In late winter as the temperatures started to warm up, the snow melted slowly in the hills.   I ventured up into the hills overlooking Tranquille River, following double tracks, single tracks, and some cross country sections through the sagebrush and the snow.   From the Mara Trail start, I followed the old wagon track that connects Tranquille to Pruden Pass but then I turned left onto a steep track that goes up over the hills.

 

This area has a few trees, some snags, and some junipers on grassy hillsides.

 

I spotted a sidehill single track which is probably a game trail used by bighorn sheep and deer.   The track had not been used all winter so I stomped in a path around the west side of the hills.

 

 

Views back to Tranquile and Cooney Bay  could be seen for much of the route.

 

 

In the Tranquille River Valley are many erosion landforms, including cobbled towers of glacial till and silts.

 

 

I have followed the line of hills overlooking the river valley up to the narrows on other hikes, but on this occasion I just went to a couple of hilltops for the views, including this one looking north up the Tranquille River.

 

 

Across to the other side of the canyon is Tranquille Ridge with the Pimple at the highest point.   Behind is Jag Hill, the eastern end of Red Plateau.

 

 

The Mara – Tranquille Hills are on the flank of Mount Mara.   the south facing cliffs of the summit are 2.5 km to the east.

 

 

The final section of this hike was down the road to the trailhead , a 5.1 km route in the Tranquille -Mara Hills.