In four expeditions to the northwest coast of Spitsbergen (1995–1998) we have searched for yearly stationary snow algal fields and found them mostly near bird colonies on steep snow slopes. In this report, a hypothesis about the redispersion of snow algae on steep snow slopes typical for this coast region is given. Two points are of importance: first, motile cells are restricted to a small part of the snowfield near the drop edge on the top, and second, resting cells from previous year deep under the snow play a subordinate role. Resting cells dispersed onto snowfields located higher in the mountains are of special importance for next years algal blooming. In the early summer, meltwater streams concentrate cells of these fields in the upper part of the snow slope below the drop edge. Algal proliferation begins here and locally cell concentration can be very high (about >2 × 10⁶ cells ml⁻¹) and color the ice clumps deep green. The cell distribution in these wet snow/ice crystals is not uniform. Later in the season as the ground ice is exposed another bloom may form from the previous year's resting cells. Field samples of green, light yellow/red, and orange-red cells derived from the same location are analyzed by light and transmission electron microscopy.