Henry
Russell and the Mountain
Count Henry Patrick Marie
Russell-Killough, was born on 1834 to an Irish father and a French mother,
blessed with the aristocracy of the Irish and wealth of the French, Henry
Russell practically lived off of his inheritance. He didn’t need to build his career,
as his inheritance was enough to give him a life of comfort.
Nevertheless, his fascination with the mountain ranges of the
Pyrenees lead him, time and time again, to the peaks of the Pyrenees. He was no
stranger to adventure nor was he afraid of danger. Henry Russell traversed
deserts, crossed Oceans and seas, climbed mountain and trees. He explored
Russia, North and South America, New Zealand, and Australia; the Gobi Desert,
and China. The world was his playground.
The Vignemale
When he was only 24 years old,
Henry Russell summited the Neouville Massif and the Ardiden of the Pyrenees, at
27 Henry Russel summited the Vignemale, which is the highest point among the
French Pyrenean summits. Henry Russell was not drawn to Kilimanjaro nor Everest
but his focus centered on the Vignemale and the Pyrenees. Over his career he
has had over 30 FAs (First Ascents) and numerous other second and third
ascents. He was in love with the mountain and he spent so much time around the
Pyrenees that he had have several caves built into the mountain system as any
other construction was unacceptable. These caves served as his living space,
and in some cases he would throw banquets in some of the caves – he built over
7 caves in his lifetime.