Yes, the tipi/stove combo allowed us to dry out gear and stay warm and comfortable. I don't know if we would have stayed the entire time without it.
And yes, I am grateful that my wife likes to hunt with me! We have been on several great sheep hunts together (unsuccessful) and she knows what the mountains can be like. We didn't expect to be separated as much as we were and it was great that she was confident to stay alone with the younger kids when the weather was bad. She made sure they had fun closer to camp.