Harmon "Bud" Helmericks

I was fortunate to get to know Bud late in his life, after having read some of his early adventures when I first came to Alaska as a kid in the 1980's. Bud's optimism, curiosity, courage, and hunger for adventure influenced me greatly, and likely helped cement my life work as a trapper and hunting guide in Alaska who has also lived in the wilderness with my family for more than 30 years now. When I last visited with him in 2003 I noted that he has two book stands by his reading chair - one...

I learned of Bud and Connie Helmericks in the early 1950s when I was teaching at George N. Bentley High School in Livonia, Michigan; read every book they published during that period. I also followed him on the George Pierrot Travel Show via a Detroit TV station; called the TV station after the announcer told some about Bud and his wife, whose name was other than Connie. I thus learned that Connie could no longer take bush life and quit the marriage. Years have passed since then -- and upon...

Just stumbled across his book in the library yesterday. Ony into the second chapter. Thanks for writing it!

dear bud , my god the river,s you have floated memorizing each bend and cliff and the hillside. and then to remember all of the geographical lanscapes of all of the terrain that you would fly through and to make it home flying in snowstorms and windy, no blustery conditions makes you a hero. we need more harmon helmericks in the world . a man who was and is self made. you are a hero to me and many outher people. it,s time to make a movie about you bud. love jim keough andover mn

dear bud , my god the river,s you have floated memorizing each bend and cliff and the hillside. and then to remember all of the geographical lanscapes of all of the terrain that you would fly through and to make it home flying in snowstorms and windy, no blustery conditions makes you a hero. we need more harmon helmericks in the world . a man who was and is self made. you are a hero to me and many outher people. it,s time to make a movie about you bud. love jim keough andover mn

I am so sorry to hear of Bud's passing but there is the comfort of knowing he lived a long and fascinating life. My parents were lower forty-eight friends of Martha and Bud and we spent the summer of 1952 with them on the Colville River. That trip was an integral part of our family lore. I still have the parka that Nanny Woods made for me and the driftwood heart that her husband George carved for me. My parents made subsequent trips to visit the Helmericks and treasured their many Alaskan...

I read all of their books as soon as I could find them,at age 73 I feel as though I have lost a long time friend.I will never forget the adventures that I shared with them.

Bud Helmericks was an inspiration to everyone who loves and values wilderness. It must have grieved him to see the changes to his Alaska. He wrote me in 1982 and said the mountains and hills are still there, but the wilderness is gone. He was one of a kind.