A US hiker survived an accident after a trekking pole pierced through his torso while climbing 12,803ft Granite Peak, Montana's highest mountain. Despite the injury, 32-year-old David Cifaldi walked nearly 16 km over six-and-a-half hours to reach safety, and doctors later successfully removed the trekking pole from his body. "I knew it wasn't deep...I could take deep breaths," Cifaldi said.