In Montana, a dangerous twist interrupted David Cifaldi’s trek with two friends as they approached the state’s highest peak. Cifaldi slipped and impaled himself with his trekking pole. The 44-inch steel-tipped pole pierced the flesh under his left arm without hitting vital organs and exited through his back. Faced with the high cost of a helicopter rescue, Cifaldi relied on himself for survival.
“I told them, ‘We have to get off this mountain,’” Cifaldi said about his friends’ initial reactions. “I’m pretty sure this is outside my rib cage. It’s just a superficial wound.” A nurse from Billings, Montana, Cifaldi assessed himself as lucid, experiencing minimal pain and no bleeding. The group used a satellite communication device, a Garmin inReach, to inform local authorities of their self-rescue plan.
The descent began carefully, navigating unmarked routes, rocks, and snowfields until reaching a marked trail. Over more than six hours, they covered approximately 10 miles and descended about 5,000 feet to reach the trailhead where Jesse Ross, a friend, had parked a vehicle. “The only reason it was possible was his confidence,” Ross remembered. “Who are we to say anything? He’s the medical professional. Our role was simply to support him.”
Cifaldi had long wanted to climb Granite Peak. At 12,800 feet, Montana’s tallest mountain often presents unpredictable weather, including electric storms and freezing temperatures. Hundreds attempt its summit each year, but many fall short. In 2019, officials reported a 65-year-old experienced climber from Minnesota fell 150 feet and died with his son nearby.
As Cifaldi and his group descended with the pole awkwardly sticking out, Ty Williams, Stillwater County Search and Rescue commander, monitored their progress through an operator handling their calls. The first came at 9:44 a.m. on July 20, right after Cifaldi’s accident. By 1:30 p.m., the group approached the trailhead, requesting the nearest hospital be alerted.
“There was no danger to anyone else. He didn’t want our help, so we wouldn’t violate his rights by imposing,” Williams said. By 3:30 p.m., the group traveled in Ross’s vehicle toward the nearest clinic. Upon arrival, Cifaldi was informed that more advanced treatment was necessary in Billings. They returned to Ross’s truck and continued to the St. Vincent Regional Hospital, where Cifaldi works.
Doctors removed the pole, dressed the wound, and Cifaldi returned to work that week. “I think 99 times out of 100, I’d make the same decision,” Cifaldi reflected at Ross’s front yard in Billings. “Search and rescue is free. The flight isn’t. That affected my self-rescue choice. Having two great friends with experience and the ability to contact rescue if needed made it easier.”