The Adirondack Mountain Club popularly known as "the ADK" was founded in 1922 as an organization for people interested in promoting conservation, recreation, and education in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York State. It has since grown substantially from 208 charter members to over 20,000 members enrolled at large and in one of many chapters situated throughout New York, , and Pennsylvania.

The idea of forming the ADK was conceived by Meade C. Dobson, who was then an official of the New York State Association of Real Estate Boards as well as the Palisades Interstate Park Trail Conference . He believed there was need for a private organization that could help the State develop trails and shelters which would make remote areas of the Adirondacks better accessible to hikers and backpackers. Encouraged by the initial support of his idea from George D. Pratt, Conservation Commissioner of New York State, and William G. Howard, Superintendent of Forests, Dobson invited other like-minded individuals to a special pre-organization meeting held on December 5, 1921, at the Log Cabin atop Abercrombie and Fitchsporting goods store in New York City . From the 40 people present, an organization committee was formed, including representatives of outing, recreational, educational, government, and business interests. In addition, they formed a Charter Membership Committee.

Plans were quickly formulated and on April 3, 1972, 75 of the 208 certified charter members attended the formal organization meeting at the A and F Log Cabin. They proceeded to organize the club by electing executive officers and a board of governors, and adopting the constitution and bylaws. Within two weeks a certificate of incorporation was filed with the New York State Government, that was officially granted April 25, 1922. Among the stated objectives in the Certificate of Incorporation was to develop and maintain trails; to construct and maintain campsites, open shelters (lean-tos), and permanent camps, maintain a bureau of information about the Adirondacks, publish maps and guidebooks, and educate the public regarding the conservation of natural resources and prevention of forest fires.

In October 1922, ADK held a general business meeting at the Lake Placid Club, in which the main item on the agenda was a motion presented at the April Meeting by Warwick Carpenter regarding Mountain slope protection and recreational development. To deal with the motion, a conservation committee was formed withHenry S. Graves, Dean of Yale Forestry School , as chairman. The committee presented a report rejecting the Carpenter proposal as being too specific as to areas to be acquired. The Executive Committee approved the conservation committee's rejection, which was subsequently endorsed by the majority of members. Also, at this meeting the club formally recognized the establishment of local chapters at Albany and New York City . In January 1923, ADK held its first annual meeting in which the membership received reports submitted by the club officers, committees, and local chapters. The election officers and governors also took place.

In its early years when there were few trails, ADK supplemented the work of the New York State Conservation Department by clearing and marking 140 miles of trails. This included the Northville-Lake Placid Trail, a task completed within two years, which traverses the Adirondack Mountains from north to south for more than 130 miles. The trail is now maintained by the state. Other trails and shelters were built in the high peaks region leading out from the Johns Brook Valley to the Great Range and Mount Marcy . The club maintains a portion of these trails including part of the scenic Range Trail and those over Big Slide Mountain . Trail work continues today under special contract with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the enlistment of volunteers from local chapters and members-at-large. The ADK Trails Committee, originally known as Trails, Camps, and Shelters, has coordinated these activities from the very beginning.

In the field of conservation, the club has had an established policy since 1928, that has advocated recreational use and development of the Adirondack Park in proper balance with the "Forever Wild" provisions of the State Constitution. Through the years, the ADK Conservation Committee has pursued this policy objective by actively lobbying in Albany for sound conservation legislation. In 1931, the club supported the Hewett amendment which enlarged the Adirondack Park and permitted the State to protect Forest lands outside the Park. When rampant commercialization threatened the region as a result of the Winter Olympics, pamphlets were distributed by ADK to help defeat the Porter-Brereton Recreation Amendment in 1932. Later in the decade, the club strongly supported the retention of the "Forever Wild" provision in the revised New York State Constitution, crafted by special convention in 1938. The 1940's began with a spirited debate between club members who supported, and those against the Whiteface Ski Trail Amendment. In October 1945, the club convened a Conservation Forum to establish a plan of action regarding anticipated postwar growth in recreation and other uses that could greatly effect the wild character of the Adirondack Park. This was also the beginning of almost a decade long struggle to defeat the proposed Moose River Reservoir-Panther Dam proposal and amendments related to recreational development, mining, and lumbering interests. Highway construction also became a major concern of the club, especially proposed road through the Indian Pass Wilderness and in 1958-1959, the proposed route of the Adirondack Northway. During the 1960's, the club was once again in the forefront of efforts not to have constitutional guarantees weakened at the 1967 Convention as well as supporting the Conservation Bill of Rights Legislation. Proposals to create an Adirondack National Park and the Gooley Dam Project on the Hudson River were rejected by the ADK. In recent decades, the ADK has been supportive of and constantly working for the improvement of the State Land Master Plan and related administrative activities of the Adirondack Park Agency. The club has also taken interest in federal legislation such as the clean air and water acts, the wild and scenic river project, and wildlife protection measures.

