Self-Rescue on Montana’s Froze-to-Death Plateau

David Cifaldi and two fellow hikers crossed Montana’s Froze-to-Death Plateau, nearing the state’s highest peak, when an accident added a dangerous twist. Cifaldi slipped and impaled himself with his trekking pole.

The 44-inch steel-tipped pole pierced the flesh under Cifaldi’s left arm and emerged from his back. Despite the severity, it missed vital organs. After discussing the situation with his companions and considering the high cost of a helicopter rescue, Cifaldi decided to orchestrate his own rescue.

“We have to get down this mountain,” he told his friends. Their initial reaction was hesitant. “I’m sure it’s outside my chest wall. It’s just a superficial wound.”

Cifaldi, a 32-year-old nurse in a Billings hospital wound care service, performed an assessment on himself. He was alert, in mild pain, with minimal bleeding. The pole remained stable. The group used a satellite communication device, a Garmin inReach, to inform local authorities of their self-rescue plan.

They began their descent from the plateau carefully, navigating unmarked paths through rocks and snowy fields before reaching a marked trail. They covered over 10 miles and descended about 5,000 feet in more than six hours, finally reaching a trailhead where Jesse Ross, a friend of Cifaldi, had parked a vehicle.

“It was his confidence that made the self-rescue possible,” Ross reflected. “He is the medical professional. Our role was simply to support him.”

Cifaldi had long aspired to climb Granite Peak, Montana’s highest mountain at 12,800 feet, known for unpredictable weather, including dangerous storms and cold. Hundreds attempt the peak yearly, though many turn back. In 2019, an experienced 65-year-old climber from Minnesota died after a fall near the summit while climbing with his son.

As Cifaldi and his companions descended with the pole awkwardly protruding, Ty Williams of the Stillwater County Search and Rescue monitored their progress through calls they were making. The initial call came at 9:44 a.m. on July 20, shortly after Cifaldi’s injury. By 1:30 p.m., the trio was nearing the trailhead and notified authorities to alert the nearest hospital of their arrival.

“There was no danger to others. He didn’t want our help, so we weren’t going to impose it,” Williams said.

Around 3:30 p.m., the hikers drove in Ross’s vehicle to the nearest clinic, which referred Cifaldi for advanced treatment in Billings. They continued to St. Vincent Regional Hospital where Cifaldi worked. Medical personnel removed the pole, treated him, and he returned to work that week.

“Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, I’d make the same decision,” Cifaldi said from Ross’s front yard in Billings. “Search and rescue is free; the flight is not. That influenced my choice to self-rescue. Having two experienced friends and communication access made the decision easier.”