Valley women participate in 9-day off-road navigation event

Published 3:30 pm Friday, October 3, 2025 By Grace Gorenflo, Snoqualmie Valley Record

Trista Smith (right) and her teammate Karisa Haydon stand with their Ford Bronco in 2024. Photo courtesy of Ernesto Araiza

Two women from the Snoqualmie Valley are participating in the Rebelle Rally this month, a nine-day competition that takes them on an unpredictable journey through the desert.

Rebelle Rally is the first U.S. women’s off-road navigation rally raid, started by Emily Miller in 2016. It covers 2,500 kilometers (about 1,550 miles) of desert terrain in California and Nevada. Participants compete in teams of two — one navigator and one driver — navigating without GPS or cellphones.