Hughes is right....I always eased up to the ridge top so I could see what was on the other side...and if it was ok...over and down.....if not slide back off down from where I had come from....always slow enough to stop and turn around or being able to maneuver to maintain visual contact with the ground.
While flying a 500E in the Pacific Northwest....know for its beautiful clear rain and snow free weather in the Summer.....I was asked by my Passengers one day why I did not just fly high and direct to our destinations.
I explained that come the Fall and Winter....we would not be able to do the high and direct thing and I wanted to know what my inclement weather routes were and know them by landmarks that would be above the snow pack.
Once they got to enjoying seeing Deer,Elk, Bears, and the occasion Cougar....they got to enjoying it instead of a boring cramped ride fighting airsickness....and come the rain, fog, snow, sleet, and low cloud....and we continued making our regular runs without problems....they embraced what we were doing.
Helicopters have unique capabilities but you use them with due care and circumspection.
Most Rules exist because someone did not.