In reply to Philiniqaluit and Martin:
From the Bordier hut the Galenjoch is the obvious (and safest) way to start the Nadelgrat. There's a quite good path all the way - very narrow but cairned and easy to find even in the dark. I certainly don't remember scree though just below the col I did lose the path and ended up scrambling up a short rocky slab before finding it again. After the Galenjoch easy moving together scrambling up the ridge, as I remember - the harder bits are some way after the Dirruhorn. Coming from the valley you might have turned off too soon and not found the path. It is obvious if you are coming from the Bordier - descend to and cross the glacier to where the valley path is, and the path starts more or less there. The whole of the Nadelgrat is quite a long do... not something I'd like to do from the valley!
Post edited at 17:23