I don't know if this explanation will help because words. Using the photo plane as reference:
Two tools, a flat head screw driver wider than the vertical gap where the hook is, and a needle nose pliers. The screwdriver is going to be used to try to rotate the hook to the bottom left to clear the horizontal metal band, while squeezing the two bars midway to help bring the hook tip past the horizontal bar
Denver isn't great with public transport either. There's at least a minimal light rail system and buses go pretty much everywhere, so that's the good part, but the city is so sprawled out that unless your destination is a direct route you're looking at an hour or more to exclusively use public transport. And that's really the main city. Start getting out into the expanded metro area and there's not many choices except for a handful of spur rail or bus lines.
It's a lot more than many American cities, especially on paper, but in practice it's pretty rough to use as a primary transport.