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> the Andromeda Galaxy (distance ~ 2,4 million light years), which is very hard to see with the naked eye

That's due to light pollution in populated areas.

If you're out in the deep desert, it's not that hard to see. The night sky in the desert is a very, VERY different experience from what most people have seen from the city. It's like you're on a different planet.

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I’ve seen it from fairly high in the Sierra Nevadas, far from any cities, and I still think it’s very faint.

Make sure your eyes are dark-adapted. I.e. you've spent at least 20 minutes in pitch darkness, with no sources of light other than the sky. And no Moon.

Altitude is not relevant in most cases.

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