BUTTE MEADOWS, Calif. - A woman with dementia who went missing six days ago was discovered alive Wednesday in her snowbound sports utility vehicle in Northern California, authorities said.

A search helicopter flying over the remote, mountainous community of Butte Meadows spotted a vehicle matching the description of the SUV owned by 68-year-old Paula Beth James, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office posted on Twitter.

Butte Meadows is about 200 miles (322 kilometres) northeast of San Francisco.

The helicopter landed and two searchers hiked to the vehicle, finding James inside, the sheriff’s office said.

The SUV was described as being buried in the snow.

A tracked vehicle designed for travelling on snow was used to retrieve James, who was hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said.

James disappeared Jan. 9.

James is from Oroville, about 50 miles (80 kilometres) from Butte Meadows.