Vermont's northernmost region presents the state's greatest contrasts. To the west, Burlington and its suburbs have grown so rapidly that rural wags say that Burlington's main advantage is that it's "close to Vermont." The north country also contains Vermont's highest mountain, Mt. Mansfield, site of the famous Stowe and Smugglers’ Notch ski resorts. Northeast of Stowe is a sparsely populated and heavily wooded territory, which former senator George Aiken dubbed the "Northeast Kingdom"—the domain of loggers, farmers, and avid outdoors enthusiasts.