Hot springs to stay open, despite frozen cows

By The Associated Press
Saturday, May 19, 2012

ASPEN — A popular hot springs area near Aspen will remain open after U.S. Forest Service rangers carved up several frozen cows in an attempt to prevent the carcasses from contaminating the water.

But Scott Snelson, a ranger in the White River National Forest, is still warning hikers that cow feces is in and around Conundrum Hot Springs and “going up there may not be as pleasant an experience as people once enjoyed.”

The Aspen Daily News reports Forest Service officials also were concerned the carcasses would attract bears, but since the bruins are still at lower elevations, there doesn’t appear to be a threat.

Crews cut up 11 dead cows that were found frozen near the springs and inside a nearby cabin. Rangers believe the cows wandered into the cabin during a snowstorm but couldn’t find their way out.