Rangers find another cow carcass, but no bear activity near hot springs
ASPEN — A Forest Service wilderness ranger found another cow carcass Thursday near Conundrum Hot Springs, southwest of Aspen, but there was little evidence of bear activity in the area.
The agency intends to leave the hot springs open to the public, at least for now, with a sign already posted at the trailhead to warn hikers about conditions at the springs and the potential for bears and other wildlife that may be attracted by the carcasses. It is an 8.5-mile hike to Conundrum from the Aspen side.
Samples of water taken from the hot springs and the creek below were collected Thursday for testing, but results won’t be available before Monday at the earliest, Snelson said.
The carcasses remain in the vicinity after a forest ranger and volunteers hiked to the hot springs early this month to deal with 11 dead cows found in the area. Some were in the designated campsites around Conundrum Hot Springs and inside an old cabin less than a half-mile from the springs. One was in the creek below the springs. The animals were among 29 lost last fall; they belonged to a rancher on the Crested Butte side of the mountains.
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