Montana man hikes out of the mountains to get help after he was impaled by a trekking pole

August 1, 2026

A Montana nurse survived a freak hiking accident on Granite Peak after a trekking pole pierced his side and came out his back. Instead of waiting for a helicopter, he and his two companions carefully hiked more than 10 miles to the trailhead, where he got treated and the pole was removed.

He was alert, had surprisingly little pain and bleeding, and the pole missed vital organs. The ordeal turned into a reminder to carry a reliable way to call for help in the backcountry. CNN