The U.S. Forest Service is trying to figure out what to do with a bunch of frozen cows that died after getting stuck in a cabin in the Rocky Mountains. One solution brought up was to blow up the frozen cows however a group of rangers are worried that the such a tactic would pose a high fire risk.
Rangers have also proposed using trucks and helicopters to remove the animals however helicopters would likely be too expensive and forest rangers are worried that trucks would destroy wilderness areas since the government bars permanent improvements and the forest is meant to be naturally preserved.
Another possible option would be to use pack animals to drag the dead cows out of the cabin.
With at least six cows already dead removing the animals before the snow melts is a priority since decomposing bodies could cause water contamination in the nearby hot springs. Forest Service spokesman Brian Porter tells Newser:
“There is a lot of snow, and it’s hard to determine how many cows are there.”
The cows were first discovered by Air Force Academy cadets who were show shoeing in the area in late March.
Located in the Conundrum Hot Springs the cabin is just a nine-mile hike from Aspen, Colorado and is located in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area.
Using explosives to remove the dead animals wouldn’t be a first for the US Forest Service, they have done the same for dead horses, elk and other animals that are too big to easily remove.