After the huge 2011/2012 floods, it was what created the present day large beach area of sand just north of the Phoenix Pool. I hiked down just shortly after that and there was a 10-12 foot wall of sand going up steeply like a huge bank near the Phoenix Pool. It held together because of the moisture in the sand. As it dried out it began to collapse into a smoother shape. Since then things have change so much. In subsequent years the sand has been gradually ( and significantly ) taken away, like in this most recent storm as Paulespo noted. On the day he was at the springs I was hiking out in the desert mountains and there were pea sized soft snow balls falling in abundance. My pooches wondered what was landing on them from above