Hi John,

Sounds grand! I'll leave the weather discussion to others more familiar with the region, but concur that afternoon tstorms and unexpected snow are two planning points.

You have the double-whammy of sun exposure and altitude. Sun protection is very important, both skin and eye. Consider headwear, sunglasses, and perhaps longsleeve shirt and long pants. Depends on your burn sensitivity, of course.

If you're used to lowland hiking, the thin air takes some getting used to. The first day or two shouldn't be brutally ambitious if coming from near sea level. Everybody has a different ability to adjust, so you won't know until you get on the trail. Even a day in town before leaving helps. In general, stay hydrated and eat throughout the day, even if you don't feel thirsty or hungry. It's better to stave off altitude sickness and fatigue than recover from it.

Campsites tend to be smallish and favor compact tents. Tents that use a lot of stakes can be a problem--you don't need self-standing but one without a lot of guylines is easier to fit into tight, rocky spots.

Nights can get cold, fast, in the open. Make sure to have enough sleeping bag to handle the low temps and I highly recommend a hooded down parka. Very light ones are available these days.

In the Sierra, water becomes scarce in late summer but I don't know about Utah. Quiz the locals to find out how much you may have to tote between fill-ups.

There's a lot more, but that's a starter list at least.

Happy planning!