Trygve Berge’s storied legacy spans the 60 years of Breckenridge Ski Resort and then some. He is an Olympian who has met Sophia Loren, survived a plane crash and created Ullr Fest.
The pioneer turns 90 this month, and the Breckenridge Tourism Office is throwing him a reception at the Riverwalk Center to celebrate Monday, April 11. There will be photos and videos highlighting his life, cake and more. Berge has earned the recognition and celebration.
His passion of skiing led Berge on a path to become a Norwegian downhill champion racer in 1954 and compete at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy.
Berge came to the United States after the Olympics and lived in Aspen Highlands with skiing icon Stein Eriksen in 1958. There, he met Bill Rounds, who offered Berge a job at his family’s lumberyard in Breckenridge. Shortly thereafter, Berge ended up co-founding the resort with Rounds and fellow Norwegian Olympian Sigurd Rockne.
I met Trygve almost 40 years ago and he has been a friend ever since.
