I organize trips with friends. The process is different than teaching - you make decisions mostly before the trip - that determines the outcome as much as what you do on the trip. Who you take with you makes a huge difference.

Social trips need leadership, too. Not the kind you have with a class of people tho. People who have less experience sometimes can't figure out the subtle skill of backpacking to the point that they are able to self monitor and often want to not slow the group up. Even when I do the pre-trip briefing on how to NOT be polite (not complaining vs. identifying and alerting the group to situations or conditions that may have an impact on the trip or the person's safety) I still have people who can't bring themselves to speak up when they have blisters or feel slightly ill.

And with a hiking group formed by some outside "glue" (the sierra club, or any group run through meet up, or some other group website - facebook groups count) it's hard to get the screening or the leadership on the trip that a backpack trip needs to be successful.