I've been looking at Mars every weekend since that's the only time I can be out at 3:00 a.m.
This last weekend I finally got a really good view on Saturday (or very early Sunday)between 2:15 and 3:00. Kevin Z and I were comparing two telescopes in my Palo Alto yard. It was warm and very still. Seeing was very steady and some obvious features were in plain sight such as Syrtis Major, Hellas, Sinus Sabaeus, Mare Serpentis, both poles and some clouds on the limb. After viewing and drawing what I saw I checked my computer to see what features were actually in view. What I drew was an exact mirror image of what Sky Tools said the view should be on both Friday and Saturday, which was satisfying to see -- we were using a 6" Mak-Casss and a 9.25 inch SCT so the picture is supposed to be reversed left to right.
It was refreshing to get such good seeing on Saturday. It may not be as good very often when Mars rises at a more reasonable hour. The SCT outperformed the Mak, which is only possible with steady air and careful collimation. Also an 8 mm Brandon provided better views than a 9 mm Nagler in the 2350 mm focal length SCT.
Mars will start retrograding in a couple of days, which means it will start rising much earlier each night, although it will sink a couple of degrees in declination as well. I'm thinking Hawaii or Cabo San Lucas would make good observing sites...