Dr. Audus “Red” Helton was born near Bethel, Oklahoma, in 1922.  In 1951, After receiving his Ph.D. from Oregon State at Corvallis, Helton and his  wife, Adeline, moved to Moscow where he went to work for the University of Idaho as a researching plant scientist and educator. Helton’s work led him through southern Idaho orchards and fields of onions and corn, while hunting and fishing took him deep into the wilds of Idaho.  Family adventures were often in the heart of the Highway 12 primitive areas and huckleberry pickin’ was a sign of living the good life!!

From the North Fork of the Clearwater, in 1954, to the pristine waters of the Selway before floating trips existed there, to braving the rapids of the wild Salmon’s south fork in 1964, Red Helton was there with his beloved Argus camera and 35mm Kodachrome film, drinking in the beauty of our beautiful Idaho, year after year after year.

Lucky us!