Everett Ruess Artist and writer Date of Birth: 28.03.1914 Country: USA

Biography of Everett Ruess

Everett Ruess, an artist and writer, was known for his exploration of nature, the towering mountain ranges, the California coast, and the deserts of the American Southwest. He was the youngest child in his family, with his father being a minister and his older brother named Valdo. Due to his family's frequent moves, Everett developed a passion for woodworking, clay modeling, and sketching in New York and near Chicago. Even as a child, he wrote essays and poetry, maintaining a literary journal where he recorded his impressions of his travels and expressed his thoughts.

In 1929, at the age of 15, Everett was enrolled in a creative writing class at Los Angeles High School and later received an award in poetry at Valparaiso High School in Indiana. From 1931 to 1934, Ruess traveled through Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado on horseback and with his donkeys. He rode wild half-broken horses and sold his drawings and watercolor paintings while immersing himself in the mountain life. In 1934, he worked with archaeologists from the University of California during their excavations near Kayenta and participated in Hopi ceremonies, even speaking the Navajo language.

Between 1930 and 1933, he ventured through Sequoia and Yosemite Parks, as well as the High Sierra. When he was 20 years old, Everett embarked on a journey to the Utah desert with two donkeys and never returned. The last trace of him was found in Davis Gulch, Escalante Canyon. There were various theories about his disappearance, some suggesting that he fell off a cliff or drowned, while others proposed that he was killed. Some even believed that Ruess crossed the Colorado River in Arizona and married a Navajo woman. Regardless, these speculations added to the legendary status surrounding his story.

Eventually, the mystery of Everett's disappearance was solved. Scientists examining the place where he left his last trace discovered bones and fragments of human remains. Through DNA analysis, it was confirmed that these were Everett's remains. A widely accepted theory emerged, suggesting that Utah Indians attacked Ruess with the intention of stealing his mules. Everett cherished his nomadic lifestyle and exploring remote, uncharted territories. In his final letter to his brother, he wrote, "I think I shall be back before long. I enjoy living this way. I am surrounded by beauty, and that is enough. This year has been rich. I have done practically everything I wanted, everything I had planned."

Recently, the Gibbs Smith edition published books about Ruess's life, written by himself. These three books were illustrated with wood engravings, which Ruess greatly admired. His story, along with Christopher McCandless's, was briefly recounted in Jon Krakauer's book "Into the Wild." California musician Dave Alvin wrote a song about Everett Ruess, and Dana Robinson dedicated one of her songs to him as well, which can be found on her album "Round my Door" (2008).