The canyon below you was the winter home of the Chief Joseph Band of Nez Perce. People occupied this area for thousands of years, following well-established routes between summer and winter camps. When homesteaders arrived, the Nez Perce did not understand why the newcomers did not move to lower elevations to escape the harsh winters. The settlers assumed the Nez Perce were nomads who did not not call any place home.
The Nez Perce hunted, fished and gathered plants in harmony with the seasons. Each year the cycle was repeated and life continued - without beginning and without end.
During winter the Nez Perce lived in communal long houses. Winter was a time to remember the past and to restore the spiritual balance to the individual and the community.