I was real smart when I built the hut that I lived in for almost 5 years out in those Michigan woods. First, I tied a thick rope between 2 trees...now, I don't want to get too technical, here, so I'll just get right to the point. That hut was low (about 4 feet at the highest point) and squat and strongly built. It took the weight of 20 inches of snow on 1/6/2014 without collapsing. It took 6 inches of rain in May of 2011 without flooding. I was proud of that hut and I am proud that I managed to live in it for 5 long years (8/18/2010 to 6/18/2015).