and the next morning a police helicopter evacuated the decomposed body, a camera with five rolls of exposed film, and a diary—written across the last two pages of a field guide to edible plants—that recorded the young man's final weeks in 113 terse, haunting entries. An autopsy revealed no internal injuries or broken bones. Starvation was suggested as the most probable cause of death. McCandless's signature had been penned at the bottom of the S.O.S. note, and the photos, when developed, included many self-portraits. But because he had been carrying no identification, the police knew almost nothing about who he was or where he was from.

So the backpack was there, but the troopers only took the film rolls and the journal. And they said that Chris “had been carrying no identification”. So what if the troopers actually DID have a closer look at the backpack (I could also imagine that the film rolls were inside), but did not find the wallet – which might have been hidden in some kind of small inner pocket or so - and then only took what seemed important to them.
Forsberg then came back to the bus some time later and – for whatever reason – took the more or less empty backpack home. And perhaps, if the wallet was really well hidden, he didn’t find it either. Only years later (does anyone know the exact year?) he had a closer look, perhaps for the simple reason, that McCandless had become a famous person in the meantime.
I know this still looks like a rather strange reason for Forsberg waiting so long. But on the other hand, in the first time after Chris’s body had been discovered, the locals probably didn’t really care about him too much.

Any other ideas?