Born in Voss, Norway Trygve grew up skiing. Because he was talented in many disciplines, later, he became a certified instructor in Norway's Professional Ski Instructors Association in alpine, jumping and cross-country. He attended vocational college in Voss studying architectural design, wood carving, cabinet making and stone masonry. Upon graduation he attended Norwegian Army Officers Training School.

During his racing career, Trygve excelled at downhill competition. He was the 1954 Norwegian downhill champion and won the Holmenkollen combined. In 1955 he competed at the North American Championships in Squaw Valley, where he placed fourth. He then was named to the Norwegian Olympic Team. He remembers racing downhill in the 1956 Olympics in Cortina, Italy, because the course was so difficult that no one else wanted to tackle the challenge. The last international ski race that he won was a sanctioned world cup race in Norway in 1958. Trygve also raced professionally with the International Professional Ski Racers Association (IPSRA) and won over 100 events.

Trygve came to the US with Stein Ericksen in 1956 after the Olympic Winter Games. In Aspen, he met Bill Rounds of the Summit County Development Corporation who had been purchasing land around the Dillon Reservoir. After some time, Trygve convinced Bill that building a ski area in Breckenridge could be a great business venture during the long winter months. Trygve helped design the ski area and layed out the trail system. In 1961 he founded the ski school at Breckenridge along with Sigurd Rockne and the ski area opened on December 16, 1961. "We didn't know how big it was going to get", said Trygve. From 1961 to 1971 he built and owned two "Norway Haus" ski shops in Breckenridge and the Yankee Peddler Dry Goods Store. Starting in 1976 until 1980 Trygve managed two ski shops in Denver and "Trygve's Ski Shop" in Breckenridge.

In 1968, Trygve began an association with Scandinavian Airlines as a skiing consultant.

Along with Stein Eriksen, Trygve performed acrobatic exhibitions that toured the US. From 1953 until 1989, Trygve gave over 2,000 demonstrations at ski shows and touring exhibitions in association with Colorado Ski Country USA.