Events
News
Backtracks
Contact
Resources
Reports
About Us
Who We Are
The Laurentian Chapter comprises about 250 households, mostly in the St Lawrence River and Ottawa River Valley regions, with a few members as far away as Florida and California.
In our region, the Laurentian Chapter:
- builds and maintains trails,
- supports and advises other conservation organizations,
- promotes regional land protection and conservation efforts, and
- partners with schools, universities, and other organizations to provide environmental and conservation education and teach outdoor skills.
Mission
The Laurentian Chapter follows the CARES mission of the Adirondack Mountain Club overall: Conservation, Advocacy, Recreation, Education, and Stewardship.
Conservation - In addition to supporting the Club’s overall conservation efforts, the Laurentian Chapter focuses on issues specifically affecting our region. For an overview of ADK’s positions on current conservation and advocacy issues, visit the ADK conservation page.
Advocacy - Chapter members participate in, and often lead, local, regional and statewide committees and conservation activities. Members attend state hearings, write politicians, and contact public agencies to influence issues ranging from land use classification to waterway regulation.
Recreation - The chapter schedules outings throughout the year. Membership is not required to participate, and there is no charge. Check our Events & Outings page or download the most recent North Wind for information about upcoming trips.
Education - The Laurentian Chapter sponsors area teens attending several programs that promote a sensitivity to proper care and respect of the resources and natural beauty we enjoy in all wild lands, and the importance of proper stewardship to ensure their continuance. These include the Teen Trailwork crews run by ADK for kids ages 15-18, the DEC’s environmental Camp Colby for kids ages 12-14, and 4H’s Adirondack Experience.
Our monthly winter Outdoors-Indoors program and our semi-annual potlucks present wide-ranging talks with slide shows. These include locally-oriented subjects, such as Adirondack geology and astronomy, as well as more exotic material such as travels in Tibet, mountain hikes of Kilimanjaro and Aconcogua, and camel caravans in Timbuktu.
Occasional hands-on workshops include subjects such as map and compass use, packbasket making, and introductions to snowshoeing and hiking.
Stewardship - The Chapter maintains the Stone Valley and Red Sandstone trails.
Bylaws
The Laurentian Chapter Bylaws provide the framework for implementing the Chapter’s mission.
The Laurentian Loon
The Laurentian Chapter was formed in 1972, the fiftieth anniversary of the Adirondack Mountain Club.
Thirteen years later, in fall, 1985, The Laurentian executive committee decided the chapter should have its own logo. The Winter, 1986, issue of The North Wind (the chapter’s newsletter) announced a logo design contest, with a submission deadline 3 months later. The only requirement was that the design be suitable both for black and white use on stationery and newsletter and for color use on an embroidered patch.
Four artists submitted designs. The designs were displayed at the Mudseason Potluck Supper at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Canton on April 18, 1986. Anna Gerhard Arnold’s loon design (at right) was among the entries. The designs were on display before and during the meal, with discussion and decision scheduled for after supper.
The first speaker during the discussion was Paul Jamieson. He argued eloquently that the loon was the appropriate choice because the loon is more common in the Laurentian region of the Adirondacks than in other areas. This argument persuaded the rest of the members present: no contrary opinions were offered, and Paul’s comments were both the beginning and the end of the discussion.
The Laurentian Loon made its debut in the fall of 1986, appearing on the cover of North Wind and on the Laurentian Chapter patch. The Laurentian Loon has also appeared on T-shirts, sweatshirts, and coffee mugs.
The Laurentian Loon patch is much admired, both by members of the Laurentian Chapter and by members of other chapters.