A Montana man impaled himself with a hiking pole and then hiked about 10 miles (16 kilometers) down a mountain over six hours to reach a hospital, according to reports. David Cifaldi was climbing Granite Peak in Montana when the pole pierced his side. Instead of calling for a helicopter rescue, he descended roughly 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) with the pole still in his body. Cifaldi then drove himself to a hospital, where he was treated for the injury. The incident occurred during a solo hike, and his self-rescue was described as extraordinary by medical staff. The pole was removed surgically, and Cifaldi is expected to recover fully. Authorities did not specify the exact location on the mountain where the accident happened.