Montana Hiker Impales Himself On Pole, Treks 10 Miles To Seek Help

David Cifaldi slipped and impaled himself on his trekking pole while crossing Montana's Froze-to-Death Plateau near Granite Peak.

The steel-tipped pole passed through flesh beneath his left arm and protruded from his back, missing vital organs.

Cifaldi, a nurse, assessed himself and decided to self-rescue with two companions rather than call a helicopter due to cost.

The group used a Garmin inReach satellite device to inform authorities and hiked about 10 miles over six hours to a trailhead.

Cifaldi drove to St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings, where doctors removed the pole and he returned to work within days.