‘He lived his passion to the end’: Quebec alpinist Richard Cartier dies on world’s second-highest mountain

A Quebec doctor and father of two who took time off to mount K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, has died after a mishap on his descent from the 8,611-metre peak.

Dr. Richard Cartier, 60, an experienced alpinist and a palliative care physician at the Saint-Jerome Hospital, leaves behind his spouse and two adults sons. His family told CTV that he died last Friday. It’s believed he fell as he was descending with his team of climbers after reaching Camp 4 at 7,600 metres.

Friends and family are mourning his tragic death, including Tomás Ryan. The longtime friends climbed Denali together in Alaska and in Bolivia, Ryan followed Cartier’s lead on the steep ice climb on Huayna Potosí.

Richard Cartier, right, on an alpine climb with his friend, Tomas Ryan. (Photo courtesy of Tomas Ryan)

Ryan told CTV News he was “shocked” to learn about his death on Monday since Cartier was a pro who was “methodical and technical” in his mountaineering.

“I’ve been climbing with Richard for over 20 years, and he’s a great, fantastic person as a person and as a climbing partner, too … It really hurts to know that he’s gone,” Ryan said through tears.

‘PEOPLE DIE THE WAY THEY LIVED’

Cartier’s teammate, Matt Eakin of Australia, also died during the expedition, which was documented on social media by fellow climber Justin Dubé-Fahmy.

Cartier’s family said in a statement to CTV that he “lived his passion to the end.”

“As Richard said so well in his work in palliative care, ‘People die the way they lived.’ This was the case for Richard,” the statement read.

“According to his teammates, he maintained his energy level until the end, but the mountain decided otherwise on July 22, 2022. It was a privilege to have shared his life.”

Even though it’s the second-highest mountain under Mount Everest, the K2 mountain, which straddles the borders of Pakistan and China, has been dubbed “Savage Mountain” by some. With a death to ascents ratio of one to six, media reports say it is more dangerous than Mount Everest’s one to 34.

Richard Cartier, 60, is being mourned by family and friends in the climbing community. (Photo courtesy the family of Richard Cartier)

Mounting K2 is no easy feat and can take a year of planning before ever setting foot on base camp, according to Ryan, who admits mountaineering can be a bit of “Russian Roulette” for climbers of all levels. But Richard “was not a tourist climber” and would have been one of the best climbers on that expedition, Ryan added.

“You can be unlucky and get a rock on the head. And, you know, you’re the only one that was there at that time. And there’s hundreds of climbers that have gone there in the last week, but you’re just at the wrong place at the wrong time. And that’s what happens,” he said.

“But we do it because we love it. We feel alive I know for Richard it’s really something that keeps him very happy.”

Friends expressed their condolences on social media as did Quebec’s College of Doctors. 

On social media, a close friend of Cartier’s, Jacques Lamontagne, described the climber as a “climbing partner and an exemplary friend. Richard was always smiling, funny and in a good mood,” he wrote.

“He was an incredible listener, humble, always kind, and generous beyond measure. He was also quite an athlete with thousands of miles of marathon running, climbing and cycling under his belt.”

The K2 summit is seen in this 2008 photo. (Credit: Svy123 / Wikimedia Commons)

With files from The Canadian Press