According to Strange Outdoors, Dr. Lowder, 69, a doctor from San Diego, was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, all the way from East San Diego County to Canada, when he was found dead June 5, 1999, near Lone Pine. He was an able and experienced hiker, and he had begun his hike on April 23 , 1999, at Boulder Oaks, where the Pacific Crest Trail crosses Old Highway 80. He had hoped to complete the through-hike by October. With a snowstorm expected, Dr. Lowder had separated from his hiking group, as he was struggling to keep up with them. He decided to hike down the mountain, but as the storm hit, his vision became impaired, he tripped or slid on ice and fell about 60 feet from a cliff into a canyon. Despite breaking both legs and an arm, John survived the fall and was able to crawl into his sleeping bag. But his injuries were too much and by the time hikers reached him the next day, he was dead. "He broke his own rule: Never hike alone," said his former wife, Ida Lowder.