B. Shytle 1976. Journal Feb. Mexico: Veracruz, en route to Vulcan San Martin. The area gets very dry as you head south, till it is scruffy chaparral-desert land. This is so even though you go very near to the coast. Also, the lowlands are heavily cleared, & there is virtually no forest except on the steepest slopes of the mountains, which apparently are impossible to clear clean. We stayed the night in Catamarca, in hope of hitting Vulcan San Martin in the morning. 4 Feb. Mexico: Veracruz, Catamarca We attempted to get up Vulcan San Martin- talked to an American named Juan Hiler who runs a refrigerator repair service in town. He told us of 2 ways to approach the mountain - one from San Andres Tuxtla, & the other from the coast. Gulf coast My J. San Martin x s. Andran Tuxtla Catamarca x-Biology station. Either way the road doesn't get too close to the mtn. - we first tried the coast way. The road is long & slow, & we got as far as the tropical biology research station, &