This is really useful, especially since you can view satellite images. Here in the Pacific NW, just having clear dark skies is not enough.. you also need a clear-cut on top of a hill!
There's a popular spot north of LA where a lot of the amateur astronomy groups meet up that sounds similar. It's the top of a mountain, but the viewing is severely limited because of the height of all of the trees surrounding the area, but it's the only/best place within a 90 minute drive of downtown LA. Beautiful drive up to the location too.
I guess that's Mount Pinos. You can go a little further north from there into the desert and it's really dark there to see the whole Milky Way across the sky.
