[pct-l] Getting off the PCT at Suiattle River thence to the outside

[Robert Henry]

I dug around some to investigate what it takes to get from the Suiattle
River Road (most likely the effective end of the PCT for 2015).  I called
the Snohomish County transit help line (425) 353-RIDE (7433), and used our
friend Google.

Hitch a ride or walk from Suiattle River trail head to Darrington.  This is
about 30 miles, infrequently travelled mid week.  There's a motel in
Darrington with 50 rooms: (360) 436-1776.  I don't know about (stealth)
camping opportunities.

Leave Darrington at 747am or 710pm to the Smokey Point transfer station;
this takes about 1 hour.  Here's Google maps Darrington to Everett
<https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Darrington,+WA/Everett,+WA/@48.126633,-122.0490948,11z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x5484dac629c1c5eb:0x363a79518bb23f98!2m2!1d-121.6015142!2d48.2553867!1m5!1m1!1s0x5490006404f52f5b:0x72449f271b24790!2m2!1d-122.2020794!2d47.9789848!3e3>

Take Bus 201 or 202 from Smokey Point to downtown Everett, which is a bus
hub and also a stop for the Amtrak or Sounder train.  This bus takes about
45 minutes.

Downtown Everett is much more likely to have motel/hotel accommodations
that will be much cheaper than Seattle; Seattle is at capacity, crawling
with tourists this time of year, especially on the weekends when the cruise
ships flip.  I have no recommendations for either Everett or Seattle.

There are about 5 Amtrak trains southbound to Seattle a day, probably fewer
northbound to Vancouver, BC. It is about an hour to Seattle, and maybe 2.5
hours to Vancouver. The Sounder train is a commuter only train, so only
runs weekday mornings, and only to Seattle.

You can then take Community Transit bus 512 from Everett to Downtown
Seattle at 5th and Jackson; this takes about an hour.

You can then walk 4 blocks south to the King Street Amtrak station, to
catch well-scheduled trains to Portland (3 hours), back to Vancouver BC,
and all other points on the system.  There is also a Bolt Bus stop East of
the Amtrak Station in the International District at 5th and King.

You can also walk about 5 blocks north west to the Pioneer Square Station
and then go via the light rail station to the SeaTac International airport;
trolleys run every 15 minutes and take about 30 minutes.

Your options will of course be different from Stevens
Pass/Skykomish/Baring/Dinsemore's on Route 2.  The options change hourly.

Robert "Collector" Henry  (my trail name is so apt I almost die laughing)
Seattle
PCT 2012