During the years of 1931 to 1934, 15 million people were unemployed in the United States. The Dust Bowl stripped the Great Plains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached its lowest level of the Great Depression. A teenager, Everett Ruess, renounced society – he set out to live and travel in the wilderness.

After a few years of lone treks spanning hundreds of miles of exploration in the American Southwest, Everett Ruess vanished. The mystery of his disappearance has never been solved. Through the lens of one young man's resolute journey, this film provides perspective on the value of the wilds and the sometimes obscure, solitary efforts of humanity.