The northern end of Baffin Bay west of the former village, narrowing into Nares Strait between Greenland and Ellesmere Island, is usually frozen from October to July.

Etah lies on the ancient migration route from the north of the Canadian Arctic with several waves of ancient migrants passing through the area from the northbound Independence I and Independence II cultures 4,400 and 2,700 years ago, respectively, to the southbound Thule culture migrants less than a thousand years ago.

[1] Etah was once the most-northerly populated settlement in the world, while Annoatok, located approximately 24 km (15 mi) to the north, was only a seasonally-occupied hunting camp.

The attempt failed, with the hunters unable to support themselves and their families with income from animal hides, as well as their inability to sever connections with the settled life and the amenities of Qaanaaq.

Today, Etah is seldom visited except by occasional hunter visitors in the summertime because of an abundance of walruses and polar bears.