Jacopo Larcher & The Traditionalist: trad climbing in Yosemite Valley

As Jacopo Larcher topped out on his multi-year project Tribe in Cadarese, Italy, the climbing world took note. It was 2019 and Larcher had long-since proven himself to be among the best all-round rock climbers in the world. His successful first ascent of Tribe had followed a plethora of other hard big-wall, sport and trad climbing ascents, which included sport climbs up to 9a+ and dangerous E11 trad routes.

Following his ascent of Tribe, Larcher declined to propose a grade for the route; hesitant to try and sum all of the work, time and emotions that he’d put into this climb in just a simple number grade. However, in alluding to the fact that this was his most difficult climb to date, the climbing community, by large, took that to mean that Tribe might in-fact be the ‘hardest’ trad route in the world. Larcher wasn’t entirely sure if that was true, but from what he had learned through the process of climbing Tribe, he knew that the answer wasn’t quite a simple as that.

In a brand new three-part YouTube series titled The Traditionalist, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Andrea Cossu, Larcher takes viewers on an unparalleled exploration of trad climbing cultures across the globe. From the towering granite walls of Yosemite to the rugged landscapes of the UK and the diverse terrain of mainland Europe, this series delves deep into the heart of what makes trad climbing such a unique and revered discipline within the world of climbing.

Larcher's journey begins in the iconic Yosemite Valley, a place that climbers from all over the world dream of one day visiting. With a fresh perspective, Larcher dives into the local trad culture, experiencing the area's classic climbs and pushing his limits on one of its most challenging and world-renowned trad routes – Meltdown. His appreciation for the valley's history and his insights into the unique granite climbing style make this an unforgettable starting point for the series.