Hiker Impaled by Pole Survives Grueling Mountain Descent

David Cifaldi, a 32-year-old nurse, sustained a severe injury on July 20 while hiking Montana's Granite Peak. He slipped on a rock, and his own trekking pole pierced through his left side, exiting his back. Miraculously, the pole missed his vital organs, allowing him to breathe deeply.

Despite being miles from the summit and at a high altitude, Cifaldi and his companions initiated a self-rescue. They used a GPS phone to signal for help but decided to hike down the mountain to avoid costly helicopter extraction. The descent took over six hours, with Cifaldi's friends alerting other hikers to his condition.

Upon reaching lower ground, Cifaldi was taken to a local hospital, where medical staff declined to remove the pole due to bleeding risks. He was then transferred to his workplace, St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings. There, doctors successfully removed the pole using conscious sedation and inserted a drainage tube.

Cifaldi experienced pain only after the pole was removed and expressed a desire to return to work the next day, though doctors ordered him to rest for a week. The incident occurred approximately two to three miles from Granite Peak's summit.