Missing Pine County man fascinated by 'Into the Wild'

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Scott Kleppen, a 22-year-old from Pine County, has been missing since March 3. Searchers spent the weekend scouring caves in Sandstone, Minn., but his whereabouts could be tied to his reading list.

Kleppen's mom, Kim Opsahl, had been looking into what her son was reading and watching before he disappeared and said he was fascinated by Chris McCandless, the young adventurer who went into the Alaskan wilderness with few supplies and was later found dead of starvation. He inspired the book and movie "Into the Wild."

Because Kleppen was so interested in McCandless, Opsahl believes her son could be in a park anywhere in the country. Searchers spent the weekend looking into caves in Robinson Park where his abandoned pickup truck was found.

Friends said Kleppen spent a lot of time in the nearby caves and knew every nook and cranny, however, there are also signs that point to something more troubling. Kleppen lost his job not long before he disappeared, and stopped carrying a crystal around his neck that he had worn for seven years -- conflicting signs that are torturing his family.

If you have any information about Scott Kleppen's whereabouts, call the Pine County Sheriff's Office. His family has set up a Go Fund Me page to help with the search efforts: http://www.gofundme.com/ojdy84