Arch at Wire Pass / Buckskin Confluence - vandalism or natural collapse?

[Glenn]

{I sent an email to the BLM folks in Kanab already, but thought maybe someone here might have some info or ideas as well}

Last month, when hiking out of Wire Pass and entering the confluence with Buckskin Gulch, I was surprised by the pile of debris under the arch there. Even though this was my first visit, I had seen pictures and wasn't expecting the amount of present-day cutting and graffiti in the cliff face, nor the broken up rock. Judging from photos I've found online, it appears this happened within the past year (see link below and compare to attached photos).

If it was vandalism, I

[Glenn]

I just heard back from someone at the BLM. He said that the ledge is built up with sand from the floods during monsoon season. Then it dries and crumbles.

I was surprised that this kind of hydrologic activity could act on such a short cycle. Maybe I timed it right, but I couldn't find any other photos of this arch on the Internet that showed this amount of breakup. In fact, all of them showed the nice, clean ledge that's deep enough to sit on top.

When I head back there in November, I'll have to drop by and see what it looks like again (plus find the petroglyphs I missed the last time around).

[kiwi_outdoors]

we also missed finding the ptroglyphs in may of 2013