Removing the glass prior to install can save a few pounds for you. In all honesty though if you dont have anyone you know that can help throw up a help wanted ad in a local website such as Craigslist or something and offer a couple bucks for help? Paying some college kid $20 for 30mins work to just hold something is much better than hurting yourself. Rigging up a ladder or something is just asking for a failure and smashing a good hatch down onto the ground damaging it.
Good Luck either way.
UPDATE: I was going to attempt by propping up with a telescoping paint pole, disconnect a hinge and replace with rope loop, then rig rope through loop to hatch and tie off this lifting rope on nearby car. Once both sides done, remove prop pole and lower hatch which would now be dangling from the lift rope that went through the "rope hinge loops." And then slowly use lift rope to lower.
It was going to work, but before I completed the rigging, but this 30-ish chill dude with a wheelbarrow w/some small parts came buy and I asked him if he would help me for $10. He did and then he offered to take the hatch to checkout on his wheelbarrow. (WOW) I'm 70 and use a 4 legged cane to extend my "range" and he left me in the dust. When I caught up to him, I gave him another $10 and asked if he would help load in my Escape. This guy was clearly poor and thanked me multiple times for the money - he was soft spoken and struck me as a gentleman. I felt for this guy. BTW, gentleman was Black and I was extra happy. This was at U-pull & Pay in Penn Hills near Pittsburgh.
