SMT TWIN MAKES APCH WITH VISIBILITY NOT MEETING APCH REQUIREMENTS. TOO HIGH TO LAND; HE CIRCLES E FOR LNDG. APCH CHART NOTE STATED THAT A CIRCLE TO THE E WAS NOT AUTH DUE TO HIGH GND.

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APCH TO RUTLAND (RUT) LDA RWY 19. CONDITIONS CLOSE TO MINIMUM. 2 ACFT HAD JUST SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED THE APCH. HOWEVER; ONE OF THEM STATED THE VISIBILITY WAS 1 1/4 MI. (MINIMUM FOR APCH IS 3 MI.) I DECIDED TO SHOOT THE APCH ANYWAY. I'M FAMILIAR WITH ARPT AND SURROUNDING AREA. AFTER DSCNT TO MDA; WE BROKE OUT WITH VISIBILITY 1-3 MI. RWY WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE BECAUSE IT WAS COVERED WITH SNOW; AND BLENDED INTO SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE. BY THE TIME I SPOTTED IT; WE WERE OVER THRESHOLD AND FAR TOO HIGH FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LNDG. I ELECTED TO CIRCLE; MAKING L TFC FOR RWY 19. HOWEVER; THE APCH PLATE SPECIFIES CIRCLING TO THE E IS NOT AUTH DUE TO HIGH TERRAIN. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL; EXCEPT FOR POOR BRAKING ACTION. OBVIOUSLY; I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE APCH PLATE FOR CIRCLING RESTRS. IT MAY BE A GOOD IDEA FOR INSTRUCTORS TO EMPHASIZE THAT SNOW-COVERED ARPTS ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT; ESPECIALLY IN HAZE OR PRECIPITATION. SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE MINIMUM VISIBILITY; YOU MIGHT NOT SEE THE RWY AS SOON AS YOU EXPECT.