What Happens When A Cow Gets Stuck In A Spectacular Utah Slot Canyon?
Peak-a-Boo Gulch © Dave Webb |
A cow did in fact get stuck in one of
our most popular slot canyons and, well, the outcome was horrible for
all involved. Especially for the cow.
This
blog at SLTrib.com described a “comedy of errors” that began
when a cow became stuck in Peek-a-Boo Gulch, part of the very popular
Peek-a-Boo/Spooky
Gulch loop off Hole
in the Rock Road in Grand
Staircase Escalante National Monument.
If you planned to go there anytime
soon, don't. Visitation is low in winter but some hardy folks still
hike in the area. Hopefully, by spring the mess will be cleaned up.
Cattle graze legally throughout much of
the national monument, but are prohibited from Peek-a-Boo and other
nearby canyons. Somehow the cow wandered into the area and became
lodged in a tight spot in the slot.
The rancher was notified and ranch
hands made considerable effort to free the valuable animal. But his
efforts failed. When they decided the animal was hopelessly stuck
they “put it down.” They then “cut off the head and front
quarters,” hoping they could carry out the pieces, but the hind
quarters “remained wedged in a narrow passage.”
The ranch hands then “piled wood
under the carcass and lit it in hopes the flames would consume enough
of the cow that it could be pulled out.” That failed and, in the
process, rocks and dirt fell into the canyon and partially covered
the animal.
National Monument officials are now
trying to decide how to get more of the carcass out. Hopefully, they
will find a way before the next flash flood hits. Such floods move
boulders and could carry the carcass down into the middle of the
canyon.
I've hiked Peak-a-Boo many times and it
is easy to see how a cow could get stuck. Area ranchers know they
need to keep their animals away, but mistakes do occur.
I expect it will be cleaned up soon and
hiking conditions will be good come spring.
– Dave Webb
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