Rachael's dream has always been to compete in the acclaimed Iditarod. On September 19 2003, after a high profile public debate, the Iditarod Trail Committee made a landmark decision to unanimously approve Rachael's request for special accommodations that would allow her and her dog team to compete safely in the Iditarod. And, like any Iditarod musher, Rachael would first be required to successfully complete two Iditarod qualification races.

During the historic meeting, Rachael had satisfied the Committee that she possessed the skills and experience to deal with potential hazards on the trail and care for her dogs to the highest standards required by the race. Rachael would be allowed run the 1,150 mile continuous race and its qualifiers with a visual interpreter who, driving a second dog team and communicating via two-way radio, would ride ahead of Rachael to warn her of obstacles such as low hanging branches, broken ice and even moose on the trail. These are obstacles that a normally sighted musher would be able to see.

Rachael officially qualified for the 2005 Iditarod in March of 2004 by completing the two required qualifying races in very tough conditions. Rachael said, "I purposely chose the two toughest Iditarod qualifiers, The Race to the Sky and the Beargrease Marathon. By running these two extremely challenging races I knew I would be in a much better position to evaluate the dogs' and my strengths and weaknesses. I am so excited to now be preparing for the Iditarod."

Rachael realized her life long dream of competing in the Iditarod in March 2005. After successfully reaching the Eagle Island Eagle Island checkpoint (732 miles from Anchorage) Rachael’s dog team began to show signs of sickness, apparently having contracted a virus on the trail. After careful consideration, Rachael made the difficult decision to scratch based on the well being of her dogs.

In March 2006, Rachael will return to Alaska even more determined to finish the historic race.