Burque, here is your ultimate winter hike

There’s always that moment when what you fear becomes what you love.

Hey, don’t leave. I’m not psychoanalyzing you. I’m talking about hiking, man.

I’m talking about that moment – right around the time of the first freeze (anticipated tonight in Albuquerque) – when I go from avoiding the sun to seeking it.

There are some people (my husband included) who would do a full-sun high-desert hike 365 days a year. I am not one of them. From April to October, you will find me at as high elevation as possible, under tree cover.

But at some point in November, when Daylight Savings Time ends and the darkness descends and the cold finally arrives, and my cells crave light, everything changes.

This is the time to go to Three Gun Springs.

This trail tucked into the East Mountain foothills climbs from a residential neighborhood through steep, rugged rock to a saddle with views of a good five mountain ranges. It faces south, so it’s heavenly in the winter (and probably hellish all summer, save for dawn and dusk).

The rock formations – slabs piled high, some covered with lichen – hit me first. Then my eyes drank in the views.

The day was cloudless; the higher we climbed, the bluer the sky. At the saddle it was so intense I almost felt like I was doing something wrong by looking at it.

The sandy arroyo trail rises steadily, lined by cactus, juniper, deep blue berries underfoot. Chunks of Sandia granite glitter gray and pink beneath my feet.

The switchbacks begin. The temperature’s in the 40s, but the entire trail is in the sun. A single layer is plenty. I soak in the light my body’s craving. The grade steepens; my pace slows. I enter that zone where my body’s sole focus is moving legs and poles a little further, where my mind repeats, “If it’s not around the next bend, I’m done.”

This trail was the first long climb I did. The Forest Service measures Three Gun Spring as eight miles round-trip. The first time I did this hike I was so sore I was positive I’d done all eight. It was only recently that I realized there’s significantly more trail after the saddle.

We reached the saddle 90 minutes after leaving the trailhead, enjoyed snacks and views of mountain ranges.

We could feel that the sun’s heat was already ebbing, so we headed down, keeping a brisk pace, chasing the warmth. About 60 percent of the way down, the sun dropped behind canyon walls, outpacing us.

We moved even quicker to stay warm.

Jays and robins darted among the junipers. A man walked three dogs in the open space beyond the trail. The dogs engaged coyotes, which we couldn’t see, but their yips echoed through the canyon. We could hear the dogs’ owner warning them away. Finally, they trotted off, and they – and we – left the coyotes to enjoy their warm winter canyon.

Hike length: 5.5 miles

Difficulty: moderate

Trail traffic: moderate

Wildlife spotted: jays, robins, coyotes (heard only)

TIP! For maximum sunlight this time of year, if you’re going to the saddle, leave by 12:30. If you’re going further, leave earlier.