if pull your hood release and the hood won't open put away the cutting torch, take a 13mm socket with a swivel and undo the two bolts under the hood latch the hood will then open. On my 99 Blazer the end of the cable came out from its slot under the hood and if this happens you can pull on the cable until it breaks and the hood will not open (I broke mine) to prevent this from happing to you take a wire tie and secure the cable end to the latch.

 

nice! and thank you.... always helps to have stuff like this handy if it should happen to someone else here.