HomeBuildFilmTravelPlay
Hank Leukart
Product Manager by day. Filmmaker by night.
Hank Leukart

About MeEmail
Synopsis

Two lifelong friends travel to Colorado to attempt backpacking, with packrafts, into the Colorado River on a seldom-used, steep route through Rattlesnake Canyon. On the River, they head into Utah in the tiny boats, hoping to tackle whitewater in the narrowest part of the entire Colorado River: Westwater Canyon.

Stills

From the Field

07 frames
A moment of hubris at Skull Rapid: foam, force, and the lesson that follows.
A moment of hubris at Skull Rapid: foam, force, and the lesson that follows.01
Two friends disappear into the desert toward the Colorado.
Two friends disappear into the desert toward the Colorado.02
Dropping through Rattlesnake Canyon, one careful step at a time.
Dropping through Rattlesnake Canyon, one careful step at a time.03
Sandstone catches the last light as a Colorado River camp turns gold.
Sandstone catches the last light as a Colorado River camp turns gold.04
Hank commits to the line on Funnel Falls, vanishing into spray.
Hank commits to the line on Funnel Falls, vanishing into spray.05
Tiny boats, big country.
Tiny boats, big country.06
Jake drops into Skull Rapid, the river closes, and time slows.
Jake drops into Skull Rapid, the river closes, and time slows.07
Hank Leukart
About the Director

Hank Leukart

Hank Leukart is a filmmaker passionate about sharing compelling, immersive stories, especially well-versed in launching film projects combining travel to unusual locales with socially-conscious issues like environmental conservation, human rights, and education. He’s worked as a producer on many iconic documentary television shows, including World’s Toughest Race (Amazon Prime); The Amazing Race, Big Brother, and The American Baking Competition (CBS); and Expedition Impossible (ABC). His first feature documentary, “The Mars Academy” — about NASA scientists helping underserved kids explore Mars with a real spacecraft — premiered at the Borrego Springs Film Festival. His second feature, "The John Muir," premiered at the Breckinridge Film Festival. His short films “Bears Ears” and “Rattlesnake to Westwater" won awards at the Lookout Wild, Maine Outdoor, and Waterwalker Film Festivals.