Man impaled by a hiking pole treks 10 miles down mountain

Instead of calling for a helicopter rescue, David Cifaldi hiked down Montana's Granite Peak with a hiking pole piercing his side.

''Tis but a flesh wound': Montana man hikes 6 hours impaled by trekking pole

David Cifaldi and his two hiking companions were crossing Montana's ominous Froze-to-Death Plateau and approaching the top of the state's highest peak when their adventure took a bizarre and dangerous turn: Cifaldi slipped and impaled himself on his trekking pole as he fell.

A steel pole pierced his body. He hiked 10 miles off a mountain anyway.

David Cifaldi was approaching the top of Montana’s highest peak with two friends when their hiking adventure took a dangerous turn: Cifaldi slipped and impaled himself on his trekking pole

By Matthew Brown

Montana man hikes out of the mountains to get help after he was impaled by a trekking pole

Montana man impales himself on trekking pole, hikes 10 miles to safety instead of calling helicopter

A hiking trip to Montana's highest mountain turned into a remarkable survival story after a nurse accidentally impaled himself on a trekking pole but still managed to hike nearly 10 miles to safety instead of waiting for a helicopter rescue. There, surgeons safely removed the trekking pole and treated the wound. Just days later, Cifaldi had already returned to work.

By TOI World Desk