David Cifaldi Walks 10 Miles Down Montana’s Granite Peak After Trekking Pole Impalement

On July 20, 32‑year‑old emergency‑room nurse David Cifaldi slipped on rocks while climbing Granite Peak, Montana’s highest summit, and was impaled through his torso by a trekking pole. The pole passed cleanly through his side without puncturing lung tissue, and Cifaldi assessed that the injury was not immediately life‑threatening.

With the pole still lodged, Cifaldi and two friends descended more than 10 miles of snow‑fields and boulder fields over about six and a half hours, using makeshift support and a satellite communicator to call for rescue. He reached the trailhead, was taken to a hospital in Billings, and later transferred to Intermountain Health where the pole was removed. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to cover his medical expenses.