LNT Answer 1

"d." U.S. Forest Service policy limits group size to no more than 10 in official wilderness areas; some hikers voluntarily observe this limit for all backcountry travel. Smaller groups reduce disturbance in sensitive areas (alpine zones, steep slopes, wetlands, etc.), whereas larger groups might be fine in other areas. However, large groups are more likely to disrupt the peace and solitude for which others have come outdoors. In general, the more fragile and remote the terrain, the smaller the group should be.