Stecknadelhorn (4,241 m a.s.l.)

The Stecknadelhorn is the most unspectacular of the four 4000-metre summits of the Nadelgrat ridges. In order of location, these are the Nadelhorn, Stecknadelhorn, Hobärghorn and Dirruhorn. The Stecknadelhorn is connected to the Nadelhorn on the north-west and, like the Hobärghorn, has a glacier on the north side. The Nadelgrat ridge lies in a hidden position, to the north-west of the Mischabel group. Its traverse is considered to be one of the most beautiful ridge hikes in the Alps.

Origin of the name
The similarity of its name to the Nadelhorn and the outer appearance of this summit, as well as its proximity to the Nadelhorn, suggests that the name has less to do with the shape of a pin (Stecknadel) with its typical pinhead, but more with the saying "eine Stecknadel im Heuhaufen suchen" (to look for a needle in a haystack), meaning that something has to be found among a group of very similar objects. This etymology suggests the inconspicuousness and low importance of the summit among the other summits of the Nadelgrat ridge.

Stories / legends
The Stecknadelhorn is a small elevation in the Nadelgrat ridge, but is considered to be an independent 4,000-metre summit due to its height of 4,241 m a.s.l.

Height	4,241 m a.s.l.
First climbed	8th August 1887
First climbed by	Oscar Eckenstein, Matthias Zurbriggen