Herb Laeger's new Kern Slab / New Direction Cliffs guide

Kern Valley Climbs

This nice guide includes complete coverage of two climbing spots just north of Kernville, CA. These are excellent winter areas. Both are granite.

Kern slabs offers quality lower angle climbs from 5.7 - 5.12, with many routes in the 5.9 / 5.10 range.

New Directions Cliff has a great variety of climbing from slabs to traditional cracks to steep bolted sport climbs. Grades from 5.8 - 5.12 are well represented, including lots of classics.

This guide is unusual as it is in a map style fold out format printed on the best quality durable waterproof paper. Priced at $15 this is a real bargain.

There is open camping all along the Kern River, and the Headquarters campground is open all year.. Watch out for poison oak. Approach trails will keep you clear of it, it's pretty clear around the base but keep your eyes open. It's pretty thick along the river.

Oh no.... this is going to make the camping more difficult..... oh no!!!

NOT.... thank you Herb for spilling the beans.

This has been my go to spot for 25 years, hardly ever see any other climbers at these roadside spots,and never at the places that are a 1 hour walk....

CLIMBERS.... Buy this book! The next time your driving around Josh, looking for a place to camp, or a place to park your car or a good climb without a collection of boombox, TR hanging, wana be noobs,know it all heros.... remember this.

The weather is almost always much better in the Kern Canyon than the desert, in the dead of winter, than you would think.

Go to spot? 100s of new/previous undocumented routes, really? I visited the area (slabs) on the last day of my first needles area trip a few years back thanks to Slaters ca road trip guide. The 5 minute approach was brutal (and uphill I should add for the gym crowd) , the smooth granite was a far cry from the choice Josh oatmeal choss I was accustomed to, I could smell the other dirtbags fly by without even stopping to glance at the roadside rock but the scope of the area seemed pretty limited compared to my beloved winter playground in jtree (never have an issue avoiding crowds and noobs there since I'm willing to walk more than 5 minutes past my parking spot) and I never returned, was I completely blind to the area's potential? How many more routes does the new guide cover compared to the road trip? Please say at least 80. Maybe Guy would be willing to let me tag along and for a proper tour this winter.

Different subject: what's the status on the needles guide? I saw the ads in Vogel's new guide, has it been printed?

Needles Guide is available for pre-order

kdanielspublishing.com/

C Brooks..... Thanks for the link, they need all the publicity thay can get.

And everbrad.... Yes there are more than 80 climbs within a 4 mile radius of Kern Slabs.

And some really great boulders are found at the top.

Slaters book is OK.. It will get you to a bunch of crags.... But Kelly probability didn't put his boots on for Kern Slab

I'll let you know next time we go in the winter.

Awesome news about the needles guide! Thanks c Brooks.

And Guy, I'll be waiting for that Kern invite. Thanks.

Are there any guides for the Lower Kern just outside of Bakersfield? The info on MP seems to be limited and unclear

Awesome Guide to the area, bought this a few moths ago. Thanks Herb!!!

Brian morin wrote:

Are there any guides for the Lower Kern just outside of Bakersfield? The info on MP seems to be limited and unclear

There is,but I believe it's been out of print for some time now. Your best bet for quality climbing is to just keep driving. 

Awesome thanks for this, I just placed my order.  Now I have an excuse to try Kern River Brewing.

Herb Laeger, is one of the many unsung developers who was quietly putting up hundreds of new routes all over the Sierra including some of the very first at the Needles. A total badass with a hand drill we spent many hours doing routes all over the place. With luck some of those will have the bolts upgraded to 3/8ths. The fishing isn't bad around there either.

During the cooler months Herb and Mark are still putting up lines. Ran into them many times last spring in the new directions/slabs area. Had the pleasure of being first in line for several of the new routes. 

Dunder.....I think you were there when Herb and I had finished 'Lagers With Laeger'. Speaking of guides, guess who has their grubby little paws on the original working copy of the Stonesmashers guide?  Found it being sold on Abebooks. Sent Leversee a PM and he confirmed. Be very jealous.,...

 

Dave Daly wrote:

Dunder.....I think you were there when Herb and I had finished 'Lagers With Laeger'. Speaking of guides, guess who has their grubby little paws on the original working copy of the Stonesmashers guide?  Found it being sold on Abebooks. Sent Leversee a PM and he confirmed. Be very jealous.,...

 

Dave! Hope you’re doing well up there. I believe you’re right about L.W.L.. We also got on “Friction Brewing” right after Marco and Herb finished. Such a fun little spot
As for the guide. DUDE!!! That’s a rad piece of history.
And for your viewing pleasure. My humble submission.

Nice! Eddie gave the book some love. On a somewhat related note, we got out to an obscure place yesterday for some recon work. You might be interested. PM me.