Norwegian Olympic Alpine Skier & Breckenridge Ski Resort Co‑Founder Tryvge Berge
There is a gentle slope on Peak 8 that is popular with beginners called Tryvge’s. You may have wondered where it got its name.
Trygve Berge was born April 13, 1932 in Voss, Norway. He is a renowned Norwegian alpine skier and one of the key figures behind the creation of Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado. He competed in downhill skiing at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo and became the Norwegian downhill champion that same year. After immigrating to the United States following the Olympics, he played a pivotal role in scouting and developing the terrain that would become the Peak 8 Ski Area, co‑founding the resort in 1961 with Bill Rounds and fellow Norwegian Sigurd Rockne. His influence extended far beyond infrastructure—Berge became the resort’s first ski school director and a beloved Breckenridge icon known for his acrobatic ski style, instructional leadership, and decades‑long commitment to local ski culture.
He is a man of resilience. Berge broke his femur multiple times and survived train, plane, and automobile crashes. Originally from Voss, Norway, he grew up during the Nazi occupation, when bombs fell on his community, potatoes were seized from his family farm, and even ski gatherings were banned. These hardships shaped his deep appreciation for each day and fueled the determination that defined both his skiing career and his later work building one of America’s most beloved ski destinations.
He still resides in Breckenridge and recently celebrated his 93th birthday.
