Mountainous is the operative word in San Mateo Ixtatán.  They are magnificent.  The altitude (8,400 ft.) reduces even the most athletic American to huffing and puffing after a few steps.  The altitude controls and defines much of what is San Mateo: the toughness and hardiness of its population, the relative difficulties of local agriculture, and the handcrafts made for the cold.
The difficulties of the terrain beg the question --why did people settle there? 

The answer is Salt. The Aztecs traveled through San Mateo Ixtatán seeking the black salt produced there. In fact, it is thought that the word “Ixtatán” is a modified version of the Nahuatl word “Ixtatlán,” meaning “abundance of salt.” This famous salt has curative powers for the treatment of stomach ailments and headache.