Beebe Lake Hike
	Trip Date:  07/06/2018 Distance: 13.7 Miles Vertical Gain: 3000' Group Size: 1 Hike Rating:  Easy   Moderate    Hard   Strenuous	GPX for this trip
	Start Coordinates:   N 38 38.105, W 120 07.609     End Coordinates:   Same as Start Coordinates Car Shuttle Req'd:   No Parking Directions:   Take Highway 88 to the south end of Silver Lake, and turn east onto Plasse Rd at a big sweeping bend in the highway.  Follow this road about a mile, and then turn right toward Plasse's Resort.  You will pass the resort on the right, and then follow the signs to the "Stockton Family Camp" all the way to the trailhead parking for Allen Camp at the listed coordinates.  Hazards of Note:   Steep incline on the first part of the hike.  Some sections of the trail require sharp eyes to follow through the granite areas. Crowd Factor:   Minimal.  This is one of the lesser-known destinations in the Mokelumne Wilderness and you will most likely run into nobody past Allen Camp (if even to there.) General Notes: From the parking area head toward the sign which has a listing of some backcountry information as well as a rough map of the trails in the area and distances.  Head past that sign to the south and find the trailhead sign for the Allen Camp trail.  Follow this trail as it climbs a significant amount of elevation, about 500 feet in the first mile.  At the 1 1/2 mile spot along the trail there is a trail junction, with the path to Hidden Lake to the left and the continuation of the Allen Camp trail up a steep series of switchbacks ahead.  Stay to the right, and for the next 3/4 mile you will ascend quickly to the ridgeline with a fantastic view of Silver Lake and the Desolation Wilderness mountains in the distance.   From this rise you will drop down a little bit to Allen Camp, and pass by a dilapadated log structure on your right which has already failed on one side.  Continue on this OHV road for another 1/2 mile, and then if you can spot the unmarked trail directly to Plasse's Trading Post, you will shave off about 1/3 of a mile to this spot.  If you do miss it, the OHV road will continue along the same general direction, until you make it to the top of Squaw Ridge.  From here you will head due east along the ridgeline, and after 1/2 a mile you will find the trail for Beebe Lake.  (Note that as of 2018 the sign was still there but had fallen off of it's mount and lay on the ground.)   Follow this trail for two miles, reaching the spectacular Ladeaux Meadows in half a mile, and then climb back up past this for the last mile and a half to the lake.  The last 1/2 mile is often on granite, and the trail is extremely difficult to follow through this location.  Make sure you have a map and compass or a GPS to help with successful navigation to the lake through this area.
	From the parking area, head southwest, avoiding the Stockton Municipal Camp nearby and follow this sign across a small stream to begin the hike.
	The beginning of the trail climbs steadily and significantly, but you are rewarded early on with this small meadow with a view up to the ridgeline to the west where the Mud Lake Trail toward Allen Camp more or less parallels this one for most of the way.
	This area is just bustling with flowers during the spring and summertime, including these examples of Scarlet Gilia and Cornflower plants.
	Crossing through this next meadow you get a glimpse of the granite ridgeline which we will head up and over on the way to Allen Camp.
	This is the view northeast toward Silver Lake and Desolation Wilderness that is the reward for reaching the first ridgeline before dropping down into Allen Camp.
	The Allen Camp owners are great with horses but not as good with spelling.
	The meadow at Allen Camp.  This area is private property beyond the fence just at the spot where this picture was taken.
	Although it is a little difficult to see, this is the junction you will take to the right off of the OHV road past Allen Camp which will cut a good 1/3 mile off the trek to the next ridgeline.
	Just inside the fence at the Allen Camp ranch is this older building which has failed in the past couple years.  Pretty good example of the weathering the rough winters in this area can have on human structures.
	When first reaching Squaw Ridge, you will find the site of the former Plasse's Trading Post, and the sign which has fallen into disrepair in the last couple of years.
	A sample of the view north from the Squaw Ridge trail, with a blooming Mule Ear plant in the foreground.
	Look for this sign along the Squaw Ridge trail for the junction south toward Beebe Lake.
	A first glimpse of the upcoming Ladeaux Meadow, a spectacular location along the way to Beebe Lake.
	Dropping down from Squaw Ridge the trail becomes a little obscure but passes right through Ladeaux Meadow.
	Just at the far end of the meadow recent bear prints followed along the trail, and they were pretty large compared to my size 13 boots.
	Past the meadow you climb another significant ridgeline, but at the top the reward this time is the amazing view all the way to Ebbetts Pass to the south.
	After successfully navigating the last 1/2 mile to the lake, not an easy task, you finally reach the serene setting of Beebe Lake.
	Looking across the lake to the south, the boulders there with what looked like a possible dropoff seemed inviting for a possible view.  Was this ever the case!!
	After climbing the rocks at the south end of the lake, this incredible view made the effort completely worthwhile.   This remote canyon, with the Camp Irene area in the distance used to be the main way to travel between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite before the PCT was created.
	The other payoff for making this trek to the far end of the lake was this view of Beebe looking back north.  Spectacular!
	This afternoon cloud formation over the ridgeline ahead on the way back was fascinating.
	Keep a close eye out on the way back and you will have a quick opportunity to glimpse the back of Round Top Mountain further to the east.
	A couple more examples of the amazing array of flowers found on this hike, including this Monkeyflower and what may be a variety of mountain orchid.
	GPS Track of the full hike, with Beebe Lake in the bottom right.