U.S. Forest Service considers blowing up Colorado cabin filled with frozen cows
A farmer grooms a cow at on February 25, 2012.
The US Forest Service is considering using explosives to dislodge a group of cows that wandered into an old ranger cabin in the Rocky Mountains and now are frozen solid, the Associated Press reported.
Two Air Force Academy cadets discovered the animals at the cabin, near the Conundrum Hot Springs, a few weeks ago. Park rangers speculate the cattle were trying to escape a snowstorm.
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Forest Service, Steve Segin, said time was of the essence.
"Obviously… we don't want them defrosting," Segin said.
The Aspen Daily News quoted officials who were worried the hot springs could be contaminated if the cows start decomposing.
“We need to dispose of them sooner than later,” said Scott Snelson, Aspen-Sopris ranger with the US Forest Service. “It needs to be done within weeks.”
The animals came from a herd of 29 cows that went missing last fall.
Rangers reported about six cows inside the cabin and several dead cows lying around the building.
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