A prominent 71-year-old Calgarian and experienced mountaineer fell to his death in a mountain climbing accident in B.C. this week.

Richard Collier, a veteran climber and former NDP candidate, was among a group of four starting their ascent at Mount Robson Provincial Park on Wednesday when a slab of rock face gave way, causing him and others to fall.

Collier died within minutes of the accident, according to the B.C. Coroners Service. Two others were injured.

“Where they were going was virtually straight up,” said coroner Barb McLintock. “One was another senior-type climber and the other two were a bit younger.”

The other party members, all from Calgary, were rescued while Collier’s body was recovered by search and rescue workers.

They were in the middle of a week-long trip when the incident occurred, reaching the mountain base five kilometres west of the Alberta border Wednesday after several days of hiking.

A prominent public figure and avid outdoorsman, Collier was the second person in the world to climb all of Canada’s 11,000-foot peaks, according to a mountain climbing website. The site claims he is the only person to have climbed all 586 peaks in the southern Canadian Rockies – still less than half the total number he ascended during his lifetime.

“It sounds like it’s just one of those very sad, tragic accidents, because this guy had done so much,” said McLintock.

A former literature professor at Mount Royal University, Collier ran as an NDP candidate for Calgary-Glenmore in the 2012 provincial election.

Born in the U.S., Collier was a United Church supporter, guided seniors Rocky Mountain tours and volunteered with dozens of social justice, environmental and labour groups, according to his NDP candidate profile.

Collier was married with three children and five grandchildren.

The B.C. Coroners Service is continuing to investigate the incident.

creynolds@vancouversun.com