ASPEN, Colo. — Federal forest officials want visitors of a Colorado hot springs to be very careful about the frozen cows found in a remote cabin nearby.

Rangers believe the cows wandered into the cabin near the popular Conundrum Hot Springs during a snowstorm but couldn’t find their way out. Air Force Academy cadets found their frozen carcasses while snowshoeing in late March.

Additional Photos

This April 6, 2012, photo provided by the U. S. Forest Service shows the Conundrum Creek Cabin, in the White River National Forest, near Aspen, Colo., where as many as six cows remain that froze to death. U.S. Forest Service spokesman Steve Segin said today they need to decide quickly how to get rid of the carcasses. The options: Use explosives to break up the cows, burn down the cabin, or using a helicopters or trucks to haul out the carcasses.
This April 6, 2012, photo provided by the U. S. Forest Service shows the Conundrum Creek Cabin, in the White River National Forest, near Aspen, Colo., where as many as six cows remain that froze to death. U.S. Forest Service spokesman Steve Segin said today they need to decide quickly how to get rid of the carcasses. The options: Use explosives to break up the cows, burn down the cabin, or using a helicopters or trucks to haul out the carcasses. AP

U.S. Forest Service spokesman Bill Kight said today that water samples have been taken to determine if the hot springs were contaminated by the dead animals.

Rangers want the carcasses gone before they thaw. Removal options include explosives or burning down the cabin.

In the meantime, officials have posted warning signs about the cows around the hot springs near Aspen in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

Related Stories
Latest Articles