▁lies ▁about ▁ 3 5   km ▁off ▁the ▁border ▁of ▁Costa ▁Rica . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁tw elf th ▁highest ▁peak ▁in ▁Central ▁America . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁its ▁height ▁and ▁the ▁narrow ness ▁of ▁the ▁is th mus ▁of ▁Pan ama , ▁it ▁is ▁possible ▁( though ▁relatively ▁rare ) ▁to ▁see ▁both ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁and ▁Car ib bean ▁Sea ▁from ▁Vol c án ▁Bar ú ' s ▁peak ▁on ▁a ▁clear ▁day . ▁ ▁Geography ▁The ▁small ▁town ▁of ▁Vol c án ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁Vol c án ▁Bar ú ▁s its ▁on ▁the ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁a ▁huge ▁la har ▁that ▁appears ▁to ▁have ▁bre ached ▁the ▁cal der a . ▁ ▁A ▁small ▁river ▁has ▁er oded ▁the ▁la har ▁expos ing ▁an ▁ancient ▁forest ▁below ▁dated ▁to ▁about ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁years ▁old ▁( Ste wart , ▁pers . ▁communication ). ▁ ▁Vol c án ▁Bar ú ▁is ▁surrounded ▁by ▁a ▁fert ile ▁area ▁of ▁cool ▁high lands ▁dra ined ▁by ▁the ▁Ch iri qu í ▁Vie jo ▁and ▁Cal der a ▁R ivers . ▁The ▁towns ▁of ▁Vol c án ▁and ▁Cer ro ▁P unta ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁on ▁its ▁western ▁side , ▁while ▁Bo qu ete ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁eastern ▁fl ank . ▁ ▁The ▁occas ional ▁fall ▁of ▁ha il ▁or ▁ice ▁pel lets ▁has ▁been ▁reported ▁on ▁the ▁sum mit , ▁where ▁the ▁minimum ▁temperature ▁can ▁be ▁below ▁ 0   ° C ▁( 3 2  