Everyday Hiking Hero: Henko Roukema
Henko Roukema is a great example of what can be done when you focus all your energy into your passion. When he’s not working as a navigation officer at sea, he’s a brand ambassador for a few leading outdoor brands, a mountain lover, and an explorer at heart.
HSA: Name, age, city/town where you live?
HR: Henko Roukema, 27, Durbanville.
HSA: Where, when and how did you start hiking, and who introduced you to hiking?
HR: My first hike was with my father when I was seven years old—we hiked up Platteklip Gorge on Table Mountain. But the bug only caught properly after I was fortunate enough to join South African explorer Mike Horn on an expedition to Baffin Island to traverse glaciers and climb some big walls – we even summited a previously unclimbed peak!
HSA: Your favourite hike/hiking area(s)?
HR: Every hike is special in its own way, but my favourite is probably the Suid-front route on Pieke in Jonkershoek, which is my favourite area. The joy of hiking and scrambling up the face of Pieke is hard to beat for views, beauty, and ease of access.
The tranquil Nerina Kloof with its huge fern trees, Jonkershoek.
HSA: What does hiking mean to you as a lifestyle choice—what motivates you?
HR: I think it has a lot to do with the “explorer” in me. I always want to see new areas where I haven’t been, even if it’s just the other side of a mountain. It gives me the greatest pleasure. That, and the added bonus of being in nature, being healthy and capable.
HSA: Describe your best hiking achievement/most memorable hike.
HR: Most definitely climbing Nevado Copa in Peru, a 6,188m ice behemoth. There was a massive build-up of training, skills, and confidence to finally climb the mountain. When we reached the summit, we were engulfed by a whiteout spoiling the view, but the summit meant so much more to me—it felt like the years of preparation had finally paid off.
Climbing Nevado Copa (6,188m) in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru.
HSA: You recently experienced first-hand how things can go wrong quickly in the mountains—tell us about your accident, your recovery, and what keeps you going back to the mountains?
HR: Whilst rock climbing at Kleinmond, I took a lead fall, and my belayer dropped me by accident, resulting in a 14m fall to the ground. Torn muscles and broken tibia and fibula took months to heal, and recovery is still ongoing. I’ve only recently been able to start hiking and climbing again. I kept myself sane with small, gentle excursions—just being able to be out with friends in the mountains helped. I found value in appreciating the small things rather than the long, hard days. But I still long for that feeling of being utterly thrashed after a big day out—it makes that sunset coffee and view so much sweeter when you’ve worked for it!
Carrying massive loads in Peru—this one was 37kg! Knee-breaking stuff.
Climbing Nevado Yannapacha (5,460m), with clouds rolling in from the Amazon basin.
HSA: How do you balance your job as a navigation officer and being away for long periods with your love for outdoor adventure?
HR: Usually the six months while I’m away for work, I focus on training and getting fitter and stronger. It’s a great motivator knowing that the fitter I am, the more I can do when I’m finally home. My philosophy is that I should be so gatvol of the mountains after six months’ leave that I actually want to go back to work for a rest!
HSA: Who is your favourite hiking buddy and why?
HR: Michael Schaff—he taught me most of what I know about climbing and being safe in the mountains. His 35+ years of experience exploring every nook and cranny in the Cape’s mountains helps too!
Nevado Pisco (5,752m) – Michael Schaff silhouetted against the Huandoy massif.
HSA: Your favourite piece of hiking gear?
HR: Good boots! I swear by my La Sportivas.
HSA: Your favourite hiking/inspirational quote?
HR: “These are privileged and exceptional occasions… go out alone on the hills and listen. You will hear much: the winds will hold for you something more than sound; the voice of the stream will not be merely the babbling of hurrying waters. The trees and flowers are not so separate from you as they are at other times, but very near; the same substance, the same rhythm, the same song binds you to them. Alone amidst nature, a person learns to be one with all and all with One.” – Frank Smythe
A special sunset, immersed in the clouds during golden hour on Pieke, Jonkershoek.
HSA: What is your dream hike/adventure?
HR: To go explore and climb unclimbed peaks in Leh Ladakh, Indian Himalayas.
HSA: What is the funniest thing that has happened to you while hiking?
HR: Definitely waking up to find a donkey had eaten my shirt and shorts, ripping them to shreds during the night… and that same night a cow had diarrhoea all over our tent flysheet. Crazy times in the base camps of Peruvian mountains!
Base camp of Nevado Yannapacha, waiting for better weather to climb.
HSA: What is the best tip you can give to newbie hikers?
HR: Go out and explore. You don’t always need a trail. Straying from conventional routes can be incredibly rewarding—but be smart, be prepared, and make sure you have reliable navigation.
HSA: What’s the worst/best thing you’ve seen on a trail?
HR: The worst is definitely litter on trails. The best? The shared experiences and camaraderie between friends.
Follow Henko’s adventures on Instagram: @henkoroukema