Fay Manners Completes Two Solo Traverses in Garhwal Himalaya
When bad weather and illness derailed her October expedition to India’s Garhwal Himalaya, British climber Fay Manners turned adversity into achievement – completing two new solo ridge traverses instead.
Manners and her American partner Michelle Dvorak had returned for a second attempt on Chaukhamba III (6,974 m), an unclimbed peak whose east face had defeated them last year. In 2023, the pair reached 6,500 m before disaster struck – their haul bag, containing critical gear including a tent, stove, and ice axes, slipped into a gorge. Trapped by storms for days, they were eventually rescued by French military climbers and airlifted out by the Indian Air Force.
This season, the two set out with renewed determination, trekking along the Satopanth Glacier toward their old objective. Dvorak, fresh from completing her PhD in science, spent a week acclimatizing in Nepal’s Langtang Valley before joining Manners in India. But their journey quickly turned complicated – porters nearly abandoned them far from Base Camp, and a week-long storm dumped 1.5 meters of snow at 4,700 m.
As temperatures dropped to -15°C, Dvorak developed a severe chest infection that forced her to stay at Base Camp. “The expedition was a failure,” she admitted in an Instagram post, later adding that a bout of food poisoning in Delhi followed her all the way home.
But Manners wasn’t ready to leave without climbing something. With Chaukhamba III out of reach, she ventured solo higher up the glacier – following fresh snow leopard tracks into an untouched section of ridge she named Asha, meaning “hope” in Hindi.
Asha Traverse: A Ridge of Hope
The Asha Traverse extended over two kilometers of narrow, knife-edge ridge – exposed on both sides, yet serene in its solitude. Manners described the experience as “narrow, exposed ridges balanced with relaxed stretches… just me, an unclimbed Himalayan ridge, and the stillness of the mountains.”
The climb involved sun-warmed snow that held firm underfoot, alternating with shaded pockets of knee-deep powder and mixed steps that required careful axe placements. She graded the route AD 5a, finishing the traverse on October 18 after a full day of continuous movement.
Anamika Traverse: Finding Joy in Simplicity
Two days later, on October 20, Manners climbed a second solo line – the Anamika Traverse (AD 4c). The Hindi word Anamika translates roughly to “the small, wordless joys of life,” fitting the quieter, more contemplative tone of her second ascent.
The route followed a lower ridge overlooking the Satopanth Glacier and the east face of Chaukhamba III – the very line they had hoped to climb. This time, the snow was crusted and smooth, almost skiable in places. Manners moved unroped, taking in the calm contrast to the previous year’s chaos.
When another storm approached, she and Dvorak left the area a week early, bringing an unexpected but satisfying end to their expedition. For now, the pair have no immediate plans to return to Chaukhamba III – but Manners’ creative and determined approach ensured that what began as a “failed expedition” ended with two pioneering ascents and renewed spirit.
Why It Matters
Manners’ achievement underlines a growing trend in modern alpinism – climbers adapting goals mid-expedition and embracing solo, exploratory style climbs. Her Asha and Anamika traverses highlight how resilience, creativity, and purpose can transform disappointment into discovery – even when the summit is lost to storms.