David Cifaldi, a nurse at a wound care clinic, survived a hiking accident on Montana’s Granite Peak. He made a 10-mile journey to safety after being impaled by a trekking pole. The incident occurred on July 20 while hiking with two friends, according to a GoFundMe page set up to support him.
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Cifaldi was at an altitude of approximately 11,800 feet when he stepped on a loose rock. His trekking pole dropped, piercing through his side and protruding from both ends. With about eight inches between the entry and exit wounds, he calmly assessed his injury. The GoFundMe page mentioned he had no bleeding, full feeling, no lightheadedness, and no vital areas damaged. Remarkably, he chose self-rescue over waiting for extraction, hiking back to the trailhead with the pole still in his body.
Granite Peak is Montana’s highest summit, marking the location of this unusual accident. As Cifaldi descended, he asked his friends to warn other hikers, especially avoiding panic among children. Upon reaching the trailhead, he traveled two hours to the nearest emergency room in Billings for removal of the pole.
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The pole remained in place for 8–9 hours from the time of the incident to its removal. David is now receiving continued medical care, with potential surgery anticipated.
Cifaldi spoke to local media outlet KTMF, describing the event as a freak occurrence. He credited his nursing experience for the decision to walk off the mountain—recognizing the injury as non-life-threatening.
He expressed feeling fortunate, noting a slightly different angle could have led to a worse outcome. Cifaldi’s perseverance and quick thinking were acknowledged by users on a Reddit forum discussing odd news.
Fox News Digital has contacted Cifaldi for further comments.
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