Man impaled by a hiking pole treks 10 miles down mountain

David Cifaldi, a hiker, descended Montana's Granite Peak after being impaled by a hiking pole. Instead of opting for a helicopter rescue, Cifaldi chose to hike down the mountain with the pole still in his side. The article does not specify when this incident occurred or provide further details about the circumstances of the impalement or Cifaldi's reasons for his decision.

David Cifaldi was hiking with two companions on Montana's Froze-to-Death Plateau, near the state's highest peak, when he slipped and impaled himself on his trekking pole. The 44-inch steel-tipped pole went through the flesh beneath his left arm and protruded from his back, narrowly missing vital organs. After discussing the situation with his friends, Cifaldi decided to hike himself off the mountain, believing a helicopter rescue would be too costly. He expressed confidence that the injury was not life-threatening, referring to it as "but a flesh wound."

Montana man David Cifaldi walked ten miles to safety after a trekking pole pierced his torso during a hike on Granite Peak on July 20th. Cifaldi slipped near the summit, falling on his pole which went through his side and out his lower back, narrowly missing vital organs. Drawing on his background as a nurse, Cifaldi assessed his condition as not immediately life-threatening and, after alerting authorities via satellite communicator, decided to hike back to the trailhead with his friends. Upon reaching the trailhead, he was taken to a local clinic and then a hospital in Billings, where surgeons removed the pole. Cifaldi expressed feeling lucky and plans to attempt the summit again once healed.