Alberta’s natural splendor can only be fully appreciated with clear eyesight. So if you recently had cataract surgery at our facility in Edmonton or are planning on having it soon, now is the time to plan a trip to see Alberta with your newfound vision. The doctors at Eye Q Premium Laser have helped narrow it down to these four must-see places.
1. Athabasca Falls
Located in Jasper National Park, Athabasca Falls is a powerful, picturesque, 23-meter waterfall that can be viewed from many vantage points and scenic turnouts throughout the park. Picnic sites near the falls allow you to sit and wonder at the sheer force of rushing glacial water cascading over gorge walls made of quartzite, which have been worn away over time by sheer water force. The surrounding area is a spectacular, natural landscape complete with paved hiking trails, including a concrete bridge that allows you access to the base of the falls. And since the color of the Athabasca River changes every season due to the different types of rock flour in the water, you can gaze at its varying shades of blue that range from stormy to cerulean.
2. Mount Lorette Ponds
The Mount Lorette Ponds, located in Kananaskis Country just off of Highway 40, are five tiny ponds formed by the diversion of the Kananaskis River. You can enjoy a nice leisurely hike on the flat trails that loop around the ponds, wondering at wildlife sightings that include mule deer, beavers and migrating bald eagles. Take a picnic lunch and bask in a day of quiet reverie by the clear, deep emerald water. And since the ponds are stocked with rainbow trout, you can also bring some bait and settle in for a nice day of fishing under the watchful eye of Mount Lorette, which looms peacefully overhead.
3. The Hoodoos at Drumheller
Hoodoos are naturally occurring sandstone pillars with a thick shale base and a hard rock top. Between 4 and 7 meters tall, these large, almost mushroom-shaped geological wonders litter the landscape of Drumheller, a community in the Red Deer Valley of the Canadian Badlands. Looking at these odd-shaped pillars, it is easy to understand why Blackfoot and Cree legends cast them as majestic giants that come alive after the sun sets. And although climbing on the hoodoos is not permitted, there are plenty of surrounding trails to hike and bike while you take in the shades of orange, lavender and emerald green of the sedimentary rock and sand layers.
4. Moraine Lake
The brilliant, glistening turquoise water of Moraine Lake is located in stunning Banff National Park. So beautiful is the view of this lake that its panorama was twice memorialized on the Canadian twenty-dollar bill. The lake, created from glacial runoff, is on 110 acres of wilderness surrounded by the Canadian Rockies. A favorite place for fishing, hiking and canoeing, Moraine Lake is especially picturesque in the month of June, when its color becomes multi-hued from the settling silt carried there by glacial runoff. And, at an elevation of 1883 meters, the lake freezes in the winter months, creating a perfect skiing getaway.
Is cloudy vision getting you down? It’s time to consider the stunning landscapes you will be able to take in once you are free of cataracts clouding your vision. Call Eye Q Premium Laser’s corneal specialists at (780) 429-2015 and schedule a consultation.
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