I are not a dirt engineer, somehow I managed to get in a position to tell folks how to not have their chit burn down and how to placate the fire marshal, should they heed my advice.
For what little it's worth, my take on cabin foundations is it's a balance between what is ideal, and what you can practically pull off in a remote location both in terms of how difficult it is to get the tools and materials on site, and how difficult and time consuming it is to do the work. Also remember that in addition to supporting the weight loads you need to consider wind loads. While pier blocks are quick and easy, they aren't going to give you any support for wind loads. But after putting in three sono tubes in rocky soil for a new deck this summer using a post hole digger and mixing up 18 sacks of concrete in a wheelbarrow, I can attest to the appeal of pier blocks.
