Patrick Baird

Patrick Baird was born and raised in the Wallowa Valley of Northeastern Oregon. It was there at age twelve that he got his first taste of river life on a four-day rafting trip down the Snake River. Afterwards he quickly realized that he wanted to spend as much time running rivers as possible. He began washing coolers and life-jackets for a local rafting outfitter and by the time he finished high school he was spending his summers guiding full time on the Snake.

Patrick attended the University of Oregon where he studied English Literature. While in school he found a new way to experience the river through whitewater kayaking; an activity that would take Patrick all over the western U.S. and as far away as Chile. Since graduating he has guided on various rivers throughout the Pacific Northwest. He now spends his winters on the White Salmon River in Washington, a world-class destination for kayakers. When not on the river he pursues his other passions, which include writing, running, yoga, hunting and snowboarding. Patrick is excited to begin guiding for MFRE during the 2016 season and to share his love of rivers, history, geology and wilderness with anyone he has pleasure of being on a raft with.