David Cifaldi, a 32-year-old wound care nurse from Billings, Montana, survived a harrowing climbing accident on Granite Peak, the state’s highest mountain. While crossing the Froze-to-Death Plateau with two friends, Cifaldi slipped and impaled himself on his 44-inch steel-tipped trekking pole. The pole pierced the flesh beneath his left arm and protruded from his back, narrowly missing vital organs.
Despite the severity of the injury, Cifaldi assessed the situation and determined the pole had not penetrated his chest wall. He decided against a costly helicopter rescue and instead opted to hike out with his friends. Using a Garmin inReach satellite device, they notified local authorities of their plan. Over six hours, the group descended roughly 5,000 feet through unmarked terrain, boulders, and snowfields before reaching a trailhead where one of Cifaldi’s friends had parked a vehicle.
Cifaldi’s friends, initially hesitant, supported his decision. Jesse Ross, one of the hikers, later recalled that Cifaldi’s medical expertise and confidence were crucial in making the self-rescue possible. Cifaldi was later treated at St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings.
Granite Peak, standing at 12,800 feet, is known for its unpredictable weather, including lightning storms and extreme cold. Cifaldi had long wanted to climb the mountain, but the expedition took an unexpected turn due to the accident.