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0(1)9:35 C. M. Granger, Acting Chief of the Forest Service, notified Regional Forester Peck on February 7, 1940, that the tentative proposal for a Bighorn Wilderness to be established from the Cloud Peak Primitive Area and adjacent areas, ", . .is hereby given preliminary approval and you are authorized to give public notice of our intention: , _ ," He added, "Since this is the first area to be recommended under Regulation U-1, we cannot give you any practical advice as to the best way to handle the publicity or the hearings. . . ." Tremendous public interest in the Wilderness proposal developed, due primarily to the issue on whether or not to dam Lake Solitude for irrigation purposes, and how the new Wilderness designation would affect the proposed project. Two hearings were held, one on June 3, at Buffalo and the other at Greybull on June 4, 1940, with about 100 persons at each. The Forest Service was represented by C. J, Stahl and John W. Spencer of the Regional Office, and Forest Supervisor J. F. Conner. In his report of June 12, 1940, to the Chief Forester, Stahl stated, "These meetings were extremely illuminating and reflected the deep personal interest held by the Wyoming people. . , . The tone was exceedingly friendly. . .but the public sentiment almost to a man was vigorously opposed to the formal dedication of the proposed wilderness. . ,it is the belief of this Region that the establishment of the Bighorn Wilderness under Regulation U-1 should not be recommened at this time." ~ I I , Consequently, the Cloud Peak Primitive Area did not become the Bighorn Wilderness Area, Following World War II the Forest Service continued to review Primitive Areas, and many were reclassified as Wilderness or Wild Areas. With the passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act, the Forest Service was directed to recommend appropriate action on the remaining Primitive Areas, one of which is Cloud Peak. Recently, a hearing was held on the proposed Cloud Peak Wilderness, and Congress will ultimately determine whether or not a new Wilderness will be designated. 'I I, Ii ,I The Primitive Area has "grown," nevertheless, for in 1962 the Forest Service discovered the original acreage calculations were in error. I nstead of the original 94,000 acres the size is now officially set at 137,000 acres. "