Devil’s Backbone is a rocky headland on the rugged southern Oregon coast, south of Sisters Rock State Park and north of Ophir, Euchre Creek and Gold Beach. The sand along this coastline can be traced to the Klamath Mountains which lie to the south along the Oregon - California border. As these mountains eroded, basins filled with their sediments, then rivers transported them to the coastline. Today, the rocky headlands along the coast prevent the migration of sediments between bays; so, within any pair of headlands, the mineral suites are unique.

The sand on the beach; however, does change with the seasons. This sample, collected in winter, contains mostly fine-grained, yellowish-green epidote, a heavy mineral, plus opaque chromite. During the winter when high energy waves slam the shore, the less dense minerals, including quartz, are swept into deeper water, and the fine-grained, heavy minerals concentrate on the shore. When the milder summer waves return, the quartz sand returns and buries the denser mineral grains.