Wil Henkel

Wil Henkel is a contributor at GearJunkie. He has been writing about rivers and adventure for nearly 5 years. He cut his teeth in expedition whitewater kayaking, documentary filmmaking, and environmental activism while living in the Ecuadorian Amazon for 2 years during college. Born and raised in Bellingham, Wash., he has now come back home with his sights on a lifelong goal to paddle and document all the river’s vital and rapidly changing Salish Sea watershed.

Title: Contributor
Email: william.pw.henkel@gmail.com
Location: Bellingham, Wash.
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/williehenkel/, Unevengroundmedia.com

Expertise

• Topics of Expertise: Whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, backcountry skiing, telemark skiing, mountain biking, backpacking
• Years in This Expertise: 15
• Number of Products & Number of Hours Expert Has Tested: 50+ products, 40+ hours

Education & Certifications

• Education: BA Fairhaven College, Western Washington University
• Years of Writing: 5
• Certifications: WFR, AIARE Avalanche 2, SRT-1
• Club or Association Memberships: Co-founder of Yaku Churi Indigenous youth kayak school in Ecuador, volunteer at the Ecuadorian Rivers Institute, member of American Whitewater, volunteer at the Center for Responsible Forestry.
• Awards or Recognitions: 2021 Ken Gass Community Building Award, 2022 recipient of the Adventure Learning Grant at WWU.
• Previous Publications: KayakSessions Magazine

Experience

Born and raised in the heart of the Salish Sea watershed, Wil Henkel grew up daydreaming of far-flung adventures from home to abroad. While growing up skiing, hiking, and mountain biking in the North Cascades, it wasn’t until he was introduced to whitewater kayaking that he really found his calling for deep wilderness expedition and exploration. Yearning for the great forces of water, his newfound love of rivers and watersheds, called for deep introspection. Writing, photography, and videography have become his tools to reflect these relations. 

Wil studied at Western Washington University, where he created his own interdisciplinary concentration titled, “Healing Through Reciprocity with the Land.” The degree focused on critical Indigenous studies, somatic psychology, and storytelling. After a year-and-a-half-long foray into the depths of Ecuador’s Amazonian river canyons and the political turmoil facing its environmental activists, he has come back to the Northwest with ambitions to use film, photo, and journalism to share the vitality of rivers. Along the way, he integrates his love for outdoor tools and products that help propel the adventure and tell the story.

Career Highlights

• First descent expedition leader of the Rio Numpatakamie in the southern Ecuadorian Amazon.
• Co-produced and directed the film Rio Pusuno: Meet the Community, which won the best environmental film award at the 2024 International Paddling Film Festival. 
• Founded Uneven Ground Media, a collaborative multimedia project and publisher centered on stories of landscapes and communities who are living through, working with, and struggling against geo-political and ecological erasure. 
• Developed a local youth kayak program and holistic school for indigenous children from the banks of Rio Jatun Yaku, Napo, Ecuador.

A Word From Wil Henkel

I have always loved gear simply for its use and functionality. While I am not attracted to the fast fashion of new outdoor products, I find a deep affinity for well-made, long-lasting, and useful equipment that allows us as recreators to come in closer relationship with nature.

Writing has always been my passion, expressing creativity, and reflecting on new ideas. I feel that a thoughtful review of gear can lead to each of us coming into closer relationships with the natural world and those we choose to share adventures with. 

I dove into the formal gear world as a gear specialist for the renowned American Alpine Institute. In this position, I began to explore the specifics of gear for specific applications and users. From new backpackers to part-time recreational climbers to full-time Denali expert guides, I learned how each of us has our own specific needs when it comes to gear. Finding the right kind of equipment can save us time and money while inspiring us to live more inspired adventures. 

I am an avid explorer and find I am most deeply connected to myself when undertaking outdoor recreation pursuits. My personal adventure focus is on whitewater expedition kayaking, where I have undertaken numerous first descent exploratory kayak expeditions within North America and abroad. It is my goal to continue to grow as an expedition whitewater to push the limits of the sport, telling unique stories from the heart of Earth’s little-known canyons.