Recreational opportunities have been available to the club's members from the very beginning. Annual weekend outings are held each Spring, usually in the Catskill and Autumn at Keene Valley . An extended outing program began in 1958 with a special trip to the Canadian Rockies . Since, ADK has sponsored trips to western United States, Canada, and other parts of the world. Each chapter also has their own outing programs. Winter recreation programs have been promoted by ADK since mid-1930's when it created the Winter Activities Committee to serve members interested in snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Since 1948, badges have been awarded to individuals and groups showing outstanding accomplishments in winter mountaineering. In 1954, a five day Winter Mountaineering School was begun that offers training sessions on snowshoeing, ski touring, ice climbing, and rescue techniques as well as lectures on safety. This program has been jointly administered since 1974 with the Appalachian Mountain Club . A special beginners weekend school has been offered since the early 1980's. The Winter Activities Committee was renamed Outdoor Activities Committee during the 1960's with the establishment of rock climbing and canoeing programs. During the 1970's the boom in hiking and backpacking activities led to the creation of the Ridge Runner Program starting in 1974, when three individuals were hired to patrol the main trails giving advise, information, and occasional warnings regarding proper conduct in wilderness. This was a pilot program that was eventually assumed by the DEC's rangers.

The ADK has enhanced its recreational programs through the ownership and operation of two mountain lodges. Adirondack Loj, situated on Heart Lake near Lake Placid, was leased by the club for many years beginning in 1932. It was purchased outright in 1958 and substantially renovated in 1962-1963 including the construction of an annex that provided kitchen and rest room facilities. A shelter for hikers and backpackers was built on the grounds during the mid-1970's. Johns Brook Lodge, situated 3 « miles by foot trail from Keene Valley, was constructed by the club, 1924-1925 as a base camp for hiking and climbing in the High Peaks region. It too has undergone renovations over the years. Cabins and lean-tos are also situated on ADK lands surrounding the lodge.

Publishing has been a principle ADK function from almost the very beginning. Its first major venture was a 4-8 page newsletter issued periodically beginning in November 1922, known as High Spots. This publication was expanded to a 20+ page quarterly magazine in 1930 that offered feature articles on hiking, camping, conservation, nature, history, and literature as well as club news. After 1937, High Spots became an annual yearbook before it was phased out after the 1944 issue. Meanwhile, the ADK Bulletin, a new bimonthly periodical emerged in 1937 that originally consisted of 10-12 pages of news about club activities, events, and policies. In 1945, it was renamed The Ad-i-ron-dac with an expanded format that included feature articles. The present title Adirondac first appeared in 1962 along with increased issuance to ten per year. It was reduced to six issues per year in 1990.

Another significant publication project began in 1934, when a pocket guide to trails of the high peaks region was released. This was the first in a series that now covers the entire Adirondack Park. These guides have been revised and updated several times. In conjunction with the guidebooks, ADK published special trail maps. In addition, ADK has provided a map marking service that annotates U.S.G.S. topographic maps. During the 1950's, the first edition of the Adirondack Bibliography was released, which too has been revised several times.

The educational function of ADK has not been so much a separate entity, but rather a major aspect of its policies and programs in conservation, recreation, and publications. Conservation is enhanced by public information campaigns that have generated popular support for maintaining constitutional and statutory protection of the Adirondack Park and other wilderness areas in New York State. Recreation has been enhanced by schools and workshops on activities such as backpacking, bicycle touring, canoeing, rock climbing, and snowshoeing. In addition, ADK has published several brochures on wilderness customs and safety. Since the 1960's, education has been furthered by Ranger-Naturalist programs held at Adirondack Loj during the summer. It includes seminars on subjects such as flora, fauna, ecology, and geology.

Governance of ADK has been accomplished chiefly by the Executive Officers and the Board of Governors. The executive officers now consist of the president, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd vice presidents, secretary, treasurer, and executive director, all of which are elective post except the latter two. The executive director is appointed by the Board of Governors to serve as the chief administrative officer of the club's main headquarters. It evolved from part-time clerical position created circa 1928, called the executive secretary. In 1956, it became a full-time job with managerial responsibilities and given the present title in 1972. The administrative offices are presently housed in a building it owns situated near Lake George, New York . For many years, the club operated out of rental office space or the homes of its executive secretary. In 1973, the former Friends Meeting House in Glens Falls was purchased by the club for its headquarters and was maintained until 1990, when the club moved to a new facility near Lake George .

In closing this section, the intent here was only to provide a brief overview of the ADK club history in regards the organization's principle activities and functions. Comprehensive histories are available in special anniversary issues of the Adirondac: November 1972 and November 1982.