What in the Woods Is That?

Play our biweekly guessing game!

Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.

Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).

Rusty Robot

What is this rusty piece of machinery lying (standing?) in the woods? Photo by Richard Cofrancesco.

Answer

Steam Donkey.

This rusted piece of machinery is an old steam donkey, a steam-powered machine used for cable logging. This particular donkey hauled logs off Mount Ascutney in Vermont. According to photographer Richard Cofrancesco, a nearby brook fed water to the boiler to produce steam to generate power. Hikers along Ascutney’s Futures Trail can see this steam donkey for themselves.

This week’s contest winner was Sam Schneski of Guilford, VT