Anyone else experiencing this? I don't use mods (other than the built in console commands to modify my stats). I notice it most in the steam room when I get near the pool.

Yup! Something is wrong with that area. I played for a good 30 hours before getting to the "steam room" and did not have one single crash. Once I got there, my game would lock up, crash, freeze, you name it. The worst part it, from that point on, my game would randomly crash.

Yep, that area's bugged, specifically the NPC named Chauncey.

Until it gets patched, there's a temporary fix up on the Nexus: http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=37368

I have the same problem and have downloaded the fix from Nexus. Unfortunately I don't recognize the .esp file extension. WinZip won't open it and I do not know what to do with it. Do I extract it directly into the New Vegas directory or what? Thanks for the help. :icecream:

There's also a way to get through by being a quick-save ninja.

If you stand right on top of Chauncy (looking at the top-back of his head) you can usually successfully interact with him. Once you're at a point in the action (no spoilers here) you can leave the steam room, try to exit the whole pool/bathhouse area as directly and quickly as possible, constantly doing a quick-save until you make it out. If you CTD, restart the game, "continue" and keep moving. Once you're out of the pool/bathhouse area the CTDs stop.