Making the Cut

Campus and Community

With great enthusiasm, Colby Woodsmen host annual Mud Meet

The Colby College alumni team celebrates after finishing the crosscut to death event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field
The Colby Woodsmen alumni team celebrates after finishing the crosscut-to-death event as part of the Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field on April 15. Eight teams representing Colby, University of Vermont, and Dartmouth College showed their various lumber skills.
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Photographs by Ashley L. Conti
May 4, 2023

The thwack of axes biting into wood. The full-throated whine of a chainsaw, its operator almost hidden behind a shower of sawdust. The cheers of the crowd, encouraging the competitors to achieve acts of skill, strength, speed, and accuracy. 

It was the Colby Woodsmen’s annual Mud Meet, bringing together teams from Dartmouth College, the University of Vermont, and Colby—including one very enthusiastic Colby alumni team. Although mud was hard to come by on this particular sunny, mid-April Saturday, camaraderie was not. “Keep it up!” the men and women of the woodsmen teams shouted at each other as they sawed, chopped, threw, climbed, and split. “You’ve got this!” 

The team, a co-ed student recreation club, has been active since 1950. Members compete in timber-sport events like the ax throw, crosscut saw, pole climb, and more at meets across the Northeast and Canada. All interested students are welcome to participate—all you need is a willingness to learn and a sense of humor, according to the club web page. It doesn’t hurt, though, to have an appreciation for old-time feats of woodsmen derring-do performed in the fresh air and in the company of friends.

Alyssa Andrews ’17, a socially major, competes in the standing block chop event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
A member of the Colby alumni team, Alyssa Andrews ’17 competes in the standing block chop event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet.
Olivia Thompson ’25, a chemistry major, competes in the pulp toss as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Olivia Thompson ’25, a chemistry major, demonstrates her skills in the pulp toss event.
Cat Santos ’25, a biology and Spanish double major, and Alex Martel, ’23, an environmental science major, use peaveys to move a log down a ramp in the decking event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Cat Santos ’25, a biology and Spanish double major, and Alex Martel, ’23, an environmental science major, use peaveys to control a log in the decking event.
Spectators and timers cheer on participates during the crosscut to death event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Spectators and timers cheer participates during the crosscut-to-death event.
Anooshka Sethi ’25, an environmental policy major, reaches out and rings the bell after competing in the pole climbing event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Anooshka Sethi ’25, an environmental policy major, reaches to ring the bell while competing in pole climbing.
David Smith, Colby College Woodsmen coach, helps Alex Martel, ’23, an environmental science major, line us his saw before the single buck event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
David Smith, right, coach of the Colby Woodsmen, helps Alex Martel, ’23, line up his saw for the single buck event.
Emerson Bracy ’24, a physics and computer science double major, yells to his partner while using a peavey to move a log down up a ramp in the decking event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Emerson Bracy ’24, a physics and computer science double major, yells to his partner while using a peavey in the decking competition.
A saw cuts through a log during the crosscut to death event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Showers of saw dust filled the air at the annual Mud Meet.
Daniel Stokes ’25, a biology major, competes in the pulp toss as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Daniel Stokes ’25, a biology major, competes in the pulp toss.
Rachel Hathaway ’24, an anthropology and eduction double major, carefully uses their chainsaw to cut cookies during the chainsaw disk stack as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Rachel Hathaway ’24, an anthropology and eduction double major, carefully cuts cookies during en event known as the the chainsaw disk stack.
Cat Santos ’25, a biology and Spanish double major, and Alex Martel, ’23, an environmental science major, compete in the crosscut to death event as part of the Woodsmen Mud Meet at the Colby Woodsmen Field Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Cat Santos ’25 and Alex Martel ’23 compete in Mud Meet.

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