West End: Coast Guard rescues stranded hiker

Published 12:01 am Tuesday, September 14, 2004

LAPUSH — A stranded hiker in the vicinity of First Beach was rescued off a cliff by a Coast Guard helicopter.

Coast Guard spokesman Bill Gittins said a woman reported her brother was stranded on the cliff.

Gittins said there was only a two-hour window of daylight left, so Quillayute River Coast Guard Station personnel called the Port Angeles station for a helicopter.

The man was identified by Olympic National Park spokeswoman Barb Maynes as Thomas Jeannot.

Sources said Jeannot is a 49-year-old Gonzaga University professor who leads the university’s women’s study program and lives in Spokane.

The rescue happened about 7:20 p.m. Sunday south of First Beach. Jeannot was not injured

Gittins said a rescue swimmer was deployed from the helicopter, then the hiker and the swimmer were hoisted to safety.

Maynes said the cliff area where Jeannot was hiking is extremely treacherous.