(Geomorphology)
A steptoe is a landform that's hard to put a classification on. It's a kind of inselberg..well, not really. It's a volcanic landform..well, sort of; it's a type of kipuka.
Steptoes appear where a massive lava flow has covered an eroded landscape. Well, almost covered. Here and there, a hill will remain from the buried landscape, poking out of the top of the lava flow. Sometimes, the rock of the buried landscape will be more resistant than the surrounding lava, and over time, the hill will be revealed as erosion progresses. These remnant hills have been named 'steptoes' after Steptoe Butte, a granite butte about 60 miles southeast of Spokane. Poking 1,000 feet out of the Miocene lava flow forming the Columbia Plateau in the Palouse country of eastern Washington State, Steptoe Butte was named after Colonel E.J. Steptoe, who lost a nearby battle against Spokane, Palouse, and Couer D'Alene warriors in 1858 (after using the marvelous view afforded from the top of the butte for reconnaisance).
Steptoes are also called dagalas (Italian).