Hey Guys -
I am the current owner where the launch site on which Joppa (Clinch) Mountain resides. I purchased this property back in 2007 and have had a few inquiries over the years about reopening. The primary issues with reopening this site in my view are:
1) As reported by many locals, as well as the neighbor who used to maintain the property back when there was a lot of HG activity here, is that the hang gliding community didn't respect the property and over 30+ years later there are still lots of trash and old beer cans on top of the mountain as proof.
2) As reported to me, there were serious injuries incurred launching from this site and the prior owners (as well as myself) were rightfully weary of liability concerns. No signed waiver will fully release an owner from potential liability.
3) The road to the top of the mountain is very difficult (and expensive) to maintain given the steepness, and there just wasn't enough money from the HG community to properly maintain the road and upkeep the property.
This is a beautiful location with wonderful views and thermals as you guys have pointed out, and it would be really neat to have hang gliding return to this site, but alas I will never consider allowing hang gliders launch from this site while in my possession due to the reasons outlined above.
Also, at this time, I am not interested in selling given this HG site is part of a larger 226 acre tract of land that would be difficult to divide given its along the top and side of Joppa Mountain, and providing easements to subdivided tracts would problematic.
Best of luck!
More info on this community and its hang gliding history can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joppa,_Tennessee