COURTESY OF CORINNE OBERLIN John Cameron Oberlin, shown here on a trip to China a few years ago, traveled the world and scaled many of the world’s highest mountains.

John Cameron Oberlin, longtime resident of Los Altos Hills, died Aug. 27 at 91. A patent lawyer, Mr. Oberlin was also known for his diverse accomplishments as a mountaineer and horticulturist.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914, Mr. Oberlin graduated from Harvard University in l935 and from Western Reserve University Law School in 1938.

At that point in his life, his grandfather sent a letter suggesting that Mr. Oberlin plan to take at least six weeks vacation a year because his grandfather had “buried all his friends who were too busy to take a vacation.”

Even before World War II, Mr. Oberlin began mountain climbing in the Tetons, which led to his initial assignment teaching rock and ice climbing on Mt. Rainier for the U.S. Army 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment.

Later, the army moved him into chemical warfare because of his degree in chemistry. He was discharged with the rank of captain in 1946.

After the war, Mr. Oberlin resumed his climbing, making the first ascent of Oppy Mountain in the Canadian Rockies, in 1947. It was the highest unclimbed peak there at that time.

In 1948 he made the second ascent of Mt. Alberta and in 1950 the first ascent of Mt. Erasmus. In 1952 he made several attempts on the Wishbone Arete on Mount Robson.

In that same year, Mr. Oberlin participated in the Franco-American Andean Expedition to Mount Salcantay in Peru. He traveled to Switzerland in 1953 and traversed the Matterhorn by the Zmutt Arete.

In 1954 he returned to Peru with a climbing expedition to Chopicalqui and Pisco. He followed with four peaks in the Wind River Range in Wyoming the next year.

On Mount Koven, he was struck by lightning, which temporarily knocked him out and burned a hole in his hat. With his wife, Corinne, he climbed Mount Popocatepetl in Mexico in 1959.

Mr. Oberlin was the senior partner of the Oberlin, Maky, Donnelly and Renner law firm. He served as president of the American Alpine Club.

Mr. Oberlin moved with his family to California in the 1970s, where he expanded his interest in horticulture, developing a large garden and two orchards. In his late 80s, Mr. Oberlin climbed pagodas in China.

He is survived by his wife, Corinne; daughter Karen Latchford; and grandchildren, Cameron and Robyn.