Steve, was that the storm you had the pictures of a while back? I think you were up in the Sierra somewhere north of Yosemite if I remember the trip report right.

I think the worst weather I have been in camping was just some heavy rain in New Zealand. One time the camp manager took pity on me and my girlfriend and let us use one of the little cabins he had. My old Flashlight (new at the time) held up remarkably well another time. Some of the other campers weren't quite so lucky. It definitely pays to have a good tent in bad weather.

Down in NZ, most of the popular tracks have huts on them about a day apart just for that reason. There are mountain huts scattered around as well, some a bit fancier than others, but in a bad storm, nothing like a big wooden box between you and the outside world.