Kelsey Helfrich

About
Kelsey is the fourth generation of the Helfrich family to guide drift boat fly-fishing and whitewater rafting in Oregon and Idaho. Running a boat, and the opportunity to introduce people to the beautiful rivers of the Northwest, is her true passion.
 
Kelsey grew up along the banks of the McKenzie River in Western Oregon and has been boating since before she could walk. Growing up in a boating family, Kelsey was raised on the water, going on river trips and helping her dad in the family business. As she grew, so did her love of the river and the outdoor lifestyle. At the age of 5 she got to go on her first overnight company trip and was soon tagging along on McKenzie pontoon trips as a junior swamper.

When Kelsey turned 13 she moved up to running her own raft down the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River in Southern Oregon. Getting her first guides license when she turned 16, she started running rafting trips on the McKenzie in the summers and was introduced to the alluring waters of the Idaho rivers. Working on the river was a great summer job for her throughout high school and college.

Kelsey graduated from Oregon State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry Recreation Resource Management and a minor in Cultural and Geologic Studies of the Pacific Northwest. After graduation she was able to expand her guiding career to work more trips and become even more involved in the administrative side of the business. Kelsey is running the business with her parents, Ken and Sherill, and plays and integral roll in the marketing and management of all aspects of the river business. Her work is both in and out of the office and she guides full time on the Middle Fork of the Salmon and the Main Salmon rivers in Idaho and on the McKenzie and Rogue Rivers in Oregon, along with a few others.

In September of 2013, Kelsey married Kidd Youren in a beautiful riverside ceremony on the banks of the McKenzie River. Kidd is a full time guide and outfitter in Oregon and Idaho and we are proud to have him as an important part of our family and Helfrich Outfitters crew. Kidd and Kelsey love guiding together during the river season and spend their winters at their home outside of Emmett, Idaho.

Kelsey Helfrich-Youren is also one of the stars of a reality TV show on truTV called Way Out West. The show features three prominent outfitting families in Idaho. The show is full of shenanigans and laughs as the three families compete, work and play in the Idaho backcountry. Way Out West
 
Outfitter
Welcome to the best drift boat fly-fishing trips Oregon & Idaho have to offer! Join the Helfrich family for a drift boat fly fishing trip in Oregon or Idaho. Helfrich River Trips ... moreare known as the most deluxe trips offered in the picturesque Pacific Northwest. The vacation of a lifetime, these trips offer a wonderful experience for guests of all ages.

"History" and "tradition" are words that have different meanings to different people. To us, at Helfrich River Outfitters, they are extremely important because they represent much of what we stand for. The Helfrich name has been synonymous with river running since the mid 1920's.

We are committed to excellent service and the safety of our guests. With state-of-the-art equipment, delicious freshly prepared meals, and a friendly experienced professional staff, we are able to provide river experiences that are second to none.

Why Helfrich

When people ask who they entrust their river vacation with, HELFRICH River Outfitters comes up first every time.Not only are we the oldest and most experienced company on the rivers we specialize in, but our safety record has been flawless since the beginning.

In 1925 when Prince Helfrich first started guiding on the McKenzie, he had an edge on other fishing guides because he added value to his trips with extra things like frying the fish his clients caught on the river bank or bringing one of Marjorie Helfrich’s home made pies to share at lunch time. The concept of added value to our trips has continued for 87 years, and is adopted a Helfrich standard.

Now into our fourth generation, our trips continue to improve and evolve.We have and will continue to always make the trips the best that they can be for our clients. The safety and comfort of our clients is our first concern.

The experience of our crew members and their accommodating and friendly attitudes makes our guests know they are in good hands.
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