Ghost Lake — Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020

I hiked in from the Norway Pass Trailhead and took the Boundary Trail from there to the junction with the Ghost Lake trail and the Ghost Lake trail in its entirety. The parking lot is a well marked, well maintained paved area with room for about 30 vehicles. The toilet is open and the one on the left is ADA accessible. Bring your own TP and hand sanitizer. There is an information board with backcountry guidelines and a map; although the trails I explored are not considered backcountry, this trailhead also provides access to Mount Margaret. There is also a hand pump available for water, but I did not test it.
Overall the trails are in fair condition. Both need to be brushed in their entirety. The biggest issues are two large sink holes, one on each trail and a number of downed logs; two in particular that are problematic for those with shorter legs, but I was able to scramble over and I'm sure my children could have done the same. Additionally, the bridge that once spanned Clearwater Creek has been out for at least 5 years. There is a log available to cross on, which is slippery, or a person could scramble down the steep, eroding bank and cross on foot. The creek is about 6ft wide and quite slow and shallow at this time.
There are some erosion and rutting issues, but are still in early stages. Another annoying issue is that there is a lot of debris on the trail from decaying logs, as well as small holes from critters. There are a few areas in which trees (fir and western hemlock) are growing into the path. As you come to the end of the trail, there appears to be a split. Head to the right (the left quickly dead-ends). The final stretch of the trail may actually be a social trail, as it is not on Caltopo and the tread is nearly non-existent. 

All in all, this is a wonderful trail to witness the dynamic landscape of Mount St. Helen's north western flanks, despite years of neglect. I had this gem all to myself, despite perfect weather and about 10 other vehicles in the parking lot when I returned (4 when I arrived in the morning).  I believe that if the major issues are addressed, this trail could be a good day use alternative to the ever popular June Lake.