In the late afternoon, volunteers from ASART assisted the South Snowdonia Search and Rescue Team and North Wales Police in the recovery of the body of a walker found collapsed on the path up to Bwlch y Rhiwgyr in the hills above Barmouth. Further investigation will be conducted by N.Wales Police to establish the circumstances surrounding the discovery.

Just after midnight on Saturday morning, Aberdyfi Search & Rescue Team was made aware of a couple trapped in a snow-bound car on the B4931 between Llangynog and Bala. The motorists had ended up on the remote and narrow moorland road at the southern end of the Berwyn range by following SatNav instructions and became trapped in snow around 2:00 pm Friday;
one of a number of similar incidents around North Wales. Prior to ASARTs involvement in the incident, an attempt to reach the motorists by 4x4 had failed because of extensive drifting on the higher sections of road. 

Following the call-out, it was decided that trying to walk the motorists off the hill in the dark would be more hazardous than leaving them in their car, and so volunteers from the team set out at 4:30 a.m. in what were very testing driving conditions, with the aim of reaching the motorists after dawn. Using a Snowdonia National Park Land Rover, and two 4x4s
belonging to team members, the rescue party made their way as far as possible up the closed road before proceeding on foot. Conditions on the moor were extremely difficult with high winds creating drifts above head height and engulfing the entire road. The stranded car was located at around 8:00 a.m., and the passengers, well equipped to sit out the storm in the car but not so ready for being outside, were provided with clothing in preparation for walking off the moorland. With drifting still a serious problem, progress was slow, and the team eventually delivered the weary motorist to Bala by about 10:30 a.m.

 “It is another reminder of the need to apply some common sense when following SatNav instructions in a rural and mountainous area such as ours, especially with the prevailing weather conditions,” said ASART member Graham O’Hanlon. “Fortunately, these people were well enough prepared to sit out their ordeal in a degree of comfort, but it will be some days if not weeks before they see their car again.” 
 

On Saturday afternoon volunteers from the team were called to assist a 
 group of walkers on the upper reaches of the Foxes Path on Cadair Idris.
The party of three men and one woman had encountered snow covered ice sheets and found themselves unable to move either up or down.
 
A team member, already on the mountain, was quickly on the scene and secured the group, while a small rescue party made their way up the Foxes path. Using confidence-ropes where appropriate, the walkers were escorted down the difficult scree, and everyone was off the mountain before darkness fell.

The team were contacted by North Wales Police just before 21:00 last night following reports of a couple walking their dogs lost in the forestry just north of Machynlleth not far from Dyfi Bridge. The team were quickly deployed and a small party assisted by Police officers located the pair and their dogs in thick undergrowth and assisted them to safety. Team stood down at 22:50.