As winter finally sets-in around Idaho I had the opportunity to drive through the region of the massacre site again. As I drove through the Bear River bottoms steam rose from nearby hot springs, snow lay lightly on the ground, and the sky turned to soft purples, pinks, and blues.
There's no doubt that winter in Southeast Idaho can be a harsh experience. Subzero temperatures, strong winds, and heavy snows make for a dangerous environment. However, geothermal springs in places like Bear River and wintering grounds for deer and elk nearby made the Shoshone camp a snug place to spend the winter. The warm springs could sooth the aches and pains of the elders while hunting in the mountains to the north (in picture above) was relatively easy for the younger men.
The continued encroachment of the settlers and freight wagons though threatened not only the natives' way of life, but their lives. By 1863 wintering grounds for the Shoshone and Bannock were reduced to small parcels. Previously the Shoshone had used large portions of Cache Valley, but no more. As they were pushed farther and farther North their chance of survival dropped more and more.
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