Monsoon Country

Beau Simmons

I was granted access to one of the most historic and iconic ranches in Arizona, the O RO Ranch. The ranch is one of the biggest in the state and is one of the most rugged terrains I’ve had to work in. On some of the camps, there are no roads and everything needs to be brought in or out by horseback. Long draws stretch across the valley as the ground is completely covered in bowling ball sized rocks. During this cattle drive we covered over 12 miles on horseback before I was able to grab my camera and quickly capture this scene while on my horse. As we crept up and over a hill, I was in awe at what was on the other side. I held my horse back as the herd moved past me until I was able to frame one of the cowboys in my viewfinder. The giant monsoon clouds loomed over the distant mountains and covered the horizon in lightning showers for the rest of the day. Probably one of the most spectacular views I’ve seen while working in the southwest.