Mountaineering goes sideways in a fraction of a second. One moment you are tracking your elevation on a steep climb, and the next you are staring down a freak medical disaster miles away from the nearest road. That exact nightmare became reality for 32-year-old nurse David Cifaldi on Montana's grueling Granite Peak.
While navigating rough terrain at roughly 11,800 feet elevation, Cifaldi slipped on loose rocks. As he tumbled, one of his own trekking poles drove straight through his side, lodging firmly in his torso. Most people would panic. Cifaldi did something entirely different.
The Decision to Walk Out
Instead of waiting passively for a helicopter rescue, Cifaldi turned his professional medical training on himself. He stayed calm, checked his vital signs, and evaluated the physical damage right there on the mountain.
- Self-Assessment: He felt the pole beneath his skin, took deep breaths to ensure his lungs were untouched, and checked for heavy bleeding.
- The Verdict: Because he wasn't hemorrhaging and could breathe normally, he realized vital organs had miraculously been missed by mere centimeters.
- The Trek: Rather than pulling the impaled object out—a dangerous move that often triggers massive internal bleeding—he kept the pole lodged in place and started walking.
For six and a half hours, Cifaldi and his two hiking partners covered ten grueling miles back toward the trailhead. Along the way, he even had his companions scout ahead to warn families and young children so nobody had to witness the shocking sight of a trekking pole sticking entirely through his body.
Why First Responders Say Never Pull It Out
Cifaldi’s medical background gave him the clarity to make a choice that saved him from a worse fate and a massive evacuation bill. Wilderness medicine teaches a golden rule for impalement injuries: leave the object alone.
When an item penetrates tissue, it often acts as a makeshift plug against severed blood vessels. Yanking it out in the field can turn a manageable injury into a fatal hemorrhage. By leaving the trekking pole jammed through his torso, Cifaldi kept his internal bleeding under control until he finally reached professional medical care.
Reaching Definitive Care
Once the group reached the trailhead, friends drove Cifaldi to a local clinic before he was transferred to Intermountain Health in Billings. There, surgical teams carefully removed the obstruction, utilizing a clever technique to thread a drain tube through as the pole came out.
Miraculously, he survived with minimal long-term complications. He even joked with his friends about returning to finish the peak someday.
Backcountry accidents happen when you least expect them. Gear meant to keep you stable can occasionally turn against you. Preparation, a level head, and knowing basic wilderness first aid remain your absolute best defenses when civilization is hours away.
Check out the local news coverage of the incident here: Billings Hiker Survives Impalement. This video report details the exact timeline of the rescue and interviews the hiker about his incredible journey down the mountain.
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