About Gwendolyn Craig

Gwen is an award-winning journalist covering environmental policy for the Explorer since January 2020. She also takes photos and videos for the Explorer's magazine and website. She is a current member of the Legislative Correspondents Association of New York. Gwen has worked at various news outlets since 2015. Prior to moving to upstate New York, she worked for a D.C. Metro-area public relations firm, producing digital content for clients including the World Health Organization, the Low Income Investment Fund and Rights and Resources Initiative. She has a master's degree in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She has bachelor's degrees in English and journalism, with a concentration in ecology and evolutionary biology, from the University of Connecticut. Gwen is also a part-time figure skating coach. Contact her at (518) 524-2902 or gwen@adirondackexplorer.org. Sign up for Gwen’s newsletter here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Contrarian says

    Interesting that the chapter went out of its way to avoid addressing the specific accusations, both to ADK and to the Explorer. Telling.

    I’d be curious to know why ADK sanctions chapters so far away from the Adirondacks anyways. Harriman SP is a great place but a lodge there has nothing to do with the Adirondacks.

  2. Richard Weinberg says

    The chapter location makes sense because so many ADK members live near Nawakwa. I would like to read the written rationale for shutting the chapter, and response. (I am not an ADK member)

    • Brian Parks says

      The rationale for dissolution is written above. The chapter is unethically excluding people based on current members’ biases, funds are being deliberately misappropriated, and there is strong evidence of tax improprieties. You won’t find a response to this rationale because the chapter hasn’t given one, which should tell you all you need to know.

  3. Brian Parks says

    The rationale for dissolution is written above. The chapter is unethically excluding people based on current members’ biases, funds are being deliberately misappropriated, and there is strong evidence of tax improprieties. You won’t find a response to this rationale because the chapter hasn’t given one, which should tell you all you need to know.

  4. William Cramer says

    More “pay to play”? Nice. Thank you ADK here in the Adirondacks for making the public, both members and non-members feel welcome and appreciated. As for the elitist snobs represented by this article… Get over yourself. Waiting for the discrimination suits against you. Why should they even be a part of the ADK if they are outside the Blue Line?

  5. Zephyr says

    For those that don’t know despite having “Adirondack” in their title ADK has long billed itself as a club for all the hiking areas in New York State of interest to its members. I think there may still be a New Jersey chapter too. Like most things in New York State the biggest sources of revenue for ADK is probably downstate. One queer thing about the way the chapters work is that they retain most of the annual membership dues and spend that money however they want with little regard for how the mother organization wants things to be done.

  6. louis curth says

    NYC Chapter sues ADK Club…..
    Reference: HAS ADK LOST ITS WAY?
    Article by Phil Terrie in Adirondack Almanack 3/8/21

    Sometime after the first earth day in 1970, the Upper Hudson Environmental Action Committee decided to sponsor weekly hikes, paddles and ski trips in addition to its environment action agenda. Soon we were contacted by Grant Cole, a very nice man, who was the Exec. Director for the Adk Mtn Club back then. He asked us to consider becoming a new North Creek chapter of the Mountain Club.

    Our board members debated the offer and ultimately we decided that we would go it alone because we did not feel that the Adk Mtn Club was forceful enough in fighting for the issues that we cared about. We never regretted that decision, but then again, in retrospect, the Mountain Club is still going strong today and the U.H.E.A.C. is just a memory…..

    We all need ADK to find its way to a better way. Good luck!

  7. Chris Rohner says

    A disappointing story about a chapter of a wonderful club I have been a member of my whole life. The idea that a chapter can be part of ADK and incorporated on their own seems like a recipe for mixed agendas… which seems to have happened here. Time to clean up. In addition I’m saddened to hear that younger families seem to be seen as a problem by the NY chapter. As a whole ADK tries hard to be inclusive and encourage younger people to explore the great outdoors.

  8. MT says

    After college, when I moved from the North Country to New York City, I was excited to learn there was a local chapter. However after looking into the chapter’s events, it seemed clear to me that there was not much affection for the Park. From what I recall, despite being less than half a day’s drive from the Adirondacks, there was not one chapter event where a group went north of Harriman. I also recall having the feeling that Camp Nawakwa was an exclusive part of the club into which I was not about to be welcomed – a far cry from what I expected from an ADK Chapter. That was nearly 10 years ago and I still remember the disappointment.

    Seems things changed little, or for the worse, so I am unfortunately not surprised to read this. And for what it’s worth – which isnt’ much, while I considered an at-large membership, ADK has lost out on ten years of dues because of it. (Nearly all made up for in the extra I’ve paid for Loj parking and on publications over the years! )

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