Total Distance: 11 km
Return Time: 5.5 hours
Elevation Gain: 573 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Region: Tombstone Territorial Park
Traditional Territory: THFN
The route to Incline Mountain follows along the tops of an old moraine, which is the Continental Divide, all the way to the mountainside. Incline Mountain itself is part of the same Continental Divide as well. A steep ascent up the vegetated slope leads to a pleasant ridge walk to the summit. The views are outstanding. Bushwhacking is very minimal if you choose your route carefully.
Parking for the hike is at KM 79.4 of the Dempster Highway. Look for the large pullout on your right (east side of the highway) and park there.
From the parking area, cross the highway and hike up the bank on the other side (you can hike a few meters up the highway to where the bank is more gradual). Once up, turn left (south), parallel to the highway and follow the rocky moraine until you hit the bushes. Continue through the bushes for a few meters until you can see ahead again. Look for a lichen patch on the next high point of the moraine and aim for there. This will be your pattern until you reach the mountainside - aiming for the highest points on the moraines to avoid the bushes. The bushes are chest high for the first few minutes, but will quickly be no more than knee high if you choose a good route. The moraine heads south, paralleling the highway for a while, before circling over to the mountainside.
You will pass a few small lakes. At the second lake, aim for its right (north) side. It may look like it connects to another lake, but there is a actually a good passage between the two lakes. Continue piecing together high points on the moraine until you finally reach the mountain. This should take you about an hour.
The mountain face is fairly steep, but vegetated, making it safe but slow. Work your way up the face until you hit the first secion of ridge. This will likely take you another hour or so.
Once you gain the ridge, the first false summit is up ahead of you. The ridge is rocky and looks difficult, but there are ways through and around all of the small subpeaks on the ridge.
After the rocky subpeak, the true summit of Incline Mountain is 1.5 km away. From here, the ridge is wide and gradual. You will descend slightly and then have a pleasant ridge walk up to the main summit.
The summit of Incline Mountain is flat and vegetated with a panoramic view. Across the valley to the south is North Fork Mountain. Ahead to the west is Whitecrown Mountain and Cathedral Mountain. East across the highway is Angelcomb and Trapper Mountain, as well as the Hart River Road. To your north is Mount Boyle. Return by the same route.
You will have to hike through a few taller bushes at the beginning of the route.
The goal is to aim for high spots on the moraine that are lichen covered and free of bushes.
Hiking up the steep vegetated face to gain access to the ridge.
Looking back towards the highway from on top of the ridge. Approximate route marked in red.
The first part of the rocky ridge.
After the rocky part on the ridge, it opens up to a broad, pleasant ridge walk.
The view west from the summit towards Whitecrown Mountain and Cathedral Mountain.
