I'm running into a potentially game-breaking bug.

So I've gone through the Thalmor Embassy, and I'm at the cave during the Escape the Embassy part of the quest. EVERY TIME I go through the cave exit to Skyrim, the loading screen crashes within about 2 seconds.

Starting over really isn't an option because I've done so much with this character and saved the main quest for last. The epic grand finale. But I can't continue the main quest if I can't escape the Thalmor Embassy.

Any advice? Or people with similar issues or the same issue?

Note, this is not the common bug that happens upon entering the embassy. This is different, and have not had much luck searching the net for solutions. So I decided to post the issue here and see if there is any way to save my game. My character needs to fulfill his destiny!

I tried clearing the 360 cache and the Skyrim cache as well. No luck. Still freezes at precisely the same spot. Tried going back to a save right before I started the Diplomatic Immunity quest, and again, when I try to exit the cave, crash.

Someone else was posting recently about having the same issue when entering the city of Solitude. I have had this problem in various locations too, but so far have been able to get around it by clearing the system and game caches. This problem seems to have been introduced (or re-introduced) with the 1.9 game update (for a number of people). I also remember having the "freeze at certain locations" problem happen prior to the nirnroot glow stacking issue being patched with version 1.6, which was released in June 2012.

I read up on it last night and a lot of people were having similar issues, but the thread was back from 2012. I did try clearing both caches though with no luck.

Right now, I'm just postponing the main quest and doing other quests in hopes that it'll clear up the glitched area.