An emergency room nurse impaled himself on a trekking pole during a hike on Montana's Granite Peak and, with the pole still in his body, descended more than 10 miles to seek medical attention. David Cifaldi, 32, was about 11,800 feet up the mountain when he slipped on rocks and landed on one of his trekking poles, which pierced through his torso.
"I just slipped on some rocks. It was just kind of a freak thing," Cifaldi told KTMF. "I think my nurse brain clicked on." He assessed that the injury was not immediately life-threatening and decided to make his way down the mountain under his own power.
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Cifaldi and his two friends opted to leave the pole in place as they traversed the rugged terrain, which included snowfields and boulder fields. One friend used a satellite communicator to contact local search and rescue, while the other stayed with Cifaldi. Jesse Ross, who was hiking with Cifaldi, stated in a GoFundMe message that Cifaldi navigated the descent without complaint and in high spirits, even asking a friend to hike ahead to warn other hikers.
After approximately six-and-a-half hours, Cifaldi reached the trailhead. He was transported to a hospital and later transferred to Intermountain Health in Billings, where the trekking pole was removed. He expressed feeling fortunate, noting that a slight shift in the pole's trajectory could have resulted in a far more severe outcome.
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Cifaldi is now recovering and faces significant medical bills, including potential upcoming surgery. A GoFundMe has been established to help cover these expenses, with over $2,700 raised toward its $10,000 goal. He hopes to return to his nursing duties soon.