British mountaineer Fay Manners recently recounted her harrowing experience of being stranded in the Himalayas for three days. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she described the profound silence that enveloped her and her American climbing partner, Michelle Dvorak, during their ordeal.
“Once our gear tumbled into the ravine, a heavy silence fell between us,” the 37-year-old Manners shared. “At first, we didn’t exchange many words; it was more about the look we gave each other—filled with disappointment and disbelief. We probably sat in that silence for two or three minutes before we found the words to talk. Deep down, we both understood the gravity of our situation.”
Manners and Dvorak, 31, were attempting to climb Chaukhamba mountain in northern India when a rockfall struck, causing them to lose their tent and most of their equipment. After sending an SOS on Thursday, they found themselves stranded without food.
Reflecting on their precarious circumstances, Manners, from Bedford, described their limited space on the ledge. “There was just enough room for us to sit up, but not lie down. It felt incredibly cramped, especially since we had to fit in our sleeping bag and whatever gear we had left. Losing so much of our equipment fueled my anxiety about what we still had available.”
Dvorak chimed in, mentioning their attempts to attract the attention of a rescue helicopter. “We were frantically waving our arms and trying to signal them, but they struggled to get a clear view. From their angle, I imagine everything just blended into the steep terrain.”
After enduring two freezing nights without proper gear, Manners realized they needed to take action. “Having already spent two nights on the wall without my warm clothing—because it was packed away—I was freezing and knew I couldn’t survive another night like that,” she explained. “We needed to escape. I would rather descend without the right equipment than risk freezing to death by staying another night.”
Ultimately, following an intense rescue operation involving the Indian air force, the duo was airlifted at 7 a.m. on Sunday to a helipad in Joshimath, approximately 21 miles southeast of Chaukhamba. They received assistance from a French climbing party, which helped facilitate their descent to a safer altitude for the airlift.
