Charles Packe
Encyclopedia
Charles Packe was an English
lawyer
and explorer who is noted for his travels in and writing about the Pyrenees
.
.
In 1857 and 1858 he returned to the Pyrenees for further explorative trips, and moved there permanently in 1859. In 1861 Packe made the second ascent of Posets
(3371 m), the second-highest peak in the range, which had been first climbed in 1856 by H. Halket with the guides Pierre Redonnet and Pierre Barrau.
Just as Packe's friend Henry Russell
's name is linked with the Vignemale
, Packe's name is associated with the Balaïtous
. The idea to try to climb this mountain came from his reading of John Ball's (the first president of the Alpine Club
) account of his unsuccessful attempt to climb it in 1861. After a failed attempt in 1862, on 15 September 1864 Packe reached the summit with his guide Jean-Pierre Gaspard of Arrens; they had spent a week trying to find a suitable route. Although they believed that they had made the first ascent, the mountain had been previously climbed in 1825 by the French army officers Peytier and Hossard, as geodesic technicians. The ridge by which Packe and Gaspard made their ascent is now known as the Arête Packe-Russell.
, a learned society founded in 1864 or 1865 (authorities vary) in Bagnères-de-Bigorre
by Henry Russell, Émilien Frossard, Farnham Maxwell-Lyte
and Packe. Packe was the society's first assistant secretary.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and explorer who is noted for his travels in and writing about the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
.
Family
Packe was born in 1826, the oldest son of Edmund Packe, a captain in the Royal Horse GuardsRoyal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
.
Pyrenees
Packe first went to the Pyrenees in 1853, making a traverse of the range. Two years later he travelled to the Alps, a description of which appeared in 1857 as The Spirit of Travel.In 1857 and 1858 he returned to the Pyrenees for further explorative trips, and moved there permanently in 1859. In 1861 Packe made the second ascent of Posets
Posets peak
Pico Posets or Punta de Llardana is the second highest peak of the Pyrenees, after Aneto. It is located in the Spanish province of Huesca and is 3,371 meters high.-Ascent route:...
(3371 m), the second-highest peak in the range, which had been first climbed in 1856 by H. Halket with the guides Pierre Redonnet and Pierre Barrau.
Just as Packe's friend Henry Russell
Henry Russell (explorer)
Henry Patrick Marie, Count Russell-Killough was one of the pioneers of Pyrenean exploration, known for his obsession with the Vignemale.-Early life:...
's name is linked with the Vignemale
Vignemale
The Vignemale , at 3298 metres, is the highest of the French Pyrenean summits, in the border with Spain ....
, Packe's name is associated with the Balaïtous
Pic du Balaïtous
The Balaitus or Pic du Balaïtous is a granitic massif of the Pyrenees, located right on the border between Spain and France.-Geography:...
. The idea to try to climb this mountain came from his reading of John Ball's (the first president of the Alpine Club
Alpine Club (UK)
The Alpine Club was founded in London in 1857 and was probably the world's first mountaineering club. It is UK mountaineering's acknowledged 'senior club'.-History:...
) account of his unsuccessful attempt to climb it in 1861. After a failed attempt in 1862, on 15 September 1864 Packe reached the summit with his guide Jean-Pierre Gaspard of Arrens; they had spent a week trying to find a suitable route. Although they believed that they had made the first ascent, the mountain had been previously climbed in 1825 by the French army officers Peytier and Hossard, as geodesic technicians. The ridge by which Packe and Gaspard made their ascent is now known as the Arête Packe-Russell.
A Guide to the Pyrenees
In 1862 Packe's A Guide to the Pyrenees (with the subtitle Especially Intended for the Use of Mountaineers) was first published; the second edition was brought out by the London firm of Longmans, Green, and Co.Longman
Longman was a publishing company founded in London, England in 1724. It is now an imprint of Pearson Education.-Beginnings:The Longman company was founded by Thomas Longman , the son of Ezekiel Longman , a gentleman of Bristol. Thomas was apprenticed in 1716 to John Osborn, a London bookseller, and...
Societé Ramond
Packe was one of the founding members of the Société RamondSociété Ramond
The Société Ramond is a French learned society devoted to the study of the Pyrenees. It is named after the French politician, geologist, botanist and explorer Louis Ramond de Carbonnières and is based in Bagnères-de-Bigorre.-Founding:...
, a learned society founded in 1864 or 1865 (authorities vary) in Bagnères-de-Bigorre
Bagnères-de-Bigorre
Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke...
by Henry Russell, Émilien Frossard, Farnham Maxwell-Lyte
Farnham Maxwell-Lyte
Farnham Maxwell-Lyte was a chemist and the pioneer of a number of techniques in photographic processing...
and Packe. Packe was the society's first assistant secretary.