A man in the United States was impaled by his own trekking pole during a solo hike in the Colorado mountains. He pulled the pole out of his body, then walked miles to find help.
The fall that drove a pole through his leg
The hiker was navigating a steep, rocky trail in the San Juan Mountains near Silverton, Colorado. He slipped and fell. The fall drove the tip of his trekking pole deep into his upper thigh. The pole penetrated his leg and came out the other side.
He was alone. There was no cell service. He was miles from the nearest road.
A self-rescue through rugged terrain
The man made a quick decision. He pulled the trekking pole out of his leg. Then he began walking. He hiked for several miles across uneven, high altitude terrain until he reached a place where he could call for help.
Rescuers from San Juan County Search and Rescue responded. They found him and airlifted him to a hospital. Medical staff treated the wound. He survived.
Why locals took notice
In a region where backcountry accidents are common, this case stood out. The San Juan Mountains are known for their beauty and their danger. Local search and rescue teams see injuries from falls and equipment failures every year. But a hiker impaling himself with his own gear, then hiking out with a through and through wound, was not something they had seen before. The story spread quickly among the outdoor community in southwestern Colorado. It served as a stark reminder of how quickly a routine hike can turn into a life threatening emergency, and how much a person can endure when they have no other choice.
