What caused chris to embark on his journey?

McCandles describes what he is looking for on his odyssey, particularly on the Alaska trip, as "ultimate freedom". It would seem that this largely represents, to him, freedom from other people's rules and authority over him. Throughout his whole life he finds authority particuarly oppressive, especially when exercised by anyone who feels only has such power over him. To live completely alone, in a world where the only laws he feels the need to follow are those of nature, is to him ultimate freedom.