The Traditionalist – Chapter One

In this new 3-part series from acclaimed film-maker Andrea Cossu, we follow Jacopo as he travels from Europe, to America and the UK to gain a deeper understanding of trad-climbing as an art-form, it’s diverse community, culture, ethics and history – exploring what ‘hard-trad’ actually means and whether, when push comes to shove, the grades actually matter.

Chapter 1 | USA

Jacopo’s first stop is Yosemite, California. Jacopo has visited the valley on multiple occasions in the last decade, but usually with his focus on a big-wall objective. This time, he returns with his sights firmly focussed on experiencing the trad culture and history by sampling some of the area’s most iconic classic routes and attempting one of its hardest.