Montana Nurse Hikes 10 Miles After Trekking Pole Impales His Body

David Cifaldi, a nurse who previously worked in emergency medicine, endured a severe hiking accident on July 20 while attempting to summit Granite Peak in Montana. At approximately 11,800 feet elevation, Cifaldi stepped on loose rock, lost his footing, and fell forward onto his own trekking pole. According to accounts provided by companions, the pole penetrated completely through his latissimus dorsi muscle, with roughly eight inches separating the entry and exit wounds.

Rather than wait for rescue personnel, Cifaldi made the calculated decision to descend under his own power after carefully evaluating his condition. He determined there was no significant bleeding, maintained full sensation and alertness, and confirmed the pole remained stable in place. Cifaldi then completed a 10-mile trek back to the trailhead with the trekking pole still lodged through his body, demonstrating both medical knowledge and physical fortitude.

During the descent, Cifaldi asked one companion to alert other hikers approaching from above, ensuring no one would be unexpectedly confronted by his injury. After reaching the trailhead, he was transported approximately two hours by vehicle to an emergency room in Billings, the nearest facility equipped to safely extract the pole. The object remained in place for eight to nine hours from the initial fall through its removal.

Cifaldi told local media outlet KTMF that his medical training proved instrumental in managing the crisis. He attributed his survival instincts to professional experience, noting that his assessment of non-life-threatening status motivated his self-rescue approach. Cifaldi acknowledged his fortunate outcome, stating that a trajectory variation of just inches could have resulted in a fatal or catastrophic outcome.