Lake Burton Ski Patriots rides onto the Spring 2023 Lake Living cover

The Lake Burton Ski Patriots rode their skis all the way to the cover of the Spring 2023 Lake Living magazine.

Rabun County resident Melissa Elzey captured the patriotic skiers during a performance on July 4, 2021. The skiers wore red, white and blue American flag bathing suits with American flags attached to their outfits proudly waving in the wind as skiers waved at spectators on the shoreline and boats.

Elzey said the photograph was taken on Lake Burton’s Timpson Cove. She was inspired by the patriotism of the skiers and the bystander in the boat in the background with the beautiful view of the lake as the backdrop.

“I am honored and humbled to have my photo selected for the cover photo of the Lake Living magazine,” Elzey said.

Elzey admitted there are a lot of great photographers in the North Georgia area and to have her photograph selected was “an honor and it humbles me.”

However, Elzey is no stranger to being on the cover as her photographs have been featured in previous Lake Living and Mountain Traveler editions.

Elzey said she has been interested in photography since the 1970s and studied photography at North Georgia Technical College.

She is an events photographer, but said her passion is nature photography.

“Being able to capture the beauty that is around this area and being able to share it with others” is what Elzey said is one of her favorite aspects of photography.

“The North Georgia mountains offer so many beautiful places to photograph,” she said.

The cover image featuring the Lake Burton Ski Patriots combines event and nature photography to create a mesmerizing action shot.

Elzey said the Ski Patriots are “exciting” to watch.

The Lake Burton Ski Patriots started in July 2009 by Rabun County resident Lee Penland and a few family members who skied around Billy Goat Island.

Today it features 40 experienced patriots skiing eight at a time in rotating team sets and traveling approximately 27 miles in about 3 1/2 hours.

Ski Patriots start at Magness Cove and travel to Cherokee Cove, then travel the east side of the main lake to Murray Cove. They go through the east side of the main lake again to Timpson Cove, then to the north end of the lake to turn before the bridge and travel the west side of the lake to Dicks Creek Cove. They then head to Moccasin Creek before traveling the west side of the lake back to Magness Cove.

“It’s just a great event,” said Penland, adding that patriotic music plays as the skiers pass by and participants and onlookers get a thrill out of the event.

As well as being a photographer, Elzey is a dental assistant for the children’s dental program at the Rabun County Health Department, and she volunteers as a dental assistant for Rabun County’s Community Dental program for adults.